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Good morning racing fans. We are headed into another week of exciting racing action with the Grade 1 Alabama as the week’s marquee event taking place on Saturday. In the meantime we’ve got some Wednesday racing action to attend to. Fast and firm conditions are expected. Let’s get to work!
Wednesday at Saratoga:
Race 9: Born Dancer - 1 pt win (US Morning Line Odds: 15/1)
Today’s feature race is the New York Stallion Series on the inner turf at a mile. Our odds on morning line favorite is Dakota Gold and while the speed figures say he’s very much the one to beat, he’s just the kind of odds-on favorite I like to try to beat. He hails from a barn that’s 1 for 22 at the meet and listed as an odds on favorite last time out. I have a wacky idea here with Born Dancer who makes his second career start today. He was ridden by top rider Flavien Prat in his debut and while it’s somewhat odd to see a top rider ride a 30/1 shot on debut it’s not unheard of. He raced evenly throughout the race and rallied nicely at the end to finish fifth despite Prat never going to the whip and just hand riding him. His connections think enough of him to put him in a Stakes race in his second career start. Maybe they’re just overconfident but between Flavien Prat taking this mount again, the obvious experience race he was given in his debut and the fact that they’re entering him in a Stakes race, I’m sold on giving him a shot here at gigantic odds over a suspect odds-on favorite.
Best of luck to everyone playing Wednesday’s races from Saratoga!