Race Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Post Time: 1:10 PM ET
Track: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY
Race Type: Novice Hurdle Stakes — $75,000 purse
Distance: 2⅜ miles over National Fences
Eligibility: 4-year-olds and up who have not won over hurdles prior to March 1, 2024 or have never won three races (excluding 3-year-old races)
Field Overview & Morning Line Odds
| Post | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Pedigree | Odds |
| 1 | Evie’s Prince | Neil R. Morris | Eric Poretz | Animal Kingdom × Owl Moon (Ghostzapper) | 3-1 |
| 2 | Beat Le Bon (FR) | Jack Fisher | Dan Nevin | Wootton Bassett × Frida La Blonde (Elusive City) | 8-1 |
| 3 | Caramelised (GB) | Leslie F. Young | Jamie Bargary | Dansili × Caster Sugar (Cozzene) | 12-1 |
| 4 | Sultan Pierji (FR) | Thomas Garner | Charlie Todd | Ectot × Sultane des Bordes (Lavirco) | 10-1 |
| 5 | Kitten Around | Keri Brion | Freddie Procter | Flintshire × Bail Out Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) | 12-1 |
| 6 | Quick Master | Jack Fisher | Graham Watters | Hard Spun × Pura Classe (Grand Slam) | 8-1 |
| 7 | L’Avvocato (FR) | Katherine S. Neilson | Gerard Galligan | Frankel × After Dawn (Invincible Spirit) | 10-1 |
| 8 | China Beach | Kate Dalton | Bernard Dalton | Treasure Beach × Starship Fantasy (Yes It’s True) | 5-2 |
| 9 | Blue Creek | Keri Brion | Stephen Mulqueen | Demarchelier × Grandma Fran (Street Boss) | 9-2 |
Pedigree & Performance Insights
China Beach — The Form Favorite
Sire: Treasure Beach — turf stamina specialist with proven jump progeny.
Dam: Starship Fantasy by Yes It’s True — adds speed and precocity.
Trainer: Kate Dalton — respected in steeplechase circles.
Jockey: Bernard Dalton — experienced over fences.
Evie’s Prince — Veteran with Upside
Sire: Animal Kingdom — Kentucky Derby winner with turf versatility.
Dam: Owl Moon by Ghostzapper — adds class and stamina.
Trainer: Neil R. Morris — known for conditioning older jumpers.
Jockey: Eric Poretz — solid record in novice stakes.
Blue Creek — Lightly Raced Prospect
Sire: Demarchelier — son of Dubawi, turf-oriented pedigree.
Dam: Grandma Fran by Street Boss — adds sprinting influence.
Trainer: Keri Brion — multiple stakes wins in NSA circuit.
Jockey & Trainer Highlights
Jack Fisher (Trainer of Beat Le Bon & Quick Master): Hall of Fame steeplechase trainer with multiple Saratoga wins.
Keri Brion (Trainer of Kitten Around & Blue Creek): Rising star in jump racing with international experience.
Kate Dalton (Trainer of China Beach): Veteran horsewoman with a strong Saratoga record.
Eric Poretz (Evie’s Prince): Known for patient rides and strong finishes.
Bernard Dalton (China Beach): One of the most seasoned jump jockeys in the U.S.
Top Contenders:
China Beach Treasure Beach gelding Saratoga hurdle favorite
Evie’s Prince Animal Kingdom gelding novice stakes
Blue Creek Demarchelier gelding Saratoga steeplechase
Value Plays:
Quick Master Hard Spun gelding Jack Fisher entry
L’Avvocato Frankel gelding Katherine Neilson Saratoga
The 2025 Jonathan Kiser Memorial Novice Stakes kicks off Saratoga’s jump racing season with a deep field of seasoned geldings and rising prospects. China Beach enters as the morning line favorite, but Evie’s Prince and Blue Creek bring strong pedigrees and tactical upside. With elite trainers like Jack Fisher, Keri Brion, and Kate Dalton in the mix, this 2⅜-mile hurdle promises a thrilling start to the meet.
