Complicated card has a $179K pick six carryover
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A pick six carryover of $179,735 awaits horseplayers Wednesday at Saratoga, but with four legs scheduled for the turf and significant rain forecast Tuesday, things could get complicated.
Further complicating matters, should the races remain on turf, is the fact the fields are full and the rails on both courses are out 27 feet, narrowing the playing field.
Turf or dirt, rain or shine, trainer Linda Rice figures to be prominent Wednesday with entrants in eight of the nine races, including contenders for whatever surface the $125,000 Suzie O’Cain Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies is run.
On turf in the 1 1/16-mile O’Cain, Rice would send out Collaboration, whose form prior to her last start makes her a contender. She finished seventh at 2-1 last out, a second-level statebred allowance, but Rice said Collaboration blew her race before the doors opened.
“She’s a little bit of a high-strung filly,” said Rice, the second-leading trainer at the meet with 19 wins. “She had a bad day in the paddock, she had a bad day in the starting gate, and she just didn’t fire. She blew her race early, so I’m hoping for a complete turnaround there.”
On dirt, the race 8 Suzie O’Cain – named for a longtime New York-bred breeder who died in 2022 – would be run at one mile. Rice would scratch Collaboration and instead run Ichiban and/or Amanda’s Folly, both of whom are entered to run only on the main track.
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Rice said Amanda’s Folly may be better suited to the $200,000 Fleet Indian at 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 27 and that Ichiban would likely run Wednesday. Ichiban has won her last two starts, one at seven furlongs and one at nine furlongs.
Should the Suzie O’Cain remain on turf, Christophe Clement would have the likely favorite in Silver Skillet, who is coming off a perfect-trip win in a first-level allowance. That was Silver Skillet’s second turf race.
“She’s a better filly on turf than what she was on dirt,” Clement said. “She won well last time.”
Clement also runs Smokie Eyes, who he called “a sleeper” in what would be her third start of the year.
“I didn’t think she was fit enough when I run her first time on dirt and she ran a funny race – went a bit quick on the lead and got tired,” Clement said. “I’d expect her to run a better race than what she’s run so far this year.”
Another sleeper is the David Donk-trained Snowy Evening, owned in part by former Daily Racing Form publisher Steve Crist. Snowy Evening had ample trouble when finishing fifth, four lengths behind Silver Skillet in a July 15 allowance here. Snowy Evening got squeezed at the start and was 14 lengths back early. Jockey Jose Ortiz then had to take a hold of Snowy Evening while on the inside nearing the top of the lane before going outside. She made a mild rally for fifth.
Of Snowy Evening’s early positioning, Donk said, “I thought it was an almost impossible position to win from there. I thought she ran okay. She’s got to run a little better to win it, but we’re looking to try and achieve some black type.”
John Velazquez rides from post 9.
Wednesday’s pick six starts with race 4 (2:42 pm Eastern). Here’s a look at the rest of the sequence:
Race 4: The Rice-trained Proud Foot is a contender on either surface in this starter allowance scheduled for 5 1/2 furlongs on turf. She shows trouble lines in her last four starts, three of which came with inside posts. Proud Foot is drawn outside Thursday.
Need Some Money is not entered as a main track only, but she’s only run on dirt and could be interesting turning back to 5 1/2 furlongs.
Maddie’s Grace and Explosive Exchange are ones to use on turf.
Race 5: On turf, at 1 1/8 miles, Splendid Summer, with blinkers added; Unleash the Power, who must overcome post 10; and Front Man look best.
On dirt, Chileno would be going second time off the claim for Rice, the first one being a sixth on turf. Still, the 1-for-17 record of this Gun Runner colt is tough to take.
Race 6: Cupid’s Heart should love turning back to six furlongs; if the track is wet, it should be noted she won by 5 1/2 lengths here last September over a sloppy track.
Trainer Rick Dutrow said Monday he plans to run both Sa Fordada and Mursal back even though they finished first and fourth, respectively, in a starter allowance here Saturday. Mursal, Dutrow said, would not run if there is any moisture in the track.
Cuz Ur Pretty brings a 4-for-5 record from Finger Lakes for Christopher Progno, who has a 1-3-2 record from nine Saratoga starts in his career. The win was by New Girl in Town at 22-1 in 2019.
Race 7: Freeze Pop, going first off the claim for Robertino Diodoro, is a potential speed play in this 1 1/8-mile dirt race for $25,000 claimers who have never won two races. Rice drops South Street to the lowest level of his career in a third start off the claim. Break the Ice’s lone win came going long and he goes out for Mark Hennig, who is enjoying a spectacular meet.
Race 9: If this New York-bred maiden $40,000 claimer stays on turf, Showemyourheels looks like the right one despite a layoff and class drop. She ran terrific sprinting on turf here last summer. Red Butterfly is possible too.
On dirt, Marley’s Ghost becomes the right one.
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