Pat Day Stakes 2020: Post Time, Odds, Predictions for Entire Field

Derby Day isn't just about the Kentucky Derby itself, as the undercard features some high stakes races. That includes the Pat Day Stakes, which has a $500,000 purse and boasts a talented field of horses. 

The Pat Day Stakes has traditionally been linked to the Derby. The race began in 1924 as the Derby Trial and used to be run a week before the big race at Churchill Downs, but it has since been renamed after jockey Pat Day and added to the undercard. 

The one-mile race is a good alternative for those who don't feel their horse is ready for the 1¼-mile race, and some of the field will likely enter the Preakness when it takes place on the first Saturday in October. 

While the main event is sure to draw all the attention, this undercard event figures to be a competitive race with a nine-horse field and a potential preview of some of Tiz the Law's competition in a prospective Triple Crown bid should he win in Kentucky. 

Here's all the information you need to catch the race and even make some bets based on the latest odds from America's Best Racing. 

Post Time: 3:35 p.m.

Purse: $500,000

Post Positions and Odds

1. Cezanne 3-1

2. Echo Town 7-2

3. Shashashakemeup 20-1

4. Vertical Threat 8-1

5. Digital 12-1

6. Tap It to Win 4-1

7. No Parole 6-1

8. Sonneman 20-1

9. Rushie 4-1

Preview

The first thing that stands out is just how wide-open this field is when compared to the Run for the Roses. The final race of the day is just going to come down to whether anyone can keep with Tiz the Law, whereas six of the nine horses in this field are under 10-1. 

Perhaps the best indication of how hard this race is going to be to predict is the fact the favorite, according to the odds, is fresh off a last-place finish in his last start. Cezanne was purchased for $3.65 million as a two-year-old thanks to his bloodline. 

The son of Curlin hasn't lived up to that price tag, though. His sire finished in the top three of all the Triple Crown races, including a win in the Preakness, but Cezanne has only made three starts in 2020. After claiming two wins in ungraded stakes, he was beaten by the other three horses in the 1 1/16th-mile Shared Belief.

Breaking closest to the rail in the first gate is less than ideal, but with a small field, that isn't as big a deal as it would be in a race like the Derby. 

Joining Cezanne toward the top of the odds list is Rushie. The colt finished only behind Derby contenders Honor A. P. and Authentic in his best appearance this year, where he took third in the Santa Anita Derby. 

Michael W. McCarthy has trained a consistent horse who could have been entered in the Derby but instead was entered in a race with a much better shot of winning. He doesn't have fantastic top-end speed, but he mixes strong speed with plenty of endurance for the one-turn race. 

Echo Town is another threat to take the top prize. His last run at the Allen Jerkens was an impressive performance in which he beat the field by 3¼ lengths. He already outran another contender in No Parole to pull a minor upset. 

Tap it to Win finished fifth in the Belmont to open the Triple Crown series, but that isn't much to get excited about. He was just over six lengths away from the fourth-place finisher and really led the pack of non-contenders down the final stretch. 

Each of these horses has something to prove, even if there are a slew of horses with good potential in the mix. It wouldn't be surprising to see the winner go on to be a factor in the slightly longer Preakness with a good showing. 

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Echo Town

2. No Parole

3. Rushie

4. Tap it To Win

5. Vertical Threat

6. Cezanne

7. Digital

8. Shashashakemeup

9. Sonneman

Echo Town just appears to be peaking at the right time. He has the speed to compete in the mile-long race and already showed he can beat some of the horses in the pack. Cezanne could easily end up winning, but at this point, it's hard to rely on him realizing his potential. 

This is a strong field, and a smart trip from the right jockey could be the deciding factor in a race with a lot of parity among the horses.