Saturday Showdown at The Spa: Uncover the Dark Horse Picks Set to Shake Up the Alabama Stakes

Ladies Night is taking on a whole new meaning at Saratoga Race Course this Saturday, August 16, where the spotlight shines brightest on the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes – a fierce battleground for the sport’s finest three-year-old fillies. Meet the star of the show, Good Cheer, the 2025 Kentucky Oaks champion and morning-line favorite, who’s itching to reclaim her perfect streak. But hey—if you think that’s the only excitement, think again. From the historic Wilson Chute’s swift mile-long dirt races to the lightning-fast two-year-old turf sprints in the Skidmore Stakes, this day is stacked with not just action but serious betting value across several divisions. After a brief hiatus last week, I’m back with a $113 bet portfolio ready to rumble—combining win wagers, Exactas, and a Late Pick 5 sequence aimed at turning the odds in my favor. The question is… will the strategy pay off like it did before, when I walked away +$308.50 for The Spa’s 2025 summer meet? Hold onto your hats — this isn’t your grandma’s ladies night. LEARN MORE.

It’s “Ladies Night” at the Saratoga Race Course Saturday, August 16, highlighted by the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes featuring the best three-year-old fillies in the sport. This year’s field includes the 2025 Kentucky Oaks champion, Good Cheer, who is the morning-line favorite. But the Alabama isn’t the only betting opportunity on tap. 

From races out of the historic “Wilson Chute” to a two-year-old turf sprint in the Skidmore Stakes, Saturday’s card offers value across multiple divisions. I’ve mapped out a $113 portfolio of win bets, Exactas, and a Late Pick 5 sequence to attack the day’s action. I took last week off, but I’m +$308.50 for The Spa‘s 2025 summer meet. 

Nine horses on a mile-long dirt track for three-year-olds and upward. 

#3 Get a Job (7-2). They are starting this race out of the “Wilson’s Chute,” which favors early-speed horses with an inside post position, and Get a Job has the second-fastest early speed in this field. He’s won both starts in Saratoga and two of three at this distance, with the other being a second. Get a Job has elite connections with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and Saratoga’s winningest jockey, Irad Ortiz, annually. 

Five horses on the 5.5-furlong Mellon Turf Course for two-year-olds. 

#7 Bobrovsky (6-1). This is a sprint, and Bobrovsky has the fastest early speed of any horse in this field with experience in American races. He broke his maiden in Saratoga last month, winning as the odds-on favorite by 10.5 lengths. Lastly, Bobrovsky ran the fastest time in three straight four-furlong workouts entering this race among 94, 66, and 65 other horses. 

Six horses on a 1.25-mile dirt track for three-year-old fillies with a $600,000 purse. 

#2 Good Cheer (8-5). She was a perfect 7-0 before finishing fifth her last time out in the Grade 1 Acorn over a sloppy Saratoga track. It was Good Cheer’s second-slowest race after her debut, which she won by 8.25 lengths. Otherwise, Good Cheer is 4-1 in Graded stakes races, including the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks vs. 12 rivals.

#1 Margie’s Intention (8-1). VSIN horse handicapper Aaron Halterman made a point I’m using to build my Exacta: Trainer Brad Cox entered Margie’s Intention into this race to make the early-pace horse, #6 La Cara (5-2), work early and tire her out down the stretch. That way, Cox’s other horse in this field, Good Cheer, could reap the rewards. 

#5 Queen Azteca (12-1). Her last two starts were at one-and-three-eighths and 1.5-mile long, so we know she can handle the distance. Maybe La Cara’s early speed burns the field out, and Queen Azteca’s experience with long distances helps her hit the board. Either way, I’m trying to increase the payout for Good Cheer by using two horses at a price in my Exacta. 

Nine horses on the one-and-one-sixteenth-mile inner turf course for three-year-olds and upward. 

#2 Dakota Country (5-1). This is a “route horse,” and has run on at least a one-and-one-sixteenth-mile course for every race. Dakota Country’s top speed figures are fast enough to win this race, and he has the fastest “late pace” in this field. Given his price, best speed figures, and experience at this distance, Dakota Country provides the best value in this race. 

Eleven horses on the 5.5-furlong Mellon Turf course for three-year-olds and upward. 

#1 Spoken Bluntly (9-2) is the fastest horse in this race, and should be able to get inside position since he posts on the rail. He won his first and only time out this year with jockey Kendrick Carmouche. Spoken Bluntly has two wins and a second in Carmouche’s three times riding him. 

#5 Courtly Banker (5-1) switches to a sprint after six straight races of at least a mile. He finished second his last time out on the Saratoga turf with a respectable speed figure of 79. Courtly Banker has “tactical speed” and can contend in this race regardless of the pace. 

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Follow me on X (or Twitter, whatever) @Geoffery-Clark, and check out my OutKick Bets Podcast for more betting content and random rants. Track my Saratoga Race Course picks during the 2025 summer meet here.