Won by some of the sport’s greatest 3-year-old fillies, Saturday’s Mother Goose Stakes has a long and storied history. The former Grade 1 race will now return to the new Belmont Park after being hosted by Aqueduct the past three seasons.

Currently a Grade 2 stakes, the historic stakes will also return to one-turn and look to regain prominence again as a post-Breeders’ Cup option for in-form fillies in search of an important late season victory. This year’s edition features a deep field of 11 and is headlined by the recent winner of the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, Bodacious Bay.

1. Cognition: After more than a year away, the Practical Joke filly came back to the races in a nice way for trainer Chad Brown. Her easy win at Keeneland over a next-out winner promises bigger things to come, but this will be an obvious jump up in class on Saturday.

JOCKEY: Flavien Prat; TRAINER: Chad Brown

2. Answered Prayers: First or second in her last five starts, this progressive daughter of Speightstown finished second in her stakes debut last time out for trainer Bill Mott. Another good effort here would come as no surprise. 

JOCKEY: Junior Alvarado; TRAINER: Bill Mott

3. Tap to Open: It’s taken some time for the well-bred daughter of Tapit to find her stride, but she has proven to be a solid filly this summer. She faced a wide trip last time when fourth in the Cotillion and now looks like a threat as she cuts back to one turn for this.

JOCKEY: Manny Franco; TRAINER: Brad Cox

4. Laken: The first of three entrants for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., she was an impressive maiden winner two starts back in Indiana. Last time out she was a game third on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs. She has the potential to move forward on Saturday in her first start for her new barn.  

JOCKEY: Vincent Cheminaud; TRAINER: Saffie Joseph Jr.

5. Iron Orchard: After a romping state-bred stakes win at Saratoga, she came back to earth last time when eighth in the Cotillion. Unless left alone on the lead, this could be another tough spot for the multiple stakes winner. 

JOCKEY: Dylan Davis; TRAINER: Steve Asmussen

6. Ati Girl: It took this Nyquist filly plenty of tries to finally break her maiden, but her recent form is good enough to believe she could make an impact here. Although she did not hit the board in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes Presented by Keeneland Sales, her fifth-place effort was solid.

JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: Bill Mott

Bodacious Bay wins Cotillion Stakes (Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO)

7. Bodacious Bay: A talented daughter of Not This Time, she put it all together last time with a very impressive win in the Grade 1 Cotillion Sept. 19 at Parx Racing. She beat a very good field easily and looks in a good spot here to validate that win. She is strictly the one to beat. 

JOCKEY: Micah Husbands; TRAINER: Saffie Joseph Jr.

8. Ivy Girl: It has truly been hit or miss for this Maxfield filly, but when she does run her race, she has been able to turn in some nice results. Freshened since a poor result in the Monmouth Oaks, she could bounce back at big odds here.

JOCKEY: Antonio Fresu; TRAINER: Amelia Green

9. Tahlequah: Another from the Joseph barn, she rebounded nicely from a poor effort in the Delaware Oaks to grab third in the $750,000 Charles Town Oaks last time. She also has a win over Tap to Open in her past performances. She is one of many with a shot on Saturday. 

JOCKEY: Paco Lopez; TRAINER: Saffie Joseph Jr.

10. Intrepids Fantasy: Perhaps the biggest threat to the top pick, this unbeaten filly will be making her first start since being privately purchased after a romping win against older fillies last out at Delaware Park. While impressive in her three starts, they all came against lighter competition in Delaware. 

JOCKEY: Jorge Ruiz; TRAINER: Gary Capuano

11. Run Wild: After one try on the turf, this improving Gun Runner filly has won two straight on the main track for trainer Miguel Clement. Her last effort, easily beating older females at Laurel Park, was good enough to believe she is in with a chance here. 

JOCKEY: Samuel Marin; TRAINER: Miguel Clement

THE PICK: Bodacious Bay

LIVE LONGSHOT: Answered Prayers

SUPERFECTA: 7-10-2-1