Expert Pick of the Week: 2025 Champagne Stakes

Oct 02, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

It's Our Time wins at Saratoga. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

An exciting field of nine two-year-old prospects will run one mile on the Aqueduct dirt in Saturday’s $500,000 Champagne S. (G1). A berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar on October 31 is on the line in the important race, which attracted some impressive young runners. The race will also serve as a 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier with the top five earning points on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis.

Leading the way is It’s Our Time, who ran as well as a horse can run in his first try. Trained by Tom Amoss, the colt made his first and only appearance to date at Saratoga on Aug. 16 and ran off to a jaw-dropping, 17 3/4-length win while running at a distance of 6 1/2 furlongs. The dark bay two-year-old is by one of the top sires in Not This Time and has recorded a total of three morning workouts leading up to his first try at Aqueduct.

It’s Our Time drew a pretty good post in the six slot for this contest, and while he is facing some excellent prospects in the race, it seems impossible to side with any other runner as the Kentucky-bred makes his first run with stakes horses in this event. Luis Saez rode him to his debut win and will once again be in the saddle atop the imposing youngster. I expect him to be in second or third in the early stages of the race prior to taking the lead as the field turns for home.

It's Our Time puts on a stellar performance on debut in R7 at Saratoga! 🤩🌟@tomamossracing trains and @luissaezpty was aboard.

A nice 5/1 top pick winner for @atthetrack7, too! 💰 pic.twitter.com/hJHzmfFfQX

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 16, 2025

One runner who I feel can be rolling home late is Talkin, who was assigned the outside post in the race. The son of Good Magic made his first start at Saratoga on Aug. 30 and rallied to catch a clear leader at the end in posting a professional victory. He was purchased for $600,000 at auction in 2024, and the Danny Gargan trainee could be the type of horse who will improve as the distances increase in his career. Kendrick Carmouche will ride the colt.

Napoleon Solo is a third first out winner at Saratoga that impressed me. The gray horse left little doubt in dominating his foes by more than five lengths on Aug. 8 and has been training swiftly ever since. Joel Rosario has the ride.

Expert Pick

An exacta with It’s Our Time on top of Talkin and Napoleon Solo in the 2025 Champagne Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.

Wager:

$10 exacta 6 with 8,9

Bonus Wager: Frizette S. (G1) Race 6

$10 win and place #9 Five Bars