Diana fair odds: In Italian looks nearly invincible at Saratoga

Back when multiple entries from the same trainer would be coupled for wagering purposes, this year's renewal of the Grade 1 Diana on Saturday at Saratoga would have been a match race for wagering purposes, and based on my fair odds, the Chad Brown entry would be value at 1-10.

We will shelve the argument for (or against) coupled entries for another day, and instead focus on the reason the Brown quartet is so formidable in this $500,000 race for older fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on turf. That reason is In Italian.

Peter Brant's 5-year-old Dubawi mare has won four of her last five outings, with the only loss coming to Tuesday in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at 1 3/16 miles in November at Keeneland. Her only race at this distance came in the Diana last year, a gate-to-wire blitz at 8.3-1. She will not be anywhere near that price this year, though some variables have changed.

She is toting highweight of 124 pounds here versus 118 pounds last year.

Irad Ortiz Jr. is aboard versus Joel Rosario, but that should not be a factor given Saratoga's leading rider is 4-for-6 aboard In Italian, including both Grade 1 wins this year.

It could be wet. In Italian has raced on non-firm going only once, her maiden win over a Belmont turf labeled good.

Add it all up along with her tactical advantage speed-wise (the only non-Brown trainee in here, the Mark Casse-trained Fev Rover, cannot run with In Italian early, and I cannot imagine they'd want to even if they could), and In Italian is 2-5 to win the Diana and further assert her dominance in this division.

From a wagering perspective, there is not much of one. If she is somehow 3-5, then yes, that is value, but it is not especially exciting. The horses behind her vertically are pretty flat in terms of their talents, so it's hard to imagine any value in those pools behind In Italian.

If you completely disagree with me, however, and think In Italian is vulnerable, then this is the race for you. Even if I end up passing because of short odds, the exercise of seeing what such a big favorite can do to a board is worthwhile.