Saratoga Vulnerable Favorites, Live Longshots, and Spot Plays: August 17
Saratoga Vulnerable Favorites, Live Longshots, and Spot Plays for Saturday, August 17.
DRF StaffAug 16, 2013
Saratoga Vulnerable Favorites, Live Longshots, and Spot Plays for Saturday, August 17.
The pick six at Del Mar on Friday starts with a carryover of $110,122 after no one had all six winners on Thursday. Those who had five winners received a payoff of $1,573.
Arromanches, sire of multiple Grade 2 winner Caixa Eletronica, died in his paddock Wednesday night at age 20.
Earlier this year, Dreaming of Julia and Kauai Katie were considered by many to be the top 3-year-old fillies routing and sprinting, respectively, in the country. After a couple of disappointing performances, both fillies have been put away for the remainder of the year and will be brought back as 4-year-olds, according to trainer Todd Pletcher. Both fillies are owned by Stonestreet Stables and recently were sent to Stonestreet Farm in Kentucky.
Declan’s Warrior got a little schooling from professors Nick Zito and John Velazquez on Thursday and passed the test with flying colors during an impressive half-mile workout that will serve as his final major prep for the Grade 1 King’s Bishop on Aug. 24.
In the past five years, European invaders have won seven of the 15 Grade 1 races on the Arlington Million programs, and they are 1 for 1 in the new American St. Leger Stakes. Fourteen Europeans are bedded down in Barn 28 on the Arlington backstretch this week, and it will be surprising if several of them don’t prove to be major players Saturday. Here’s a race-by-race look at their chances.
Hangover Kid uncorked a powerful rally down the center of Saratoga’s inner turf course under Irad Ortiz Jr. to win the $100,000 West Point Stakes for New York-breds by one length.
Sorta Special could have a distinct tactical advantage over the competition Saturday when she defends her title in the $40,000 Spicy Stakes at Arapahoe Park. She looks like the speed of the 1 1/16-mile race for Colorado-bred fillies and mares, just as she was last season, when she wired a field of 10.
Bach’s Homebrew returns to action off a layoff since June 7 as he faces a field of six other Nebraska-breds in the $15,000-added Amadevil Stakes going six furlongs on Saturday evening at Columbus Races.
Canterbury Park on Saturday will host the third annual Fillies Race for Hope, a day of horse racing and fund-raising to benefit the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer Foundation and Pay It Forward Fund. Both organizations assist the families of breast cancer patients during what can be difficult financial times. Each race on Saturday’s card is for fillies and mares, anchored by the $50,000 Hoist Her Flag Stakes and the $50,000 Minnesota HBPA Distaff.