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Saratoga 2nd Race – Post: 1:44 ET. Degree of confidence: A
Top Selection: 3-Legitimize.
Other Contenders: none.
Forecast: In his debut last winter at Tampa Bay Downs, the late-to-the-party Legitimize ran far too good to lose in a fast, highly rated two turn grass affair for older maidens. In that race, the 4-year-old gelding stalked a blazing pace, took command into the lane, but after battling back gamely when challenged inside the furlong pole just failed to stay while remaining well clear of the rest. His 80 Beyer speed figure is tops in this field. and with a series of healthy recent workouts to have him fit and ready the son of Justify should return as least as well and perhaps even better following his nearly six month vacation. Today’s pace projection is another major positive for him, as the T. Hamm-trained gelding seems certain to inherit the role as the controlling speed. It all adds up to a confident win play and rolling exotic single at 3-1 on the morning line.
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Saratoga 6th race – Post: 4:02 ET. Degree of confidence: B+
Top Selection: 8-And One More Time.
Other Contenders: none.
Forecast: Here’s a good gambling opportunity at 6-1 on the morning line in a wide open turf sprint for juvenile fillies. And One More Time was given a very easy run in her debut when finishing a non-threatening seventh as the favorite in a short main track sprint at Churchill Downs in late June but actually looked quite good galloping out in front of the field around the clubhouse turn. Today, with an extra furlong to work with, she’ll get serious. The daughter of Omaha Beach was smooth as silk when best in a team drill on grass around dogs July 12, so we suspect the switch to turf will move up considerably in a race that on paper appears to be below average. She should have every chance to display her best stuff under one of the barn’s “go-to” riders, J. Ortiz, so we’re expecting considerable improvement as a strong play in the win pool and in the various exotics.
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