Wednesday’s Race Recap from Saratoga:
(All odds US)
Race replays from Saratoga can be found here:
Saratoga:
Race 3: SCRATCH
Race 4: 5th@ 3.00/1
Race 6: 10th@ 29.00/1
Race 10: 1st@ 22.00/1 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
We started our week with a scratch in Race 3 and some bad weather in the forecast. In Race 4, our “longshot” who was 10/1 on the morning line and bet down to 3/1 - Tass got no easy leads and wilted in the lane after being pressed through a hard opening quarter mile. In Race 6, Oliver’s Fortune had nothing. In Race 10, Raining Candy made up for those losses and drew away in the lane under an expert ride by Irad Ortiz to win at a MONSTROUS 22/1 !!!🔥🔥🔥
We move forward to what looks to be a soggy Thursday at Saratoga. Rain is expected overnight which will likely take us off the turf. I’m hoping we can avoid scratches because I’ve handicapped the races accordingly. Let’s get started.
Thursday picks for Saratoga:
Race 1: Bee Bit - 1 pt win (US Morning Line Odds: 3/1)
Originally carded for the turf at a mile and a sixteenth, and turf is where Bee Bit has the majority of her wins but her best races according to her speed figures have been over the dirt surface. Bee Bit gets Joel Rosario as a rider who’s 1 for 2 for this barn and any one of her three most recent dirt starts would make her a major player here.
Race 3: Esotica - 2 pts win - BEST BET (US Morning Line Odds: 9/5)
Lower level claiming runners sprint 6 furlongs and if Esotica runs back to her most recent start the others might be running for second place. Top barn and top rider for a horse who appears to be the lone speed nearest the rail. The more I write the more I like her chances.
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Race 6: The Institute - 1 pt win - (US Morning Line Odds: 7/2)
I don’t pick many first time starters for my members but The Institute is a standout. His sire - Into Mischief - is perhaps the strongest sire in American racing today. His dam is Princess Violet - a Grade 1 winning sprinter who was very precocious. This runner has a half brother who ran too well to lose in his first start losing by a neck for these same connections. Lures top rider Jose Ortiz and this trainer wins with 21% of his career debut stock.
Race 8: Candy Tycoon - 1 pt win (US Morning Line Odds: 7/2)
Mid level claimers run a mile and an eighth and with several speed runners signed on here, I’m going with a stalker to track just off those speeds. Candy Tycoon has a 414 Tomlinson figure so he should love any give to the surface caused by rain and this one drops to the lowest level of his career for top connections.
Best of luck to everyone playing Thursday’s races from Saratoga!