Selections

Saratoga August 5

Race 1

  • 5  Just the Zip  3-1

  • 1  Tracking Stock  7-2

  • 4  Gee Pea Ess  4-1

  • 2  Mojo Rising  5-1

Just the Zip was claimed last out by Contessa, and while he isn’t outstanding with first off the claim, he does engage the hot Irad Ortiz for the ride. That last race number tops the field, and I have to believe he’s better than his 12-1 ML. Tracking Stock goes for Chad Brown and Javier Castellano and that pairing is 23% at this meet. The horse has had a few opportunities at the $40K level, and perhaps the cutback to 5 1/2 will be what he needs to get the win. Gee Pea Ess finally moved to the claiming ranks and missed by a nose. He’s an obvious contender. Mojo Rising is listed at 20-1, not even a close price as far as I am concerned. He made a clear improvement when cut back to 5 1/2 and the MCL$50K at MTH is easily the class equivalent of this group. I’m not convinced he’s a winner, but at the odds he’s likely to take some of my money.

Race 2

  • 8  General Bellamy  8/5

  • 3  Leitrim  3-1

  • 6  Tabaddol  4-1

General Bellamy goes first time for DJ and attracts Castellano. He’s dropping from the claimed level, has the fastest figure, and has a good style for the race. Leitrim ships in for Steve Asmussen and takes a big tumble in price off a solid win. He should have a nice spot early and can’t be discounted off his last race figure. Tabaddol is another taking a significant price drop. He’s been gelded since his last and McLaughlin has been on fire early at the meet.

Race 3

  • 3  Stevie Q  2-1

  • 1/1A  Smarty Kitten/Triple Creek  5/2

  • 2  Kingslayer  7/2

  • 7  Man of Wiregrass  9/2

Stevie Q goes for Chad Brown. The last time he was on the turf at this distance, he lost by a length but ran a field topping number. He looks very strong in this group. The Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey entry looks strong on both ends. Smarty Kitten is obviously better on the turf and showed it last time. Triple Creek has a two race winning streak coming into this one. Kingslayer has been gelded since his last start and ran his best race when switched to the turf. Clearly better than his 12-1 ML suggests.Man of Wiregrass may be the best speed in the race and is not heartless in the stretch. Steps up off the claim by Mike Maker who is 23% with his new charges.

Race 4

  • 1  Literata  7/5

  • 4  A Few Good Friends  2-1

  • 3  Linda Mimi  4-1

Literata hasn’t been out of the money since last October and runs consistent figures. Should be close to the pace and he has plenty of ability to continue on. A Few Good Friends has a couple of mediocre races at SAR, although they were both on off tracks. Seems to be doing well since moving to races with winners. Linda Mimi was clearly overmatched in the Mother Goose, but prior to that ran a nice figure when breaking her maiden. Competitive in this race.

Race 5

  • 9  Hawk Alley  2-1

  • 6  Quanique  3-1

  • 8  Kirby’s Penny  4-1

Hawk Alley made a big improvement when dropped to the claiming rank. Some good stats in her favor. Casse is 25% second off a layoff, she has a good last work at WO, and her last figure tops the field. Quanique has been running at this level since her debut three races ago and got close in her last start at 7F. Cutback in distance shouldn’t hurt. Kirby’s Penny goes first time for Wesley Ward who is 24% with debut runners. KEE works look good and it’s a positive that Johnny V takes the mount.

Race 6

  • 1  Tom’s d’Etat  5/2

  • 4  Encrypt  3-1

  • 2  T R Crew  7/2

  • 7  Admiral Blue  4-1

Tom’s d’Etat really worke up when put on the dirt at a mile and a quarter at CD. Albert Stall usually brings them live to SAR. Encrypt takes the blinkers off after wearing them in his last two. He stretches out to 9F after exclusively sprinting, but given the breeding he shouldn’t have any problem with the longer trip. Kieran McLaughlin has been strong at the meet so far. T R Crew has been close in his three starts and is one of the horses with the highest figure. Should be part of the early pace and has enough stamina to stay to the end. Admiral Blue had a troubled start last time. Might be a little bit of a stretch given the time off and the abbreviated number of races, but I like the last work and the breeding suggests the 9F trip shouldn’t be a problem.

Race 7

  • 8  Money Multiplier  8/5

  • 2  Roman Approval  4-1

  • 3  Gold Shield  5-1

Money Multiplier comes off good seconds in the United Nations and the Man O War and should be the class of this field. Roman Approval  comes off a nice second at AP in a G3 and has shown great consistency. Gold Shield ran a huge number in his May 12 BEL win. I think he is better than the 12-1 ML suggests.

Race 8

  • 3  Casual Cocktail  9/5

  • 1  Two Pump  3-1

  • 6  Know It All Anna  4-1

Casual Cocktail gets her sternest test yet after decimating fields at PEN and DEL. Johnny V takes the mount and that is a positive. Two Pump has been close in her last two and has a race over the SAR turf this year. Interesting at the odds. Know It All Anna has a win and a third in three tries at SAR and should enjoy the 6 1/2F trip.

Race 9

  • 9  Camelot Kitten  5-2

  • 5  Isotherm  3-1

  • 6   Airoforce  5-1

This renewal of the Hall of Fame has an interesting field. A number of horses are coming out of the one mile Manilla, a one turn race at BEL. We’ll look for horses that show some ability around two turns. Camelot Kitten is coming off a good 4th in the G1 BEL Derby and wins in the G3 Penine Ridge and the G2 American Turf. Should go favorite and looks very tough here. Isotherm was a top 2YO turf colt last year, winning the G3 Pilgrim before losing all chance early in the BC Juvenile. He came out in 2016 and ran a good second in the Dania Beach at GP. I like three year olds that are on the improve, and Isotherm could be that horse. Lezcano returns for the mount. Airoforce was part of the blanket in the Belmont Derby and was close in the Penn Mile and the American Turf. Has the talent if he gets the trip.

Race 10

  • 2  Rivzinthehouse  3-1

  • 11  Risetotheoccassion  4-1

  • 7  U S Citizen  5-1

Rivsinthehouse should be the one to catch here and has shown a lot of talent in turf sprints. Risetotheoccassion looked good first time at a turf sprint and drops in price for Mike Maker. U S Citizen was claimed last out by Bruce Levine after just missing at 7F. Top last race figure makes him a major contender.