Dive deep into the Grade 2 West Point Stakes at Saratoga, where 13 contenders converge over 1 1/16 miles of firm turf on Sunday, August 24th. Expect a spirited pace mix, tactical brilliance from top turf specialists, and hidden gems ready to spring an upset. Here’s your complete breakdown of runners, jockeys, trainers, pedigrees and betting strategy.
Race Details
Distance & Surface: 1 1/16 miles on firm turf
Age: Three-year-olds & up
Purse: $150,000 (Winner’s share: ~$94,500)
Post Time: Approx. 5:10 PM ET
This race traditionally attracts a blend of seasoned turf milers stretching out and fresh faces stepping up. A moderate early tempo often favors horses tracking the pace from mid-pack or closer to the rail.
Pace & Run Style Breakdown
Front-runners: Conman, Gem Mint Ten and Bettrluckythangood should battle for the early lead, ensuring honest fractions (approx. :23.4 – :47.8 for the first half-mile).
Mid-pack stalkers: Itsallcomintogetha, Rhetorical and Clear Conscience will look to tuck in, saving ground before delivering a turn-for-home kick.
Late closers: Drake’s Passage, Cut the Cord and Leftembehind need a strong pace setup to unleash a rally in the final furlong.
A contested first quarter sets the stage for stalkers to pounce, while lone front-running tactics could favor honest gallopers if the field splits.
Entrants Overview
| Post | Horse | Age | Trainer | Jockey | Breeding (Sire – Dam) |
| 1 | Gem Mint Ten | 5 | Raymond Handal | Romero Maragh | Laoban – Dixie Gem |
| 2 | Clear Conscience | 5 | Mark E. Casse | Jose L. Ortiz | Blame – Blank Slate |
| 3 | Bettrluckythangood | 5 | Miguel Clement | Dylan Davis | Lookin At Lucky – Comet of Love |
| 4 | Itsallcomintogetha | 5 | Lisa Bartkowski | Luis Saez | Weekend Hideaway – Ladywell Court |
| 5 | Conman | 5 | Ilkay Kantarmaci | Manuel Franco | Constitution – Rare Medal |
| 6 | Rhetorical | 4 | William Walden | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Not This Time – Sheet Humor |
| 7 | Sheriff Bianco | 7 | Linda Rice | Jose Ortiz | Speightster – Summer Rules |
| 8 | Bank Frenzy | 5 | Rudy Rodriguez | Manuel Franco | Central Banker – Storm Now |
| 9 | Drake’s Passage | 5 | Miguel Clement | TBA | Tonalist – Raucous |
| 10 | Dr. Kraft | 5 | Ilkay Kantarmaci | TBA | The Lieutenant – Princess Consort |
| 11 | Locke and Key | 6 | James Ryerson | TBA | Mr. Z – U R Key |
| 12 | Cut the Cord | 6 | Ilkay Kantarmaci | TBA | Creative Cause – Cable |
| 13 | Leftembehind | 5 | Ilkay Kantarmaci | TBA | Accelerate – Late ’n Left |
Leading Contenders
6 – Rhetorical (Irad Ortiz, Jr. – William Walden)
Form & Fitness: Undefeated in two Saratoga turf starts, including a convincing 2½-length tally in last month’s 1 mile G3.
Turf Pedigree: By Not This Time, out of a Distorted Humor mare, mixing stamina and turf speed.
Jockey/Trainer Edge: Ortiz Jr. leads all Saratoga riders; Walden is 25% winner with turf sprinter-milers.
Outlook: Tactical speed and drawn mid-pack; should stalk and pounce entering the lane.
8 – Bank Frenzy (Manuel Franco – Rudy Rodriguez)
Form & Fitness: 4-win streak including back-to-back Saratoga victories, latest by 1¾ lengths vs. allowance company.
Pedigree Note: Central Banker’s progeny excel at 1 mile–1 1/8 miles turf.
Jockey/Trainer Edge: Franco has been red-hot recently; Rodriguez maintains 20% win rate with turf routers.
Outlook: Can press or take back; versatile trip gives him tactical advantage if pace is hot.
3 – Bettrluckythangood (Dylan Davis – Miguel Clement)
Form & Fitness: Plugs away in graded stakes, third in G2 at Belmont last out; has tactical gate speed.
Pedigree Note: Lookin At Lucky cross with Jet Pilot line adds late-kick potential.
Jockey/Trainer Edge: Clement boasts 24% win rate at Saratoga; Davis 9.9% win, 39% top-3.
Outlook: In play with quick fractions; needs clear path turning for home.
5 – Conman (Manuel Franco – Ilkay Kantarmaci)
Form & Fitness: 2-for-2 at 1 1/16 m on lawn, recent allowance win by 2 lengths.
Pedigree Note: Constitution crosses stamina into veteran gelding profile.
Jockey/Trainer Edge: Kantarmaci four starters here; handles grass routers effectively.
Outlook: Tactical pressing style; tactical speed makes him dangerous on a firm pace.
Dark Horses & Value Plays
4 – Itsallcomintogetha (Luis Saez/Lisa Bartkowski): Consistent top-4 finisher in G3 turf; repeat technical pace trip could pay off at decent odds.
2 – Clear Conscience (Jose Ortiz/Mark Casse): Late runner with strong finish; needs a hot pace to recharge behind leaders.
1 – Gem Mint Ten (Romero Maragh/Raymond Handal): Long tried on dirt, sneaky turf switch; pedigree hints at improvement second off switch.
Trainer & Jockey Highlight
Leading Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. tops the Saratoga leaderboard with 48 wins, 56.5% top-3 rate.
Trainer to Watch: Miguel Clement leads grass horsemen with 24.1% win rate this meet; Ilkay Kantarmaci has four entries here, emphasizing trusted turf conditioning.
Stats Tip: Horses piloted by Ortiz, Saez and Davis in graded turf races at Saratoga hit exacta spots nearly 45% of the time.
Betting Strategy
Win Bet: Rhetorical and Bank Frenzy as primary win wagers in split-ticket strategy.
Exactas/Trifectas:
Key Box: 6–8–3–5 over 1–2–4–9 for a 4×4 boxed exacta/trifecta.
Wheel: Rhetorical on top, wheeling 3–5–8 all the way down for larger trifecta.
Late Pick 4: Plays in Races 6–9 should include 6 and 8 in rolling exotic sequence, backed by 4 and 2 underneath.
