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The closing weekend feature at Saratoga Race Course is the 62nd running of the prestigious Grade 1 Woodward. Our own Wicked Strong drew the rail as the third choice in his attempt to end the meet in style.

Favored in the field is G1 Whitney runner-up Liam’s Map, who heads a four-deep, speedy battalion from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher. The lightly raced four-year-old seeks his first career graded stakes victory after being nailed on the line last out. His stablemates, Coach Inge, Protonico, and Mylute, have won or placed in the G1 Preakness, G1 Clark, G2 Alysheba, and G2 Brooklyn, among other blacktype efforts.

Our own trainer, Jimmy Jerkens, also sends out second choice Effinex, winner of the G2 Suburban at Belmont in July. The multi-horse entries for Pletcher and Jerkens will be joined in the gate by Dallas Stewart’s Commanding Curve, runner-up in last year’s G1 Kentucky Derby, and Bay of Plenty, who took the Alydar Stakes last out for Kiaran McLaughlin.

Wicked Strong enters the race off of a sneaky good effort when fourth in August 8th’s Whitney. While he has experienced some bad luck in 2015, including being virtually eliminated at the start of the G1 Met Mile, Wicked continues to train forwardly at Saratoga. He enters the Woodward off back-to-back bullet works, including a 36.83 blowout over the Oklahoma track on Wednesday morning. He will be joined once again by Luis Saez, who currently trails only Irad Ortiz, Jr., multiple Eclipse Award winner Javier Castellano, and Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the standings.

The $600,000 Woodward Stakes is carded as the tenth race on a twelve race card at Saratoga on Saturday, September 5. Tune in to NBC Sports Network beginning at 5pm to cheer on Wicked Strong! Post time is at 5:47 Eastern.

There is little doubt that Saturday, August 8 at Saratoga Race Course promises to be memorable. Over 100 partners, family, and friends will join together at America’s oldest sporting venue to enjoy and participate in one of the hallmark days of the country’s most prestigious meet.

Fan favorite Juba, whose twitter account has an audience of over 1,600, is the second choice in the day’s sixth race. Unraced since tangling with Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist in the Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont Park in May, Juba enters the race off of a sharp 35.44 drill over the Saratoga training track on Tuesday. Favored in the race is Ocean Knight, winner of the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis in January, but off since early March. Juba retains the services of regular rider Luis Saez in a salty field that also includes Havana, winner of the 2013 Grade 1 Champagne, and the graded stakes placed duo of Crafty Dreamer and Souper Knight.

The competition only gets tougher from there as our 2014 Grade 1 Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong lines up in what is likely the toughest race of 2015 so far. The historic Whitney routinely draws the best older horses in the country and the 88th edition is no exception. Nearly every horse in the field is a Grade 1 winner, with victories including the Metropolitan Handicap, Belmont Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Stephen Foster, Whitney, Travers, and Donn. We began the week at the post position draw, where NYRA’s Andy Serling interviewed our own Don Little about drawing the nine, prepping on grass, and more.

Post time for Juba’s Saratoga debut is 3:55 Eastern. The Whitney, with a scheduled post time of 5:46, is part of live NBC coverage from 5-6pm.

Wicked Strong continues to train towards the G1 Metropolitan Mile to be run on Saturday, June 6 at Belmont Park. He worked five furlongs in 58.98 over the main training track on Friday, May 29 with Jockey Joel Rosario.

There were 21 Nominations for the race including some formidable opponents in Bayern, Honor Code, Private Zone, Protonico and Tonalist. Entries for the race will be taken on Wednesday, June 3.