2025 Alabama Stakes Betting and Contenders Preview

As one of the crown jewels of summer racing, the Alabama Stakes returns to the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, NY, this year with everyone watching the top three-year-old fillies. Held annually at Saratoga Springs since 1872, this prestigious Grade 1 race is the longest of the major dirt races for fillies at 1 1⁄4 miles, making it also a key test of stamina and strategy. With the possibility of winning a powerful $600,000 purse, the Alabama Stakes at the Saratoga Race Course is certainly a big show.

This year’s race promises another thrilling chapter in horse racing. Whether you're a seasoned handicapper or a casual fan, the 2025 Alabama Stakes is a must-watch event on Saratoga’s historic dirt track.

2025 Alabama Stakes At Saratoga Race Course Information

• Race Date: Saturday, August 16th, 2025
• Track: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, New York
• Post Time: 05:44 PM ET
• Distance: 11⁄4 miles (10 furlongs)
• Age: Three-Year-Old Fillies
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Where to Bet: TVG.com and FanDuel Racing

The Alabama Stakes Odds

This is the field for the 2025 Alabama Stakes, organized by post position. It includes their trainers and jockeys, and morning-line odds.

The 2025 Alabama Prep Results

Showing up to the Saratoga Race Course this weekend are 6 3-year-old fillies galloping for a win. Margie’s Intention takes poll position 1 after coming in 2nd in her last race at the Delaware Oaks G3. Her trainer, Brad Cox, has two horses on site, making the race at Saratoga Springs this weekend an interesting one to look out for.

Following up on Margie’s Intention is Brad Cox’s other horse, Good Cheer, who ran up a 7-leg win streak. Before her appearance this weekend at the Saratoga Race Course, she placed 5th at the Acorn. Trained by Mark Casse for breeder-owner Tracy Farmer, La Cara will break from the widest post again with Dylan Davis in the saddle.

Nitrogen, a four-time graded-stakes winner and La Cara’s stablemate, has earned her reputation with four turf wins. In her only dirt race, she dominated the off-the-turf Wonder Again (G3) at the Saratoga Race Course on June 7, winning by 17 lengths over just two rivals in the sloppy conditions. José Ortiz retains the mount from post 4.

Also entered in the Alabama is Group 3-winning European shipper Queen Azteca, and allowance winner Kinzie Queen.

The 2025 Alabama Stakes Contenders

Margie’s Intention: Brad Cox’s first of two entries, this former Brendan Walsh trainee, won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico in her first start for the new barn. She then finished second as the favorite in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks. A daughter of Honor A.P., she’s 6-for-7 in the exacta and is expected to race with a late-closing style. The last Black-Eyed Susan winner to claim the Alabama was Stopchargingmaria in 2014. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. brings two Alabama wins to the mount.

Good Cheer: She opened her career with an impressive seven-race winning streak, highlighted by a late surge to win the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. However, her recent effort was a disappointment, finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Acorn at Saratoga despite being a heavy favorite. Trainer Brad Cox and jockey Luis Saez are aiming for a rebound as they chase their first Alabama victory.

Kinzie Queen: After finishing third in both the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and Grade 3 Delaware Oaks, she’ll face familiar rival Margie’s Intention again. Claimed for $50,000 last November, she’s 0-0-2 in four stakes starts and makes her Grade 1 debut for Delaware trainer Greg Compton. Jockey Junior Alvarado, coming off a big win guiding Fort Washington to the Grade 1 Arlington Million, looks to keep the momentum.

Nitrogen: After dominating the 3-runner Wonder Again Stakes by 17 lengths, she returns to dirt for only the second time, following that impressive effort on a sloppy track. The multiple Grade 2 turf winner had her five-race winning streak snapped by a nose in the Belmont Oaks Invitational as the 2-5 favorite. She joins stablemate La Cara in Mark Casse’s lineup and may trail her early on. José Ortiz, who rides, won three consecutive Alabamas from 2017-’19.

Queen Azteca: After finishing second as the heavy favorite against males in the Swedish Derby over 1½ miles, she adds a true X-factor to the Alabama field. She won the Group 2 UAE Oaks at Meydan in February and boasts four wins from nine starts across Norway, Sweden, and the UAE. Just before the Swedish Derby, American syndicate Team Valor purchased the Kentucky-bred daughter of Cigar Mile winner Sharp Azteca, bringing her home to train under Rudolphe Brisset. Joel Rosario, her jockey, has guided two Alabama winners before.

La Cara: Expected to set the pace in the Alabama, she comes off a wire-to-wire win in Saratoga’s 1⅛-mile Grade 1 Acorn and earlier took the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland. After finishing ninth in the Kentucky Oaks,13 lengths behind Alabama rival Good Cheer, her record shows a mix of highs and lows, with five wins in 11 starts. A daughter of 2007 Travers winner Street Sense, she’s trained by Mark Casse, who also runs Nitrogen, with Dylan Davis returning as her regular jockey.

The Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Springs Past Winners Past Performances

The Alabama Stakes has long been a proving ground for some of the best three-year-old fillies in American horse racing. Using their Alabama victories as launching pads for Eclipse Awards, Breeders’ Cup glory, and long-term greatness.

One of the most memorable Alabama Stakes performances happened in 1990, when Go for Wand won a commanding victory, solidifying her reputation as one of the greatest fillies of her era. Her front-running style and fierce determination made her an instant fan favorite. In 2003, Island Fashion stunned the field with her versatility, having come into the race off turf starts, and then proving her dirt ability with a strong finish in the stretch.

More recently, in 2022, Nest, trained by Todd A. Pletcher, delivered a massive win by winning by a whopping 4 1/4 lengths after a strong second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes. The 2024 winner was Power Squeeze, jockeyed by Javier Castellano, and came in with a finishing time of 2:04.35

The Alabama Stakes History

First run in 1872, the Alabama Stakes is one of the oldest and most prestigious races in American horse racing. Held annually at the iconic Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York, the race was named in honor of William Cottrell of Mobile, Alabama, one of the founding members of the Saratoga Association. From its early days, the Alabama Stakes was designed to spotlight the finest three-year-old fillies.

The race’s long distance of 10 furlongs makes it the longest Grade 1 race restricted to three-year-old fillies in North America and stands out as a test of endurance and strength at such a long distance. The Alabama has become a part of the filly racing calendar, serving as the final jewel in what is sometimes called the Filly Triple Tiara, following the Acorn Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks.

Beyond the track, the Alabama Stakes has grown in cultural significance, often drawing some of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds of the Saratoga season. Its place in the summer racing calendar is more than ceremonial; it’s an event that can cement a horse’s status in racing history.

The 2025 Alabama Stakes FAQ

Q: When is the 2025 Alabama Stakes

A: The Alabama Stakes takes place on Saturday, August 16th, 2025.

Q: Where Are the Alabama Stakes Held?

A: The Alabama Stakes is held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Q: What is the Purse for the Alabama Stakes?

A: The purse is $600,000.

Q: Who Won the Alabama Stakes in 2024?

A: Power Squeeze won in 2024. Jockeyed by Javier Castellano and trained by Jorge Delgado. Power Squeeze finished with a time of 2:04.35.

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