Eleven races on the card at the Spa today. A Thursday steeplechase stakes race kicks the day off at 1:05 EST.
At 1:25 EST, Kentucky Downs’ 2022 meet gets underway. Large fields there. I’m spotlighting a horse or two in each race that interest me. Overall, we’ve got you covered at both tracks to get Labor Day weekend kicked off in the right direction.
Today’s Kentucky Downs analysis was done pre-scratches.
Saratoga
Race 1 1-2-4-8 Which Leslie Young trainee do I want to fire on? I’ll go with the 1 Lydford, who’s faced the toughest competition in this field. Trainer Keri Brion has last out winner 2 Freddy Flintshire entered here, and the trainer/jockey combo hits at 25%.
Race 2 2-7-1-4 Linda Rice drops the 2 Bronx Bomber in this spot and we’ve got him on top. (Naturally.) The 7 Casalsa is the lightest-raced of this bunch and should be forwardly placed. Likewise for the 1 Ragtime Blues (just missed last time out). The 4 Long Term Thinking has been working well and should be rolling late.
Race 3 5-4-7-6 The 5 Numero Seis finally makes the switch to grass after two races on the dirt. Breeding suggests she’ll love the grass and I like the jockey switch to Jose Ortiz.
Race 4 6-2-4-5 Five-year-old 6 Street Ready goes 9 furlongs on turf for the first time in his career today. Should sit right off the pace and come rolling down the stretch.
Race 5 2-6-4-1 A clean break and the 2 Family Time could be long gone in this spot. This filly should be on the lead and will need to hold off late charges from the 4 and 6.
Race 6 1-5-8-6 Yikes. Tough one here. Looking for horses who will be forwardly-placed in this 5.5 furlong sprint on the turf. The 1 Clubhouse had a troubled trip on debut and drops in class today.
Race 7 1A-9-6-3 Jockey Luis Saez is listed on the coupled entry for trainer Joe Sharp. Pay attention after scratches to which horse stays in the race.
Race 8 4-1-2-3 The 1 Short Summer Dress is a serious underlay for me. If she’s in the 3-1 range at post time, then we’ll talk. Taking the better price on the 4 Melting Snow, who I give the same chances to win the race as Short Summer Dress.
Race 9 5-11-1-4 John Velazquez is listed on both the 2 Gustiamo and the 11 Cowichan. Something to pay attention to once scratches are in.
Race 10 1-6-3-8 This is the toughest test to date for most of the entries here. The 1 Lady Jasmine is 1-for-1 and should be sitting just off the pace early. I think the leaders will soften up just enough for her to make her stretch run and take this non-graded stakes race.
Race 11 6-8-4-3 The 6 Be the Boss has hit the board in three of his seven lifetime races. He’s run on the Spa’s turf course twice, finishing eighth both times. This is a dirt horse. Should get a much more engaged effort today.
Kentucky Downs
Race 1 The 10 Carnaby Street is a gray out of American Pharoah making his debut here.
Race 2 The 1 Barrister Tom is 3-for-5 lifetime going 8 furlongs on turf. Joe Talamo has the mount today. Pedigree for the surface and distance is among the top in this field. This horse has been mediocre on dirt and synthetic but should be forwardly placed today and at a PRICE!
Race 3 Smaller field here and not a lot of speed signed on. Like the 7 Federalist Papers at 3-1 or higher.
Race 4 The 16 Laver is going to have to break better but made up a lot of ground down the stretch on debut. The 15 Red Route One is out of white-hot sire Gun Runner and must be considered.
Race 5 Appears to be a lot of “cheap speed” in this field. Looking for horses that aren’t likely to get involved in an early pace battle. Of those, the gray 11 Saranya and the 7 Phantom Vision both fit the bill at nice prices.
Race 6 The 3 National Security is 2-1-1-0 lifetime for trainer Brad Cox and gets a jockey upgrade today to Florent Geroux.
Race 7 The 7 Accredit has three wins in seven lifetime starts and is 10-1 on the morning line. A nice bullet work on August 25. Gets Lasix today. (Has won with and without Lasix.)
Race 8 The 9 Fast as Flight is a fair bet at 4-1 or higher. This horse would probably rather run on synthetic but has two seconds and a third in four lifetime turf races.
Race 9 The 5 Atone has finished in the money in twelve of nineteen lifetime starts. Ran second and third in two tries at the Saratoga meet.
Race 10 I think we will finally get a fair price on the 3 Growth Capital. Has faced tougher and just missed. Worth a win bet at even money or better.
Best of luck!