NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
The Grade 1 Champagne Stakes for two-year Thoroughbreds highlights the race card at Aqueduct Racetrack. The Woodward Stakes, Miss Grillo Stakes and the Belmont Turf Sprint are also major graded events on Aqueduct’s card for Saturday’s races.
The Belmont Turf Sprint is open to Thoroughbreds three and older. The six-furlong sprint on turf has a $200,000 prize purse and it is the Grade 3 race. Thin White Duke is the potential favorite with a victory in the non-graded Lucky Coin Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York.
The Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes also has a $200,000 prize purse for two-year fillies. Raced on turf, it is 1 1/16 miles. The favorite is Pleasant Passage. She is coming off the win in the Maiden Special Weight event at Saratoga.
The Woodward Stakes is a Grade 1 race open to three and older Thoroughbreds and the event has a $500,000 prize purse. Coving 1 1/8 miles on dirt, Life Is Good is the favorite. The previous victory in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga happened Aug. 6.
2022 Champagne Stakes Predictions
When: Saturday, October 1st 2022
Where: Aqueduct Racetrack
The Grade 1 Champagne Stakes is the first of the fall’s races for up-and-coming juveniles. The one-mile event on dirt is a duel between Gulfport and Forte as the two leaders in the Horse Racing Nation ratings. Blazing Sevens is marked for third in my book.
Win: Gulfport
As the morning-line favorite in Saratoga’s Hopeful Stakes, Gulfport has risen to the occasion before. The Kentucky-bred two-year colt has won the non-grade Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs on July 4 and as taken second in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on Aug. 13.
The son of Uncle Mo is made for a mile or longer in his stride. Gulfport won a Maidens Special Weight race in the opening event at Churchill on June 10 to begin his career. He has only competed at seven furlongs or shorter until the race at Champagne Stakes.
Place: Forte
Trained by Todd Pletcher, the two-year colt is also bred in Kentucky. With the victory in the Hopeful Stakes, Forte has earned the 6.94 rated by HRN. He faded to fourth in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga in mid-July at six furlongs but he has also been trained for longer distances.
Sired by Violence, he is geared to make an appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in early November following this race. Forte has a shot to win the Champagne Stakes if the breaks are on his side.
Show: Blazing Sevens
Blazing Sevens is trained by Chad Brown and is a son the Good Magic. In back-to-back races at Saratoga, he won the Maiden Special Weight race at six furlongs on July 24 and he finished third in the Hopeful Stakes in early September.
The two-year colt is the leading contender to finish in the money on Saturday. Blazing Sevens has led up to the one mile run in his previous workouts. He is also bred to go the distance in his race on Saturday.
