I'm going to do something just a little different today in honor of the start of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. Pre-scratch picks for the entire card are below.
Race 1 $20K Claiming 3YO+ 1:05 EST My top pick here is the 9 Kershaw who gets Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the mount today, but I’m a biased Dodgers fan. The 8 Royal Tryst Maker/Saez dangerous at 6-1 on the morning line. Trainer Orlando Noda enters the 7 Giocare and keeps Jose Ortiz in the irons. Noda usually picks his spots well. A good betting race to kick off the meet for sure!
Picks: 9-8-6-7
Race 2 MSW 2YO Fillies 1:39 EST Five first timers and the 1 Half a Chance comprise this Maiden Special Weight field. I’m going with the 6 Chocolate Gelato on top for Todd Pletcher’s barn. Irad doing work in the irons.
Picks: 6-1-4-3
Race 3 $40K Claiming 3YO+ 2:15 EST Here we go! Big field here going 8.5 furlongs on the turf. I’ll take a small swing here going against the favorites and pick the 3 Takafumi out of Michael Maker’s barn to make the winner’s circle. Tyler Gaffalione gets the nod in this spot. I make a fair price on this horse 4-1, and I think we’ll get all that and then some.
Picks: 3-2-4-6
Race 4 MSW 3YO+ 2:49 EST The 7 Afjan tries grass for the first time here and breeding suggests he should take to the surface just fine. The other colt I’m interested in here is the 5 Grand Cay for Claude McGaughey III. Irad–I keep mentioning his name, don’t I–is up and they add blinkers. The 9 Cheeky Tico might gun it and get the early lead. With not a lot of speed in the race, who knows? Maybe he can take them in gate-to-wire fashion.
Picks: 7-5-3-4
Race 5 $40K Claiming NY State-Bred 3YO+ 3:21 EST How are we feeling about the 3 Majority Partner out of the Jeremiah Englehart barn? Morning line is 9-2 and we’ll hit it hard at that number as an overlay. Let’s throw the new geldings, 4 Tommy Gun, and 7 The Institute underneath. Swing away, Merrill!
Picks: 3-4-7-6
Race 6 Starter Allowance 3YO+ 3:55 EST Turf sprint going 5.5 furlongs. The 5 Fast N Fearious should look to jet out front. Will anyone press the pace? I’m going to box this one with the Ortiz brothers’ mounts, the 1 Starrystarryknight (Jose) and the 4 Just Say When (Irad). Another wide-open race.
Picks: 4-5-1-8
You can access free PPs for DRF’s daily featured race here. Today’s feature is Saratoga race 7.
Race 7 Wilton Stakes 3YO Fillies 4:29 EST The inaugural running of this stakes race out of the chute. I think the morning line has this one right: 1 Goddess of Fire, 6 Favor, and 7 Tarabi are the top three choices, and I really see the winner coming from those three. They tower over the rest of the field. As for a price horse here? The 2 Gina Romantica for Chad Brown has won two of three lifetime starts. He’s not just a turf trainer, you know!
Picks: 1-7-6-2
Race 8 AOC $80K NW1 3YO Fillies 5:05 EST Thirteen entries here going 9 furlongs on the turf. I’m going with the 3 Myriskyaffair on top with a lifetime record of 5-1-3-0. (She completed the super in her debut in February.) Out of the Clement barn, jockey Joel Rosario is up for the fourth straight time. Underneath I’ll use the 6 Customer List for Chad Brown (Turf!) with Irad aboard, the 2 Bravo Kitten (Saffie Joseph taking blinkers off), and another Chad Brown, the 13 Santa Giulia (first time turf) with Flavien Prat on the mount.
Picks: 3-6-2-13
Race 9 Schuylerville Stakes 2YO Fillies 5:39 EST Mark Casse really must want to win the first graded stakes of the Saratoga meet, with three entries here. I think he’ll hit the board but I’m going to avoid him on top. That is reserved for the 1 Just Cindy. Out of Justify and gets Irad today. I’ll use all three Casse horses underneath, the 3 Adora, the 6 Me and My Shadow, and the 5 Janis Joplin, whose debut race I’m going to toss upon replay. Probably need to get the 9 Summer Promise involved too, as the D. Wayne Lukas barn has been cooking. This is a very tough race with all entries facing their toughest challenge to date.
Picks: 1-9-5-6
Race 10 $35K Claiming NW2 Fillies & Mares 3YO+ 6:13 EST I think there might be a little pace duel out front here, so I’m going to look further down the field for some value in today’s nightcap. The 4 Rigby fits the bill for me, Maker/Saez, great turf sprint pedigree. The 12 Mommasgottarun tries the grass for the first time today and drops significantly in class. The 6 Abuse of Power has been training at the Spa for trainer Philip Antonacci since finishing fourth last month at Belmont. George Weaver puts Trevor McCarthy on newly claimed 10 Dame Time, a winner last time out.
Picks:4-12-6-10
Happy handicapping!