Litfin's preview: One stakes scheduled for Monday

Although the number of races is slightly off the pace of last year’s 420 in 40 days, the average number of races per day still exceeded 10 per day (202) through the first half of the six-day-per-week meet.

As Joe Hirsch used to say whenever more days were added to the Saratoga schedule, “They keep adding more water to the soup.”

With the exception of the Tenski Stakes (race 8) and a maiden special-weight turf sprint for juvenile New York-bred fillies (race 2), Monday’s betting menu is a close cousin of what you might expect to see at Aqueduct, only with better scenery and slot machines across the street instead of right alongside. There are seven claiming races, including three for winners valued at $20,000 or less and three for maidens.

Walk Close seeks to stay unbeaten

Walk Close, who has won her first three starts for Christophe Clement, attempts to remain undefeated in the one-mile, $100,000 Tenski for 3-year-old fillies on the inner turf.

This will be the first start away from Belmont Park for the stretch-running Walk Close, who won her debut last September and returned at the spring meet to take nose photos in a first-level allowance and the Wild Applause Stakes. Among those she has beaten, albeit narrowly, are Chad Brown’s pair of Hillhouse High and Sweet Acclaim. They loom the most logical threats to Walk Close, who spots everyone four to six pounds under the allowance conditions.

Je Suis Enchantee ships in from Penn National and moves to the rail after setting the pace from post 10 in Monmouth’s Desert Vixen Stakes. She will probably get some pressure up front from Image of Anna, who set the pace in two stakes on the Mid-Atlantic circuit in the spring, and switches to turf after pressing the early fractions in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks.

Super Sky, who edged Je Suis Enchantee for third in the Desert Vixen, took the worst of the post position draw and is on the far outside for Todd Pletcher and Javier Castellano, who will both head into the final three weeks of the season with comfortable leads in the standings.

Horse to watch

DA JENIUS
Trainer: Eric Guillot
Last race: Aug. 9, 4th
Finish: 3rd by 4 3/4
Beyer: 64

This $350,000 ridgling by Malibu Moon was outsprinted early, came wide into the stretch, and finished willingly behind a pair of strongly bet rivals; stretching out from 5 1/2 furlongs should suit him.