SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The weather could be the deciding factor in the final turf stakes of the Saratoga meeting, Monday’s $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. With rain in the local forecast all day Sunday, it’s hard to predict the condition of the turf course on closing day, and the trainers of several of the leading contenders have mixed feelings about the prospect of soft ground in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch. :: LABOR DAY SALE: Save on PPs, Clocker Reports, and more! Trainer Brian Lynch said Heart to Heart’s wire-to-wire victory over yielding ground last fall in Belmont Park’s Grade 2 Knickerbocker gives him confidence that his horse will be fine no matter the course conditions. “Any time they leave him alone on the lead, he’s dangerous, like he was over the soft ground last year in the Knickerbocker,” said Lynch. Heart to Heart has been freshened since finishing third in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on June 3. “He came out of a couple of very tough races, so we gave him a break, pointing him for a fall and winter campaign, since he loves the turf down there at Gulfstream Park,” said Lynch. “He runs well fresh, and we’ve got the rail, so he should be able to dictate the terms.” Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said he doesn’t know what to expect from Delta Prince on a less-than-firm course. Delta Prince has improved with every start this season, with his lone loss in three tries a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Appleton five months ago at Gulfstream. “Unfortunately, the weather could affect us since I have no way of really knowing whether he’ll like soft turf or not, which is cause for concern,” said Jerkens. “But he’s doing really well, and I’d like to give it a go. I think he’s a really good one. We’ve obviously had some issues with him, but whenever we get him over there, it seems like he’s all horse, and he always gives it his all.” Jerkens is also a bit concerned about the potential for Heart to Heart to get loose on the lead. “It would be nice if someone ran with him,” said Jerkens. “I’ll leave it up to [jockey John Velazquez]. He should be close, although I don’t want him riding just to beat one horse.” Chad Brown, for one, would be happy to see the rain, having both Takeover Target and Projected in the field. Takeover Target, who was entered in an allowance race on Sunday that failed to fill, has won a pair of graded stakes over less-than-firm ground. “Takeover Target likes soft ground, and Projected should handle it,” said Brown. “I thought Takeover Target could have won his last start in the Lure. He got stuck on the inside, didn’t like it, and didn’t get out and in the clear until too late.” Brown will put blinkers on Projected for the first time in the Baruch. Projected has finished second in three consecutive starts, including the Lure, where he was beaten a length by Zennor. “He ran a little even down the lane in the Lure,” Brown said. “He didn’t kick on as well as I’d expected. I breezed him in blinkers and thought he went well, so we’ll try it.” American Patriot, the co-highweight at 120 pounds with Heart to Heart, is coming off disappointing efforts over soft ground in his last two starts, so heavy rain might be the last thing his trainer, Todd Pletcher, wants to see this weekend. American Patriot, the upset winner of the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile during the spring at Keeneland, finished 11th at Royal Ascot in the Queen Anne Stakes and far back in the Grade 1 Fourstardave on yielding turf here earlier in the meet.