Long Weekend speed of the speed in Amsterdam

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Long Weekend will seek a measure of redemption after finishing a stunning third as the overwhelming 1-5 favorite in the Gold Fever Stakes earlier this summer at Belmont Park when he faces five other 3-year-olds in the $150,000 Amsterdam, one of four graded stakes on Saturday’s 11-race program at Saratoga.

Long Weekend broke a step slowly and wound up in a grueling pace duel with Wondrwherecraigis before finishing third, a half-length behind the late-running Liam’s Pride, in the Gold Fever. The Gold Fever was decided over a sloppy racetrack and there is an 80 percent chance of rain in the forecast on Saturday.

:: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more

Liam’s Pride and Wondrwherecragis will take on Long Weekend once again in the six-furlong Amsterdam as part of an extremely competitive lineup that also includes the multiple Grade 1 winner Basin, undefeated Yaupon, and speedy Premier Star.

“My horse didn’t break all that sharp and then seemed to be struggling over the off racetrack last time, none of which is him,” said Tom Amoss, who trains Long Weekend. “I know there is a lot of speed in this field as well, but I feel when he’s at his best he’s brilliantly fast from the gate and if I can take the other contenders out of their game and do it early, I really enjoy that. So the plan is to use our speed right from the start.”

Liam’s Pride was the major beneficiary of the torrid pace battle in the Gold Fever and could see a similar scenario develop in front of him again in the Amsterdam. Trainer Doug O’Neill will take the blinkers off Liam’s Pride on Saturday following his 11th-place finish in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens here four weeks ago.

:: Get DRF's Betting Strategies for Saratoga's weekend cards

Yaupon will get a class test after winning his first two starts, including an entry-level allowance against older horses here on July 18 for which he earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure. He, too, should be forwardly placed and part of a very contentious pace in the Amsterdam that is also likely to include Premier Star.

Premier Star, a winner of three of five career starts, joined Mike Trombetta’s stable during the spring and enters the Amsterdam off a one-sided wire-to-wire victory against older allowance competition at Laurel on Aug. 6.

“In his first start for us he stumbled out of the gate, which obviously hurt his chances,” said Trombetta. “We also learned that day he didn’t like getting any kickback in his face. He didn’t really do any running until he got outside and away from horses. I know there is a lot of speed in this field, but he’s a big, strong, and pretty darn fast 3-year-old who should be right up there. If he’s not right on the lead that’s fine, the only thing we don’t want is to see him down inside horses.”

Basin is undoubtedly the class of the field, having won the Grade 1 Hopeful at 2 and the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby following the disqualification of Charlatan due to a medication positive earlier this season. Both of those victories came for trainer Steve Asmussen. Basin joined trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn following his 10th-place finish in the Blue Grass, and he will turn back to a sprint for the first time on Saturday since rallying to a 6 1/2-length triumph in the Hopeful, decided over a sloppy track here one year ago.