SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When Barese tried running 1 1/8 miles in the past, he did so against some of the elite members of the 3-year-old division. When he tries 1 1/8 miles for the third time in his career in the $250,000 Albany Stakes on Friday at Saratoga, he’ll do so against four other New York-breds, none of whom has won a stakes race. Thus, Barese looks like a deserving favorite in the Albany, the richest of six stakes on an 11-race program restricted to New York-bred runners. Despite some lucrative purse opportunities, three of the stakes came up with five-horse fields and a fourth came up with six. The Albany is carded as the third race (2:15 p.m. Eastern). Barese, a son of Laoban, is 4 for 5 in restricted or statebred races, including a four-length victory in the $150,000 New York Derby going 1 1/16 miles on July 18 at Finger Lakes. A stalking presence early, Barese took over before the top of the lane and bounded home under Ricardo Santana Jr. The horse he beat, Best Idea, came back to win a New York-bred allowance here Aug. 20 by a neck. :: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more Before his victory in the New York Derby, Barese had twice tried two turns, finishing fifth behind Mo Donegal and Early Voting in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and fourth behind Tawny Port in the Ohio Derby. Mo Donegal and Early Voting went on to win this year’s Belmont Stakes and Preakness, respectively. “We had questions [about two turns] like everybody else, but the two races he tried were very competitive, so there’s hope,” trainer Mike Maker said. Barese, the 124-pound highweight, breaks from post 4 under Santana. Agent Steve Young, on behalf of owners Larry Sarf and Louis Lazzinnaro, purchased four horses at Fasig-Tipton horses of all ages sale last month in Lexington Ky. Two of those horses are part of this field – Montebello and Relate. Montebello, a son of Curlin, sold for $375,000 and looks like the main threat to Barese. Prior to the sale, he won a first-level New York-bred allowance by a head at Belmont. Second-place finisher Price Discipline came back to win a 1 1/8-mile allowance here on July 28 and also is in this field. Trainer Todd Pletcher said the Albany was the target from the time Montebello arrived in his barn. “We got some good breezes into him,” said Pletcher, who won this race last year with Americanrevolution, who would later win the Grade 1 Cigar Mile and was recently crowned as 2021 New York-bred horse of the year. “I’m very happy with the way he’s been doing.” Relate, purchased for $60,000, is running back 12 days after he finished second in an allowance on turf. Price Discipline, trained by Chad Brown, makes his stakes debut in this spot after going 2 for 3 to begin his career. Bossmakingbossmoves, second to Price Discipline here July 28, rounds out the field. Fleet Indian Stakes Fingal’s Cave, a dominant winner of all three of her starts, makes her stakes debut in Friday’s $200,000 Fleet Indian Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies. Trained by David Donk for Alifyte Racing, Fingal’s Cave twice beat New York-breds in one-turn races at Belmont before winning an open-company first-level allowance by 3 3/4 lengths here July 29. That race was at 1 1/8 miles, the distance of the Fleet Indian. “I thought she was a pretty handy winner,” Donk said. “She’s quite tactical, so I don’t think she has to be on the lead. She certainly has enough speed to be there.” Jose Ortiz rides Fingal’s Cave from post 2. Venti Valentine went 2 for 2 against New York-breds last fall before making her next five starts in open-company stakes. She won the Busher Invitational by seven lengths at Aqueduct in March and was second to Nostalgic in the Grade 3 Gazelle in April, also at Aqueduct. :: Visit the Saratoga Handicapping Store for Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, Betting Strategies and more. Venti Valentine finished last in both the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes, though trainer Jorge Abreu said Venti Valentine was found to have suffered from heat stroke following the Mother Goose. “It’s going to be a little bit of class relief, even though I think David Donk’s horse is a pretty nice horse,” Abreu said. Venti Valentine and New York Oaks winner Galaxina carry co-high weight of 124 pounds, spotting five pounds to Fingal’s Cave as well as Let Her Inspire U and Shesascoldasice. The Fleet Indian is carded as race 5.