Small, but Strong Field Set for Fourstardave

[Wandering Eyes]

Six, possible seven depending on weather, evenly matched rivals are scheduled to line up Saturday in a competitive renewal of Saratoga’s GI Fourstardave H. Hard-knocking veteran Heart to Heart　(English Channel) seeks his third top-level success of the season following wins in the Feb. 10 GI Gulfstream Park Turf S. and the Apr. 13 GI Makers 46 Mile. Most recently a neck second in Santa Anita’s GI Shoemaker Mile May 28, he can be expected to be up front from the get go Saturday.

‘TDN Rising Star’ Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) kicked off this term with his first Grade I tally in the nine-panel GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic over a yielding course at Churchill Downs May 5, which is the type of course condition he may encounter at the Spa given the rainy forecast. He was last seen finishing a respectable fifth when traveling across the pond for Royal Ascot’s G1 Queen Anne S. June 19. The bay has come close to victory twice over this course, finishing a very close second in both the GII Hall of Fame S. and GIII Saranac S. last term.

The Linda Rice-trained Voodoo Song (English Channel) is a true horse-for-the-course with a remarkable four straight wins over the Saratoga lawn during last year’s meet, culminating in a win in the Saranac. Entering off a win in Belmont’s one-mile Forbidden Apple S. July 14, the New York-bred’s usual tactic is to outrun his rivals from the start, which could result in a speed duel with Heart to Heart here. The chestnut also does his best running on firm turf and, with all the recent rain, the course may be a bit soft for his liking.

Also worth a look in this test are ‘TDN Rising Star’ Delta Prince (Street Cry {Ire}) and MGISW Divisidero (Kitten’s Joy). The former won a course-and-distance optional claimer last summer and was last seen capturing the one-mile GII King Edward S. at Woodbine June 30. Two-time Turf Classic victor Divisidero skipped the GI Arlington Million in favor of this spot and looks to return to his top-level form. The bay finally returned to the winner’s circle last time in the GIII Arlington H. June 16.

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