Saratoga Vulnerable Favorites, Live Longshots, and Spot Plays: August 2

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SPOT PLAYS AND LIVE LONGSHOTS

Saratoga Race 2, (1:32 ET)

GROUPTHINK (#3, 2-1) Chad Brown trained first time starter has worked forwardly for his debut and looks well spotted launching career against modest field of 2-year-old New York bred maidens. - Mike Welsch

Saratoga Race 3, (2:04 ET)

SWEET MAXINE (#6, 10-1) Several of the faves in here ran very poorly in their respective last starts, and despite the fat ($72k) purse, a few of them might not even be worth the $14k claiming option that's part of the race condition. This Delaware shipper might well be the outside speed when making her first start in nearly two months for underrated barn; easy to buld a case for her on what amounts to only a slight raise in class. – Marty McGee

Saratoga Race 4, (2:36 ET)

ROSALIE'S PLEASURE (#2, 6-1) made promising debut over this track/trip last year before running on a windy day at Belmont where closers were up against it on both surfaces; returns with blinkers on and will be a threat if ready off the bench. - Mike Beer

Saratoga Race 4, (2:36 ET)

UTOPIAN WIFE (#4, 5-1) Trainer Bruce Brown has prepared the New York bred well for her debut, which comes on the grass against a soft looking field of state breds, with a long and steady series of works that includes a lively half mile on the turf in company with stable mate Saropia who got beat in the final jumps of a mid-level conditioned claimer on the grass earlier in the week. - Mike Welsch

Saratoga Race 5, (3:08 ET)

ACQUISITION (#4, 12-1) exits a less than clean trip in last start down at Calder where she was squeezed after the start and then 4 wide late 1^st turn into the lane; huge jock switch for barn that can put one over. - Chuck Kuehhas

Saratoga Race 6, (3:41 ET)

QUEEN CHATANIKA (#7, 20-1) Beaten just over a length by morning-line choice Sounds of the City in the recent Klassy Briefcase, but the stretch-running filly may fall through the cracks in a wide-open edition of the Caress Stakes. - Dave Litfin

Saratoga Race 7, (4:14 ET)

TAKE DOWN TWO (#1, 3-1) makes his first start off the claim for trainer Jason Servis, who wins at a high rate with such runners; should be ideally spotted behind the speeds. - Kenny Peck

VULNERABLE FAVORITES

Saratoga Race 4, (4:50 ET)

PIE'S FIRST LADY (#1, 7-2) Certainly a contender in this field, but she's been beaten as the favorite in all three career starts vs. fillies, including a start here opening weekend without apparent excuse, and will once again offer little value. - Mike Beer