It’s a rare enough thing to see sprinters tackling a mile, but that’s what My Boy Prince and Think Big do in the $750,000 Grade I Fourstardave Stakes from Saratoga on Saturday, August 2.
Following their recent exploits in the Jaipur Stakes at the Spa during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, both Gary Barber and Godolphin try something completely different with their horses. Mark Casse has often experimented with the distances he runs My Boy Prince over and he made the frame in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
This four-year-old Cairo Prince gelding has run his best mile races in Canada at Woodbine Racetrack and appeared to have reinvented himself as a sprinter subsequent to last season. My Boy Prince followed-up on Listed success around Aqueduct with that placing in the Jaipur here on the Belmont Stakes schedule and card.
He now meets Think Big off 4lb worse terms in the Fourstardave Stakes of 2025. Michael Stidham’s son of Twirling Candy left that disappointing display behind him by successfully stepping up to 1,600m in the Grade III Kelso Stakes here. Think Big was always diving late for the wire in sprints, but he gave 6lb and a length beating to Intellect.
Just like with My Boy Prince, the Godolphin gelding is 4lb better off under the race conditions. It gives Think Big a real chance of turning about the Jaipur result, but also confirming Kelso form. Woodbine Mile hero Win For The Money showed in that race and gives Casse another bullet to fire at this.
Manhattan Hero Deterministic Drops in Distance for Fourstardave Stakes
He’s worse off at the weights with Think Big, but the Kelso fourth Neat meets the winner on 2lb better terms. Rob Atras’ colt by Constitution beat Lagynos a neck in a Grade II over course and distance at this meet 12 months ago. Neat is now 6lb better off with that one, so can confirm the result with Steve Asmussen’s runner.
Despite so much interlocking Saratoga form on show involving Think Big, who’s unexposed over the mile, there are big dangers elsewhere in the field. Tim Yakteen brings one of the co-topweights Johannes from coast-to-coast after his exploits in California.
As a four-time Santa Anita graded winner, the five-year-old son of Nyquist made plenty of hay in the Golden State last season. Johannes also placed in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar during the fall, so had a fine campaign on home turf. It’s now whether his form translates away from California.
Also off topweight is Manhattan Stakes victor Deterministic. Miguel Clement saw his four-year-old Liam’s Map colt go from gate to wire over 1,800m here during the Belmont Festival. He held on by a head, so dropping back in distance for the Fourstardave Stakes looks a smart play.
While Deterministic has beaten Cugino before, he’s 4lb worse off with Neat from their 2024 encounter. That fact may pass even the shrewdest handicappers by, but it’s well worth remembering. Spirit Of St Louis completes the line-up for Chad Brown barn, successful last season here with Carl Spackler.
This six-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding won the Pegasus World Cup Turf and Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic during the first half of this season, but looks vulnerable to younger horses back at a mile. He hasn’t won when favored on his last two visits to the Spa.
Fourstardave Stakes 2025 Post Positions Draw & Morning Line Odds
- Cugino (122lbs) – 10-1
- My Boy Prince (122lbs) – 15-1
- Johannes (126lbs) – 5-2 fav
- Think Big (124lbs) – 6-1
- Win For The Money (126lbs) – 8-1
- Intellect (122lbs) – 5-1
- Spirit Of St Louis (126lbs) – 6-1
- Deterministic (126lbs) – 9-2
- Lagynos (122lbs) 20-1
- Neat (122lbs) – 20-1
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
Johannes heads the Morning Line odds from Belmont Stakes racebooks, but a favorite with no Saratoga experience could be worth taking on. The least exposed over the mile is Think Big, who looks one to bet Across The Board, if building on his Kelso Stakes success here.
Elsewhere, Deterministic brings Grade I Spa form to the table and a shorter distance can only help him if he front runs again. Casse has three recent wins in the Fourstardave Stakes when it was a handicap, but these aren’t favorable terms for either My Boy Prince of Win For The Money.
As one of the older horses, Spirit Of St Louis probably doesn’t have the speed for a mile these days and looks better over further. Of the longshots, Neat meets a number of old rivals on better terms and could easily outrun his forecast price on that basis and into the show.
WATCH: Think Big Winning the Kelso Stakes at Saratoga
