Drefong, the male sprint champion of 2016, easily won the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Saturday by four lengths, going wire to wire under jockey Mike Smith.

The $600,000 Forego is a Win and You're in for the $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 4, and Drefong earned a fees-paid berth in the race. Drefong won the six-furlong BC Sprint at Santa Anita last year during his championship campaign.

The Forego officially was Drefong's second start of the year, but he ducked in soon after the start of his season debut, unseating Smith and running loose throughout the race.

Drefong, who is trained by Bob Baffert, was the lone speed in the Forego, and Smith rationed his speed out through fractions of 22.89, 45.58, and a fast 1:08.92 en route his final seven-furlong clocking of 1:21.12. Smith did not ask Drefong for his best during the final furlong of the Forego.

Drefong paid $4.30 to win as the favorite in the 10-horse field.

Awesome Slew rallied to finish second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Tom's Ready, who rallied from well back. Divining Rod finish fourth, a head behind Tom's Ready.

Mind Your Biscuits, the 5-2 second choice, raced forwardly early but weakened to finish sixth.