REGAL IMAGE
Trainer: Michael Stidham
Date: July 20, 9th
Finish: 4th by 6 3/4
Beyer: 74
Didn’t run badly against a deep field in the Wolf Hill Stakes, closing some ground late behind more forwardly placed foes, who made up the trifecta. May be able to run down the right group given a more favorable race flow next time.
Race 3: Lucky Move (#1)
Faces New York-breds for just the second time in her career.
Should appreciate the stretch-out to 1 1/8 miles, given her physical makeup and pedigree.
Has run speed figures that would make her formidable in this spot in the past.
4-1 on morning line
Race 2: The Honest Toun (#5)
Closed well into a slow pace in his debut while altering course late.
Should appreciate the stretch-out to 7 furlongs given his disposition and physicality.
Likely won’t have to improve much on the 93 TimeformUS Speed Figure he earned in his debut.
7-2 on ML
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Race 6: Get Set (#4)
JULIUS
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: July 17, 1st
Finish: 1st by 11 3/4
Beyer: 90
Well-bred older horse, $600k yearling, improved since gelded. Recent private purchase in Kentucky, trounced starter allowance while goofing around late. Fires right back in N1X.
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After a one-day hiatus due to extreme temperatures, racing resumes at Saratoga this afternoon with an excellent card featuring three stakes races. The nominal feature, the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, isn't a very bettable affair as the undefeated Guarana heads a short field.
The winner of the Grade 1 Acorn on the Belmont Stakes card, Guarana must navigate nine furlongs for the first time but projects as the controlling speed and should be very tough to defeat at an extremely short price.
Race 3: Skywriting (#2)
DRF Formulator Fact: Over the past five years, Linda Rice is 10 for 38 (26 percent, $3.04 ROI) first off the claim in turf routes.
Is bred to handle turf, being out of a dam who was a turf horse and is a half-sister to turf stakes winner Buddy’s Humor.
Has good tactical speed in a race that lacks a confirmed front-runner.
6-1 on ML
With a hundo burning a hole in my pocket, I’ll start off the eight-race Sunday card at Del Mar with a cold early daily double of SEAHAWK WAVE (6) in race 1 and MR VARGAS (7) in race 2. Both stand to improve substantially after needing their June comebacks off layoffs, and both figure to get great stalking trips from their open-air outer boxes. I’ll also bet both to win but won’t extend to a pick three or pick five after finding races 3 and 4 to be exceedingly difficult.
Our 3-year-old Pick last week, Irish Orb, hit the side of the gate, propped, and was vanned off. What we said about our sneaky gimmick 2-year-old Pick, Vaya Con Dios,,turned out to be prescient: “…if he’s not rushed too hard early might get himself boxed in a gimmick with Zyramid.” So, he was rushed too hard early to the lead and backed up at the furlong grounds as our actual Pick Zyramid won.
