Saratoga Babies for Saturday, Aug. 2
DRF handicapper Dan Illman looks at Saturday's races for juveniles at Saratoga.
Dan IllmanAug 01, 2014
DRF handicapper Dan Illman looks at Saturday's races for juveniles at Saratoga.
Under normal circumstances at Del Mar, a double carryover in the pick six would generate unbridled enthusiasm for the twilight card on Friday, first post 4 p.m. However, summer 2014 is not normal.
Three maiden races in the first four contests on the card make diving in early a tad risky, though one option that may play well in your multi-race wagers is to key likely Race 2 favorite Wonderful Union.
Friday’s card from Del Mar is another card that I don’t find myself enamored with anything in particular. Nothing really jumps off the page to me, but I’ll put together a small pick three play consisting of races 2-4.
Despite the meet’s steady expansion from its original four weeks, Saratoga is and always will be the “August place to be,” so it’s nice to finally turn the calendar page after 131 races in July.
Go Bro, the runner-up in last year’s Grade 2 Summer Stakes, is the 5-2 morning line favorite in the sixth, a 1 1/16-mile entry-level allowance on the grass.
Moreno and Itsmyluckyday are the two I’m looking to get home under Palace Malice in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.
It’s all about the weather, really. There’s a good chance of rain – possibly heavy – throughout the day, but the stuff is moving in waves and will be somewhat scattered, so timing and amounts are tough to predict. Five of the day’s 10 turf races – starting with race 3 – are carded for grass, and the card could wind up looking in reality nothing like it looks on paper.
With an unsettled weather forecast, it’s difficult to come to any conclusions about multi-race exotics where races may or may not stay on turf, so we’ll try to strike early and cash out on the first pick three of the day.
An upset Wednesday by a $20,000 maiden-claimer in the main-track finale ($99.60 Espirito Bueno) generated a $59,127 pick six carryover to Thursday.