Study Guide: 2024 Alabama Stakes

Aug 13, 2024 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Thorpedo Anna is the nation's leading three-year-old filly, but she's skipping Saturday's $500,000 Alabama (G1) at Saratoga in favor of a run against colts in the $1.25 million Travers (G1) one week later.
Thorpedo Anna would have been a heavy favorite to win the Alabama, and her absence has left the 1 1/4-mile race with a competitive eight-horse field. Let's review the entrants:

Intricate

Start(s): 7
Wins: 2
Place: 2
Show: 1

Owner: Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scott Estes, and Cambron Equine
Breeder: LBD Stable
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $465,180

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Complex Analysis
Color: Chestnut

Intricate holds special status as the only horse to defeat Thorpedo Anna, doing so by 5 1/4 lengths in the Golden Rod (G2) last fall. But Intricate is 0-for-4 this year and exits a distant third-place finish in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). A top-three Alabama finish is within reach, but Intricate may need a step forward to take first prize.

Chatalas

Start(s): 7
Wins: 3
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, Dan J. Agnew, and William Chatalas
Breeder: Dan Agnew
Trainer: Mark Glatt
Jockey: Frankie Dettori

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning the Chandelier (G2) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $370,000

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Indian Safari
Color: Bay

Chatalas was game as could be in the Indiana Oaks (G3) last month, turning back a challenge to prevail by a head. But she's finished out of the top three in both of her Grade 1 attempts, so climbing back up the class ladder for the Alabama is a question mark.

Power Squeeze

Start(s): 9
Wins: 5
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Lea Farms
Breeder: Forging Oaks Farm
Trainer: Jorge Delgado
Jockey: Javier Castellano

Top Speed Rating: (95) when winning the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $567,450

Sire: Union Rags
Dam: Callmethesqueeze
Color: Chestnut

Power Squeeze has proved effective against easier competition, launching strong rallies to win the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) and Delaware Oaks (G3). But in between she finished sixth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and third in the Acorn (G1), so a top-three finish might be the ceiling for her potential against Grade 1 competition.

Just Basking

Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: Andrew Schwarz and Wendy Schwarz Gilder
Breeder: Gilder-Schwarz Farms
Trainer: Ian Wilkes
Jockey: Chris Landeros

Top Speed Rating: (94) when winning the Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows.
Total Earnings: $239,506

Sire: Arrogate
Dam: Spanish Star
Color: Gray/roan

Just Basking has improved steadily since her March debut and dominated the Iowa Oaks last month by 4 3/4 lengths. The Alabama is a much tougher spot, but Just Basking is progressing in the right direction and is bred to relish 1 1/4 miles, the distance over which she broke her maiden by 7 3/4 lengths. Don't count this promising gray filly out of the mix.

America's Vow

Start(s): 10
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 2

Owner: Patricia Pavlish
Breeder: Patricia Pavlish
Trainer: Timothy Hamm
Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning a $50,000 allowance optional claimer at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $112,554

Sire: Constitution
Dam: Cloudy Vow
Color: Bay

America's Vow was much the best in a 1 1/8-mile $50,000 allowance optional claimer at Saratoga last month, tracking the early pace before taking over to win by three lengths. But she's finished behind Alabama rivals Miss Justify, Power Squeeze, and Intricate and may need to improve upon her career-best 92 Brisnet Speed rating in order to turn the tables.

Miss Justify

Start(s): 5
Wins: 3
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Twin Oaks Bloodstock, IEE Racing, Joseph Bulger, and Will Campbell
Breeder: Killora Stud
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (98) when winning the Wilton S. at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $192,010

Sire: Justify
Dam: Swiss Alps
Color: Bay

Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Alabama four times since 2013 and has two entrants for 2024. One is Miss Justify, who recently rallied from midfield to win the Wilton S. racing one mile at Saratoga. Her 98 Brisnet Speed rating from that race stacks up well against the Alabama field, so Miss Justify is a win threat if she can handle stretching out over 1 1/4 miles.

Candied

Start(s): 6
Wins: 3
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
Breeder: Buck Pond Farm
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Manny Franco

Top Speed Rating: (99) when finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $784,675

Sire: Candy Ride
Dam: Toni Tools
Color: Bay

The other Pletcher trainee is Candied, who won the Alcibiades (G1) and placed third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at age two. She exits a runner-up finish behind Thorpedo Anna in last month's Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga, so Candied's strong showings against top-tier competition stamp her as the filly to beat Saturday.

Neon Icon

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Glenn S. Bromagen II and Michael Dahir
Breeder: Nancy S. Dillman
Trainer: Rusty Arnold
Jockey: Luis Saez

Top Speed Rating: (85) when winning an allowance at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $140,127

Sire: Arrogate
Dam: Mademoiselle Coco
Color: Gray/roan

Neon Icon won her first two starts in convincing fashion, including a 1 1/4-mile allowance at Churchill Downs. But she was subsequently beaten 5 1/4 lengths by Chatalas in the Indiana Oaks and will need improvement to reverse that outcome.