At the Gate - Thursday
By Mike Dempsey
We started off the work week with four winners on top on the card at the Spa, and we knocked down the first four exactas, paying $30.80, $69.00, $13.80 and $12.80. However, we had to wait to the nightcap to hit our fifth.
Cadir ($10.80) got up in the finale as my top pick with my second choice Uptown Joe completing a $76.00 exacta and my third choice Same As landed third, the $2 trifecta paying $309.00. A pretty good way to end the day with nailing a trifecta ice cold.
Entries for Saturday’s $1.5 million Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga came out yesterday and Palace Malice was installed as the even money morning line favorite. The Todd Pletcher trainee is perfect in four starts this year and will face eight foes.
The colt only won two of his 10 starts last year, the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Jim Dandy (G2), and has a four-year-old he has not been beaten, taking the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2), New Orleans Handicap (G2), Westchester (G3) and the Met Mile Handicap (G1).
The colt just looks better with each outing and he showed us last summer he likes the Spa main track. He is going to be tough to beat, but I have a day or so to come up somebody to beat him. It will not be easy.
The race is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
The Whitney will be televised live on Saturday at 5:00 pm ET on NBC along with the $500,000 Test (G1) which is for three-year-old fillies. The race drew a field of 12 with the winner earning an automatic staring spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
The 11-race card looks outstanding. I will have more on the stakes coming up on Saturday.
Here is today’s second race (the opener is a steeplechase) from Saratoga to get the day off to a good start:
SAR Race 2 Md Sp Wt (1:00 ET)
1 Updraft 3-1
3 Aggrandizement 8-1
4 None Like Nolan 9-5
2 Warrior's Hero 4-1
Analysis: Updraft stretches out to a route here after checking in a non-threatening sixth in his debut going six furlongs at Belmont Park at 7-2 as part of an entry. The winner The Bib Beast and the fifth place finisher Frame both won next out, the winner taking an Alw-1 race here with a 100 Beyer on July 26. This colt is bred to go long, by Awesome Again out of the multiple stakes winner Ajina ($1.3 million) who has dropped five winners, top earner Jinni ($132,210). The McLaughlin barn is 29% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from sprint to route and has always had strong numbers with second out maidens.
Aggrandizement prompted the early pace while in the three and four path and then tired to finish fourth last out in his first go off a 4 1/2 month layoff. There is not much early speed signed up to go here and he figures to move forward in his second start off the bench. He should be able to handle nine furlongs as he is by Harlan's Holiday out of a Quiet American mare.
Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 1,3 / 1,2,3,4
TRI: 1,3 / 1,2,3,4 / 1,2,3,4,6
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:
SAR Race 9 The Evan Shipman (4:42 ET)
7 Awesome Vision 4-1
6 Escapefromreality 3-1
8 Big Business 9-5
4 Sailmate 5-1
Analysis: Awesome Vision just missed by a nose last out at Finger Lakes in the Genesee Valley, beaten by Fox Rules. The five-year-old looks headed in the right direction as he makes his third start of his current form cycle and he is proven at the distance with a couple of wins and a second in four trips at nine furlongs. He has run well over the surface here and missed winning this race last summer in a photo. There is plenty of speed in here that should set things up nicely for him.
Escapefromreality came out on the wrong end of a photo last out with Sailmate facing Alw-2 optional claimers in his first go off a nine month layoff. The gelding won the state bred Albany here last summer at nine furlongs, taking the field gate to wire. He has landed in the exacta in six of his seven career starts. He fits well here with his best while the Schettino barn has been chilly at the meeting (0 for 13 through Monday).
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 6,7 / 4,6,7,8
TRI: 6,7 / 4,6,7,8 / 1,4,6,7,8
Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
Saratoga
R1: #2 Makati 8-1
R2: #3 Aggrandizement 8-1
R3: #10 Uncle Southern 8-1
R8: #7 Tiger Bourbon 8-1
R10: #9 Kid Blast 8-1
Good luck today!
w-thumbs!^
