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Saturday’s Race Recap from Saratoga:
(All odds US)
Saratoga:
Race 1: 2nd@ 3.60/1
Race 2: 1st@ 5.40/1 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Race 4: SCRATCH
Race 6: 3rd@ 10.30/1
Race 7: 8th@ 21.70/1
Race 8: 1st@ 1.85/1 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Race 9: 7th@ 7.20/1
Race 10: 3rd@ 0.45/1
Race 11: 7th@ 7.80/1
Races 1 and 4 were taken off the turf due to yesterday’s rain. In Race 1 the debuting Agate Road sat off the pace and came with a nice late run but the favorite, ridden by Irad Ortiz herded us so Luis Saez was forced to come inside and that was the difference as we lost by a head bob. In Race 2, Just Steel gunned to the lead, put away speedy Ozone and battled on bravely to take victory from favored firster Be You at 5/1 odds. After a scratch in Race 4, we were right to pick against favored Caravel in the Grade 3 Troy and while selection Thin White Duke was taken well out of it and came with a late rush for third, it was Cogburn who had the best trip taking the inside path to victory. In Race 7, Mid Day Image rocketed to the lead and set a reasonable pace early but had little left for the stretch drive and faded late. In the Grade 1 Test, Maple Leaf Mel looked like she was set to win her 6th consecutive race but came up lame right before the wire as Pretty Mischievous gave us a second win we really didn’t deserve. In Race 9 Mondego sat the trip off the speed on the inside but failed to quicken once the real running began. In Race 10, today wasn’t Cody’s Wish’s day. He checked in third behind White Abarrio who blitzed the field. In Race 11, Signator looked uncomfortable in his return dropping back, making a mild run, dropping back again and rallying again mildly on the rail. He’ll do better with this race under his belt.
Let’s take a look at Sunday’s races from Saratoga where we’re expecting fast and firm conditions!
Saratoga:
Race 10: Prix de West - 1 pt win (US Morning Line Odds: 8/1)
NY bred maiden claimers go a mile and a sixteenth on turf and I’m looking to Bill Mott one more time to close out the weekend with Prix de West. His 40% turf win percentage here over the last two weeks is something I don’t want to miss out on as the odds on his horses are still very fair. Prix de West made his debut in April at Aqueduct on the main track and didn’t do much running, but he’s better bred for turf and has been working well. Mott wins at a 43% clip with runners dropping from maiden special to maiden claimers and wins at 24% with runners coming off similar layoffs. This guy is a half to two runners who won their turf debut putting up speed figures of 77 and 70 and for a hit barn I’d give this one a long look if he’s anything close to his 8/1 morning line.
Best of luck to all our members playing Sunday’s races from Saratoga!!