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Handicapping Contest Handbook author Noel Michaels will analyze all Saturday Saratoga stakes races during this year's 36-day meet.

FOREGO HANDICAP, Saturday, Sept. 4

The 36-day Saratoga meet comes to an end Labor Day weekend with just one Grade 1 race remaining on the stakes schedule, the $250,000 Forego Handicap. Division leader Speightstown is not in the race, but the Forego still should be a tremendous race featuring nearly every other top sprinter in the East still being considered for the Breeders' Cup Sprint including Midas Eyes, A Huevo, Strong Hope, Clock Stopper, and Gygistar. Good luck, and enjoy closing weekend at the Spa.

Forego - G1
Saratoga - Race 8
7 furlongs, purse: $250,000
1) 1-Midas Eyes
2) 6-A Huevo
3) 8-Strong Hope

After taking nearly seven months off, Midas Eyes returned with a huge win at Saratoga last time out with a 111 Beyer figure in a 6 1/2 furlong allowance prep race at Saratoga. With that comeback effort to build on, Midas Eyes looks very good against this field in his second start off the layoff for trainer Bobby Frankel. Midas Eyes has run three times in his career at the Forego's seven-furlong distance, and they were all big races including a win in the Swale (110 Beyer) and close losses in the Riva Ridge (111 Beyer) and Malibu (106 Beyer) in 2003. In this race, Midas Eyes should be on or near the lead the whole way and seemingly owns a slightly better late kick than his primary pace challenger, Strong Hope.

A Huevo has not run in the eight months since his eye-popping Grade 1 win in the DeFrancis Dash last fall. However, this is a horse who has handled layoffs in the past being handled by a trainer, Michael Dickinson, who we all know can get his horses ready for big efforts off the bench. A Huevo is proven to be capable of earning a Beyer figure of 113, and he's the most likely winner from the off the pace if front-runners like Midas Eyes and Strong Hope both throw in the towel late in the race.

Strong Hope not only consistently earns Beyer figures of 110 or better, but he also boasts Saratoga's leading trainer/jockey combination of Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez, who should never, ever be ignored. Strong Hope has been freshened up for this race following back-to-back April-May losses to the best sprinter in the country at the time, Pico Central. Earlier this year in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap, Strong Hope was up on a :21.3, :43.2, 1:07.2 pace and still held on for a strong second-place finish at this seven furlong distance. Therefore, despite expected pace pressure from Midas Eyes and others, Strong Hope must be respected in this race.