Litfin's preview: Weak start to August

THE AUGUST PLACE TO BE

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.

In a sign of the times, the Aug. 1 opener is a maiden-claiming race for New York-breds where 2-1 morning-line favorite No Nukes is 0 for 18.

The last race is also a maiden claimer, and there four more claiming races sprinkled through the card, including three of the restricted variety.

LESS-THAN-FIRM TURF FOR CARESS

After yesterday’s downpour, the grass will no doubt be something other than firm for the $100,000 Smirnoff Sorbet Caress Stakes, scheduled for 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf.

The field of 10 fillies and mares includes Jewel of a Cat and Madame Giry, who are stakes winners over the course, and Free as a Bird, the “now horse” after taking a pair of $100,000 stakes at Belmont for Ian Wilkes.

Freshened for nearly two months, Free as a Bird has turned in a series of sharp workouts here at the Spa, where she has been stabled since May.

Jewel of a Cat captured the Coronation Cup at 12-1 last year, earning a career-best Beyer Figure, and ships in again from her Monmouth base for Ben Perkins Jr. after chasing wide in the Klassy Briefcase.

Madam Giry was third in this race a year ago, but that is her only loss from four starts here for Cam Gambolati. She won twice in allowance company in 2012, and closed out last season by taking the Smart N Fancy toward the end of the meet.

EVER RIDER SHORTENS UP

Ever Rider, pulled up as the favorite in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Marathon, shortens up to 1 1/8 miles in race 4, a $62,500 optional claimer with second-level allowance conditions.

Ever Rider comes off fourth-place finishes in the Brooklyn at 1 1/2 miles and the Suburban at 1 1/4 miles, and he gets a jockey switch back to Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard for the Argentine import’s best race in the United States, a second by a head in the Drosselmeyer Stakes.

All Tied Up, a wide fourth in the Long Branch most recently, is the lone 3-year-old in the mix, and breaks from the outside in a field of six for Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez.

Praetereo and St Moose are in for the $62,500 tag.

HORSES TO WATCH

ALEXAHENTE
Trainer: Eddie Kenneally
Last race: July 30, 10th
Finish: 4th by 5
Beyer: 73

This 3-year-old by War Front lacked room into the stretch and steadied in heavy traffic a sixteenth out, and was jostled around in quite an educational debut.