It’s Wednesday at the Spa. First post is 1:05 EST. Today’s race analysis was done post-scratches. Let’s get it!
Race 1 Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes (Non-graded) 4YO+ Your Wednesday steeplechase campfire starter. Give me the 3 Going Country for up-and-coming trainer Kelly Brion. Jockey/trainer combo hits at 28%.
Picks: 3-4-1-5
Race 2 $40K Maiden Claiming NY-Bred Fillies & Mares 3YO+ Two horses that have some upside in this field are the 2 Laughter and the 5 Mike’s Little Diva. Laughter tries dirt for the first time today and worked a nice bullet on July 26. Mike’s Little Diva makes her second career start and gets some class relief. Feeling like a 2,5 exacta box score to fund us for the rest of the day.
Picks: 2-5-8-1/1A
Race 3 $25K Claiming 3YO The 2 Printrack and the 3 Ready to March are the early speed in this race. Coming out of the gate next to one another sets it up for them to press each other and soften things up just enough for the 6 Leddy to make a late bid for the master of dirt sprints, trainer Steve Asmussen.
Picks: 6-2-5-3
Race 4 $25K Claiming Fillies & Mares 3YO+ Fourth choice on the morning line, 4 Adelaide Miss, is my top choice here. Jockey Luis Saez is 3-for-6 riding for trainer Brittany Russell.
Picks: 4-5-6-3
Race 5 MSW 3YO+ Not going to use the Linda Rice first timer here as pedigree points to the horse being more suited for dirt. Outside of the 1 Java Buzz, this bunch is not great. I like the 2 Upper Level, who debuted on dirt but was undoubtedly going to be his best on grass. There’s some turf sprinting pedigree there.
Picks: 1-2-5-6
Race 6 MSW NY-Bred 2YO Fillies Six of the eight entries here are first timers. Of the two making their second career start, the 1 Amanda’s Folly is most interesting to me, as trainer Rudy Rodriguez adds blinkers and upgrades the rider to Trevor McCarthy. Also making the move from dirt to turf and should take to it just fine. I will use the Linda Rice first timer this race in the 3 Collaboration with Irad aboard.
Picks: 3-7-1-5
Race 7 $45K AOC NW2 NY-Bred 3YO+ Don’t know how confident I feel in the morning line favorite 3 Tiergan who projects to be in the back of the pack early. Without a whole lot of speed to run at here I think Irad is going to be up against it. 5 Bar Fourteen is 2-1-1-0 going 8 furlongs on dirt lifetime.
Picks: 5-2-1-4
Race 8 $50K Claiming 3YO Price shopping here with the 8 Hagler for Rudy Rod/Irad. Won last time out going 6 furlongs at Pimlico, but that was in May. Looking at a 60+ day layoff, but the horse has been working, located at Saratoga since the beginning of July. A couple of other interesting ones in here. The 6 Sugar Gray Leonard is a new gelding who has been the post time favorite in his last four starts, winning once. The 7 Iron Lion in Zion gets Lasix for the first time in his fourth career start today.
Picks: 8-3-6-7
Race 9 $65K AOC NW2 Fillies & Mares 3YO+ Ha! Chad Brown coupled entry. Give me a break, I’m not out here trying to beat Prat or Irad on a Wednesday.
Picks: 1-4-2-5
Race 10 $16K Claiming NW2 3YO+ The 11 Cathedral Beach is taking a big drop today for trainer George Weaver. Underneath it’s anybody’s game. Jockey Trevor McCarthy rode Cathedral Beach last time out but hops on 10 Flipping Fun today. Trainer Orlando Noda’s lone entry today, the 9 Braciole, tries 7 furlongs today to see if the distance fits. The 5 Prince of Joy had a nice bullet work July 23rd.
Picks: 11-5-9-10
Best of luck!