2025 Bowling Green Stakes Preview

Key Takeaways:

• Far Bridge brings top-class form and tactical versatility into the Bowling Green after a neck defeat in the Manhattan (G1), making him a deserving favorite, but a short price invites a look at alternatives.
• Webslinger should move forward second off the layoff and back on turf; his pace, flexibility, and proven class at this distance make him a strong contender for Mark Casse.
• El Rezeen quietly fits the profile of past Bowling Green winners—by English Channel, proven at Saratoga and at this distance, and rounding back into form after a too-short seasonal debut.

Older horses with deep turf stamina take the stage Saturday, July 12, at Saratoga for the $200,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2). This 1 ⅜-mile grass race drew a field of eight slated to go on the turf, plus another three main-track only entrants. As of midweek, dry weather was expected for both Friday and Saturday, meaning the grass should be in good condition for a turf race, but no matter what, this will be a competitive field and a strong betting race.

On turf, the leader of the pack is Far Bridge, who missed by a neck in the Manhattan last time out and is a consistent performer in these long turf races. However, victory will not be an easy task. He faces not only the mainstay Webslinger but also a host of up-and-coming turf runners like Harrow, Tucson, El Rezeen, and Starting Over, who may be rising in class but have shown enough to be interesting going forward in this division.

2025 Bowling Green Stakes Information

• Race Date: Saturday, July 12
• Track: Saratoga Race Course
• Post Time: 4:29 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
• Distance: 1 ⅜ miles
• Age/Sex: four-year-olds and up
• Where to Watch: FanDuel Racing, Fox Sports 2
• Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing

Bowling Green Stakes Draw and Odds

This is the field for the Bowling Green Stakes, including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds for each horse in the field.

Bowling Green Stakes Prep Race Results

The 11 entrants in the Bowling Green come out of seven different races, with all but two of the eight turf entrants coming in from grass races.

Three of the horses in the race come out of the 1 ⅛-mile Manhattan (G1) at Saratoga on June 8. The best of that lot was Far Bridge, who rallied for third, beaten just a neck in all by stablemate Deterministic. Corruption, trying the top level for the first time, was another 4 ½ lengths back in fourth. Tucson, making his graded-stakes debut in the Manhattan, was near the pace early but weakened to a well-beaten eighth and last.

Two others come out of the Cape Henlopen, a 1 ½-mile grass race at Delaware. Though winner Vote No does not turn up here, second-place Harrow and third-place Starting Over do show up, and both were beaten less than a length for all of it in Delaware.

El Rezeen is the only one of the turf entrants from the Bowling Green to come out of a non-stakes race. He rallied from midfield and chased on for second behind Herchee in a second-level allowance at Keeneland on April 24; Herchee came back to win a washed-off third-level allowance at Churchill last month.

One runner comes out of a Tapeta race. Webslinger, long a presence in graded turf races, made his seasonal debut May 31 at Woodbine in the 1 1/16-mile Eclipse, his first-ever Tapeta try. He handled it well, rallying from last to finish second, just ¾ lengths behind winning Classic Mo Town.

The only one of the turf entrants coming out of a dirt race is Tawny Port. He was entered in the Belmont Gold Cup (G3), originally carded for grass. He stayed in even though the race was washed out, did not handle the 1 ¾ miles on slop, and was eased to run seventh.

All three of the main-track only horses come out of dirt races. Yo Daddy turns back in distance after finishing second in the aforementioned Belmont Gold Cup. Game Warden has freshened up since running third to Honor Marie in the 1 ½-mile Isaac Murphy Marathon at Churchill Downs on April 30. Kuchar, yet to prove himself in graded company, was most recently a well-beaten sixth in a top-shelf allowance going 1 ⅛ miles at Saratoga on June 5.

Bowling Green Stakes Contenders

This is the field for the Bowling Green, in order of post positions:

1. Starting Over: He looked like a real up-and-comer in long turf races in early 2024, running second in the McKnight (G3) and winning the Mac Diarmida (G2). However, he was well beaten and never a factor in either the United Nations (G2) last July or the Elkhorn (G2) this past April. However, second off the layoff, he looked as good as ever when third in the Cape Henlopen, a 1 ½-mile turf race at Delaware. Close to the pace, he ran on well and was beaten only three-quarters of a length for all of it. However, this may prove a tough spot – he isn’t the only one with speed, and he drew the thorny inside post.
2. El Rezeen: It took this son of English Channel—sire of both Channel Maker and Cross Border, a pair of two-time Bowling Green winners—a while to get going. He only broke his maiden fifth time out, going 1 ½ miles at Saratoga. But, he has figured it out. He won right back in a first-level allowance last August at the same distance and course as the Bowling Green, so it suffices to say he needs the distance and likes the course. That makes his defeat at allowance level in April forgivable—not only was it his first race since October, but it covered 1 1/16 miles, way too short for him. He consistently finds a rally from off the pace, he ran well enough without Lasix when third in the Jockey Club Derby (G3) last fall, and he gets back jockey Dylan Davis, his rider for both Saratoga wins last year.
3. Tawny Port: It’s hard to know what he is anymore. No matter what, toss the last; it was a 1 ¾-mile slog in the slop. But, the well-beaten sixth two back in the Pan American (G3) is far more of a concern. Last year, returning in graded company at Gulfstream, he looked great. This year, he came up empty. If he returns to some of his better form, he could get a piece, and he is a stakes winner on the Saratoga grass. But, a price for exotics seems to be the ceiling, as he hasn’t won at all in almost two years.
4. Tucson: This lightly raced four-year-old made his graded-stakes debut in the Manhattan last out on the heels of a three-win streak. That streak included a victory in his turf debut, a 1 ½-mile second-level allowance at Keeneland. The Manhattan was tough, as he was right on a fast pace for the distance and less-than-firm conditions, and then weakened badly. He’ll likely have better ground for this. However, he’ll have other speed to reckon with over a longer trip, meaning this could be another hard ask.
5. Webslinger: This five-year-old gelding is well spotted here. Yes, he fell just short in his seasonal debut in the Eclipse, but he was trying synthetic for the first time, and the 1 1/16-mile trip was on the short side. He stretches out to the same distance at which he won the Chorleywood at Churchill last year. He is pace-versatile, able to run well on the front or rallying from absolutely nowhere. And, he gets Jose Ortiz in the irons—not only is Ortiz an experienced New York jockey who is doing well with trainer Mark Casse, but the last time he rode Webslinger was that Chorleywood win.
6. Harrow: Harrow is in the best form of his life right now. Claimed to the Saffie Joseph barn for $16,000 in April of last year, He went on to win a big-money allowance optional claimer going 1 ½ miles at Kentucky Downs in his first start for the new barn, win a starter allowance at Tampa two starts later, and finish a credible fifth in the McKnight (G3) in January. He beat American Grade 3 winner Smokin’ T to take the Barbados Gold Cup two back, and proved he shipped back to the United States well when a close second in the Cape Henlopen last out. He has been successfully reinvented as a long-distance turf horse—and if he doesn’t regress off that big last-out effort in the Cape Henlopen, he is pace-versatile enough to get a good run in the Bowling Green.
7. Far Bridge: The class of the field, Far Bridge won both the Sword Dancer (G1) and Turf Classic (G1) at 1 ½ miles last year. He was defeated in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, a much harder race, last year. However, he has come back with three strong efforts this year, including a neck third last out in the Manhattan. His tactical speed should help him, even though there is a surprising amount of speed for a 1 ⅜-mile race, he is able to track even a quick pace and keep on running. The price does stand to be short, which is the biggest reason to at least consider others, but at this kind of class, Far Bridge’s usual effort makes him a justifiable favorite.
8. Corruption: A lightly-raced four-year-old, Corruption missed by just a neck to Far Bridge three back in the Pan American (G3), his stakes debut. That effort was a far cry from just two and a half months before, when he needed to drop down for $35,000 to break his maiden. The more distance, the better, for this son of Medaglia d’Oro—he didn’t run Far Bridge quite as close last out in the Manhattan, but that was only 1 ⅛ miles, he had a bit of a slow start, and there was some give in the ground. Over a longer trip, especially if the turf turns up firmer, he could be a factor from flag fall to that’s all.
9. Yo Daddy: Yo Daddy will only run if the race is washed to the main track, which is unlikely given the forecast for the week. Should he get in, he has some appeal—he cuts back from a second-place finish going 1 ¾ miles over the Saratoga slop in the Belmont Gold Cup. He set the pace that day, but does not need to be on the front to win—a good ability, depending on how many of the forwardly-placed turf horses actually stay in the race if it gets washed off.
10. Kuchar: Kuchar is entered for main track only. He hit a run of good form about this time last year, but has done little in three starts since a credible fifth in the Suburban (G2) in June of last year over this course. He is second off a long layoff, meaning he could move forward off of his last, but his return was a dull effort in allowance company, giving him a lot to find even against mostly turf horses. He also has to prove himself at the distance, as 1 ⅛ miles has been his ceiling so far.
11. Game Warden: Game Warden will only race if the Bowling Green is moved to the main track. He has just waded into stakes company for the first time in his last two starts, both at 1 ½ miles on dirt, hitting the board both times. The slight cut back in distance could help this Norm Casse trainee along, and a try against mostly off-turf horses is a perfectly gentle introduction to graded company. With tactical speed from the outside, he has the right running style for this, and shouldn’t lose too much ground, assuming a handful of the grass horses defect.

Bowling Green Stakes FAQ

Q: When is the 2025 Bowling Green Stakes?

A: The Bowling Green Stakes will be run on Saturday, July 12, 2025. It is the eighth of 12 races on the card, and post time is scheduled for 4:29 p.m. EDT.

Q: Where is the Bowling Green Stakes?

A: The Bowling Green Stakes happens at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Bowling Green Stakes?

A: Across its runnings as the Bowling Green Handicap and the Bowling Green Stakes, Bill Mott leads all trainers with five wins, most recently with fan favorite Channel Maker in 2023. Mott did not enter a horse in the 2025 edition. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who has four wins in the race, can tie Mott if either El Rezeen or Tucson wins.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Bowling Green Stakes?

A: Far Bridge has been named the 6-5 morning-line favorite for trainer Miguel Clement. He missed by just a neck against tougher horses in the Manhattan last out and reliably shows up in these longer turf races. He should hold as the favorite as long as it remains on the lawn. If the race is moved to the dirt, Yo Daddy was named as 9-5 on the morning line, and may go off favored given his strong effort last out on the Saratoga slop.

Q: Who is the best Bowling Green Stakes jockey?

A: Four jockeys have won the Bowling Green a record three times: Jorge Velasquez, Jerry Bailey, John Velazquez, and Javier Castellano. Castellano, whose last win came with Flintshire in 2016, can take the record for himself if Corruption wins in 2025.

Q: Who won the Bowling Green Stakes in 2024?

A: Silver Knott won the Bowling Green for trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey Flavien Prat in 2024. Appleby has no entrant in 2025, though Prat takes the call on Tawny Port for Miguel Clement.

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