Saratoga Scouting Report: August 14-18, 2024

‍Carryover Alert

Wednesday | pick 6 | $107,470 | Races 4-9

Key Races

Wednesday | G1 Jonathan Sheppard (steeplechase), Suzie O’Cain (NYB, f/m turf route)

Thursday | Rick Violette (NYB, turf route)

Friday | Skidmore (2yo turf sprint); Union Avenue (NYB f/m dirt sprint)

Saturday | G1 Alabama (3yo f dirt route), G2 Lake Placid (3yo f turf route)

Sunday | Bolton Landing (2yo f turf sprint)

Horsepower

Wednesday | Multiple Argentina G1 winner Edict (R3 ALW); Selima winner Brocknardini (R5 O’Cain Stakes); G2 Edgewood runner-up Revalita (R8 ALW).

Thursday | Parx Dirt Mile winner Nimitz Class, St. Louis Derby winner Tabeguache, Jockey Club Derby Invitational runner-up Classic Catch (R8 ALW)

Friday | Tyro winner Governor Sam (R2 Skidmore Stakes); G3 Eatontown winner Tax Implications, Sanibel Island winner Breath Away, Penn Oaks winner Malleymoo, Irish G3 winner Caroline Street (R8 ALW); Joseph A. Gimma winner Cara’s Time, Broadway winner Security Code, (R9 Union Avenue)

Saturday | $1.35M half-bro to Midnight Bisou named Sansone debuts (R1 MSW); G1 Natalma winner She Feels Pretty, G2 Edgewood winner Dynamic Pricing, G3 With Anticipation winner Gala Brand, Boiling Sprints winner Spaliday, (R9 G2 Lake Placid Stakes); G1 Alcibiades winner Candied, G2 Gulfstream Oaks winner Power Squeeze, G2 Golden Rod winner Intricate, G2 Chandelier winner Chatalas (R10 G1 Alabama Stakes)

Sunday | entries taken Wednesday

Extra Incentives

Saturday | $10K-added Fun in the Sun Handicapping Tournament | last 5 races Saratoga, first 5 races Del Mar

Tracking the Trends

-- Favorites won 16 of 39 races last week (41%), the strongest run by the chalk any week so far this meet. Favorites are a tad under 33% for the current Spa season.

-- Jockey Tyler Gaffalione was 6-for-7 aboard favorites last week, while Irad Ortiz Jr. was 9: 4-4-0. Gaffalione’s parade of favorites led for a week-best 10 victories (30%, slight flat-bet losing ROI).

-- Only 3 trainers reached 3 wins last week: Saffie Joseph Jr. (75%, + ROI), Mark Casse (38%, + ROI), Mike Maker (25%, losing ROI).

-- Trainer Linda Rice struggled through a 0-15 week in which 8 runners were 9-2 or less odds (3 favorites).

-- First-time starters were 22: 0-2-3 on the week with 14 of them in single-digit odds.

‍