The second week of summer racing at Saratoga is upon us beginning on Thursday afternoon with a nine-race card that gets rolling at 1:10 PM eastern. The card is headlined by four races over the grass, including a second-level allowance event that kicks off the late Pick 4. Here are a few horses I plan to build my day around to start the first four-day week in Saratoga Springs.
Race 2:
This 5.5-furlong dash over the grass for 2YOs drew a field of eight, including a quartet of first-time starters. Of those that have experience, #6 Generational is expected to take the most money, but I prefer #5 Beach Sandals. The Omaha Beach colt never got into things in his Saratoga debut during the Belmont Racing Festival, but showed strong speed in his runner-up finish at Churchill Downs in May. I like first-time starter #8 Pirate Ship most though. The Three Diamonds Farm colt was sent east from Keeneland by trainer Joe Sharp. Sharp sent four 2YOs to Saratoga last year to debut in a turf sprint. None went off at lower than 7-2. One won and only one finished out of the money. This son of Midshipman is out of a More Than Ready mare and draws favorably to the outside in the clear. I am willing to bet he is a runner.
Play: #8 Pirate Ship (4-1 ML)
Picks: 8-5-6
Race 6:
The Thursday feature is this $125k allowance event for fillies and mares run at one-mile over the Inner Turf. Trainer Chad Brown holds a strong hand in this one with 3-1-ML favorite #2 Play With Fire and 7-2-ML second choice #7 Opulent Restraint. Opulent Restraint does not interest me much, but is dangerous if they let John Velazquez set a moderate early tempo. Play With Fire is easier to like in a vacuum, but returns off a long break and takes on older gals for the first time. Trainer Phil Antonacci also has a two-filly entry with both making their first start in the States. Antonacci’s two runners to race last week both finished off the board, but he is a high percentage trainer that spots his horses to win. I will try the bigger price of his two on the ML #9 Ashikidah. The 4YO also makes her first start as a 4YO with just one try prior against older runners, but is likely to be double the price. She comes in off a steady series of works and should offer solid bang for the buck with Tyler Gaffalione jumping aboard.
Play: #9 Ashikidah (6-1 ML)
Picks: 9-1-7
Race 9:
Speaking of trainer Phil Antonacci, let’s take a swing in the finale with a first-time starter he sends out in this MSW event for 3YOs+ over the Inner Turf. A look around at those that have raced thus far shows a field that lacks early speed. Obviously, it takes projecting to get #6 Point Guard to be sharp enough to break well and the plan to be to see how far he can take them on the engine, but Antonacci legs up Ricardo Santana Jr. Santana is not a true one-trick pony in terms of his riding skills, but certainly has most often been at his best getting horses into the race early on. He takes the call on this Street Sense colt that should be fit and a big price. Hopefully, we can find a prominent spot early and beat this modest bunch of non-winners full of runners that come from bigger barns and are likely to take far more public support.
Play: #6 Point Guard (15-1 ML)
Picks: 6-5-1
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