Our Top 5 Saratoga Race Course Races of the Meet

Labor Day brings the end to the 2013 season at Saratoga Race Course.

As has been the case in the past, the 150 year old oval has seen some memorable moments during the course of the 2013 meet.  Here's our pick for the top 5 moments from 2013 at the Spa as we enter closing weekend

5 - Wise Dan, Fourstardave (G2)

The reigning Horse of the Year recipient came to the Fourstardave Handicap on Saturday, August 10th, looking to remain strong on his path to the Breeder's Cup Mile.

Carrying 12 pounds more than the competition, Wise Dan did not disappoint his backers through a stretch drive gaining on front-running King Kreesa.  Wise Dan's win was his 8th in a row, and 13th out of 15 starts.  

4 - Brazen Persuasion & Bahnah, Schuylerville (G3)

Six furlongs wasn't enough as these two 2 year old fillies hit the wire together in a head-bob finish on opening day of the 2013 Saratoga Race Course meet.  

Yes Liz was trying to set up the race for her stablemate, Elena Strikes, by dueling with Brazen Persuasion through the race's opening 3 furlongs.  As Yes Liz tired, Elena Strikes started to give chase, but Brazen Persuasion still had something left in the tank.

Bahnah then caught up to the pace-setter, entering a head-bob duel to the wire.  But at the wire, Bahnah was unable to stick enough head in front, as the photo showed both horses touching the wire together for the dead heat.

3 - Laughing, Diana (G1)

Laughing survives many challenges in the Grade I Diana.

Laughing turned aside her early duelers, then won the race to the wire with Stephanie's Kitten and Dream Peace trying to catch the 5 year old Mare.  The win would be Laughing's second win of 2013.  She would later go on to win the Ballston Spa Cup (G2) on the Travers Day undercard, narrowly beating a late-closing Pianist by a neck.

2 - Cross Traffic, Whitney (G1)
Cross Traffic goes wire-to-wire for his first Graded Stakes victory.

After a tough break resulted in a second place finish in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park, Cross Traffic proved that he deserves to play with the Grade I horses with a front-running victory piloted by John Velazquez.

Cross Traffic saw some pressure late by Successful Dan, but was able to hold on by 3/4 lengths at the wire. Last year's winner, Fort Larned, was unable to duplicate his success from the previous year and finished a disappointing 5th.

1 - Will Take Charge, Travers (G1)

The Travers and Whitney always provide great races, and it's always tough to choose between the two when it comes to one of the best races of the Spa meet.  Last year it was easy - Alpha and Golden Ticket's dead heat made the Travers the best race of the 2012 meet.

This year's nod goes to the Travers because of yet another exciting finish, this time thanks to Moreno, Orb and Will Take Charge.  The latter of the three was sitting three lengths back at the 1/16th pole, then gained a strong surge that allowed him to pilot past Moreno and Orb, winning the photo by a well-defined nose.

Will Take Charge came into the race after an inspiring 2nd place finish in the Jim Dandy (G2), finishing 2nd behind Palace Malice. The win was his second graded stakes win, coming in the Rebel (G2) back in March at Oaklawn Park.  Will Take Charge ran all three races of the Triple Crown, however faring no better than 7th in the Preakness.

With a strong lineup of races this weekend, it's possible any of the remaining 45 races could knock off these 5.  But entering closing weekend, these five are prime examples of why Saratoga Race Course is the Summer Place to Be.

Midday Recap: MLB Squeezes Juiced Up Players

Well, by now you already know what the big story today is.

The hammer comes down as 13 players are suspended in the Major League Baseball Biogenesis investigation.  Unsurprising, Alex Rodriguez gets the stiffest penalty, suspended through the end of the 2014 season, which he is appealing.

The appeal allows A-Rod to continue playing for the Yankees during the appeals process, which is expected to last for the remainder of the 2013 season.  Because of that, the Yankee 3rd baseman was in the lineup, batting clean-up as the Yankees visited the Chicago White Sox.

Greeted by a roar of boos from the home crowd, A-Rod went 1 for 4, including a strikeout, as Andy Pettitte allowed 7 runs on 11 hits in the Yankees 8-1 loss.

Associated Press

The other 12 suspended for 50 games include Jordany Valdespin, whose animated personality frustrated Mets players and management, especially earlier this season when he got into an argument when being told he was going to be sent down to Triple-A Las Vegas.  Cesar Puello, who is on the Mets 40-man roster and was batting .328 with the Double-A team in Binghamton, also received a 50 game suspension.

Francisco Cervelli of the Yankees also took a 50 game suspension.  Cervelli was batting .269 with three home runs in his 17 games as catcher.

The suspensions make up the largest quantity of off-field suspensions since Major League Baseball handed its suspensions in the 1919 World Series fix attempt.

But the Biogenesis suspensions isn't the only news from yesterday.  The Los Angeles Dodgers are closer to history with their 15th road win in a row.  Adam Wainwright gave up two hits in his first three innings, but found himself in trouble in the 4th inning when he walked Adrian Gonzalez, surrendered a double to Yasiel Puig, and then gave up a single to Andre Ethier that brought Gonzalez home.  An A.J. Ellis ground out yielded the inning's first out, but also a run as Puig came home on the force play.

Pitcher Zack Greinke contributed to his own cause with a single in the 7th inning to score Nick Punto.  It was important that he did, as the Cardinals would get one back in the bottom half of the inning as Adron Cambers scores on a Allen Craig ground out to get back within 1.

The Cardinals gained one more base runner in the 8th when David Freese was hit by a pitch to lead off, but he was taken out as Tony Cruz hit into the inning-ending double play, and the Dodgers would go on to win 3-2.

Zack Greinke's 100th win comes as the Dodgers build a 6 game cushion over Arizona for the top spot in the National League West, and helps extend the Dodgers road win streak to 15.  The 15 road wins ties the Dodgers for 3rd all-time, two back of the all-time record held by both the 1916 New York Giants and the 1984 Detroit Tigers.

And finally a belated congratulations to the winning connections of Cross Traffic, winner of Saturday's Whitney Invitational.  John Velazquez teamed up with trainer Todd Pletcher to ride the lightly-raced horse, who heading into the race had only 4 starts.  But now, at 5 starts, the 4 year old horse will have a spot reserved for him in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

Don't Forget: The Buffalo Bills start their 2013 Preseason as they travel to Indianapolis to face Andrew Luck and the Colts this Sunday.  Kickoff is at 1:30PM live on 1410 CBS Sports Radio.