Teach
08-12-2014, 12:58 PM
Race Two:
:6: Broadway Bay was so far back after the start of his only race - a six-panel sprint at Saratoga about three weeks ago - that he could have literally called a cab to catch up with the rest of the field. As announcer John Imbriale aptly described: Broadway Bay got off to a “hesitant start”. That “hesitant start” cost this Flower Alley-bred 3-year-old about ten lengths. Well, as you can imagine, this gelding was languishing at the back of the pack. He was so far back - this may be a slight hyperbole - his jockey, Javier Castellano, might have needed a pair of binoculars to see the front of the field. Yet, like a bat out of Hades, this Cryptoclearance-bred gelding began moving like Silky Sullivan in the 1958 Santa Anita Derby. Well, the gelding started picking off horses in the stretch like they were standing still. Amazingly, he finished third. I have to estimate that he covered the last two panels in :22-and-change. Oh, his pedigree indicates that he should take to a wet surface. I think all that’s needed is a clean trip. Others: :4: Wildniteattheopera; :5: Warrior’s Hero; :7: Imposing Figure.
Race Three:
In this allowance sprint for state-breds, I’m going for a longshot, :6: The Lost Tigress. Oddsmaker Eric Donovan has assigned this Henny Hughes-bred filly the morning line odds of 12-1. I think it could be an overlay. Here’s my thinking. First, trainer Charlton Baker has switched pilots to the most capable Jose Ortiz. Second, it’s turf-to-dirt (Baker is 27% in that category). Third, it’s the filly’s third start off a layoff (Baker’s 31% in that category). The filly’s breeding says that she should take to the off going. Finally, I believe all these factors might well lead to a winning effort. Others: :2: Sheriffa; :7: Desert Valentine; :4: Readygetsgold
Race Four:
In a race that's likely coming off the turf, my choice is :3: Amulay, an MTO. This Bruce Levine-trained, Distorted Humor-bred filly, should take to any wet going; she won at Aqueduct in late March on a wet track. The filly recently hit a dry patch after winning five out six from the fall of last year to the spring of this. This could well be this filly’s wake up call to get back in the winner's circle. “Johnny V.” is in the irons. Others: :2: Jane’s Heir; :10: Ginny’s Grey[/B]; :8: Edie.
Race Five:
In this six furlong maiden-claimer for state-breds I’m going with :5: Kleptocrat. This Gone West-bred filly got off a step slow in her last and ended up off the board. The filly now drops back in for a tag in a field she should handle. The filly also draws a better post from which to mount a charge. She has the breeding to handle a wet track. Trainer Charlton Baker is good with sprints. Shaun Bridgmohan is in the irons. Others: :4: Laura Can Disco; :3: Keep Right; :2: Penella.
Race Six:
In a sprint that I’m sure will be taken off the turf my pick is :14: Piquant, an MTO. This is the same horse that unseated jockey Rosario Montanez (I hope jockey Montanez is doing better; I know that when he was unseated about a month ago he injured an eye that required surgery).
This gelding has the kind of wet-track pedigree, e.g., Arch; Kris S., to prevail here. No rider was listed in the DRF. Bruce Brown trains. Others: :13: Eastwood; :7: Power World; :6: Private Tutor.
Race Seven:
In this six-furlong optional claiming sprint, my choice is :4: Isabelle. I must profess that jockey Alex Solis and trainer Lisa Lewis are both, thus far, winless at this 2014 Saratoga meet. Yet, this could well be the horse that gets them both “off the schneid”. This filly is extremely well bred for the wet going, e.g., Successful Appeal, Valid Appeal. In her last, she finished off the board in the Grade III Victory Ride at Belmont in late June. The filly now meets a field she should be able to handle. Others: :5: Here’s Zealicious; :7: Bridgetta; :2: Superior Sarah.
Race Eight:
This becomes tougher with the race likely coming off the turf. I’m taking a shot with :8: Chrysolite. The David Donk trainee was third in a race taken off the turf over two weeks ago. That one that was run on a muddy surface. That race proves the filly can handle the off going. As for wet-track breeding, I like the filly’s Notebook pedigree on the dam’s side. John Velasquez is in the irons. Others: :7: Aesthetique; :9: Jet Majesty; :10: Takeoff Your Hat.
Race Nine:
In the Troy, my pick (assuming once again (ad nauseum) they’re off the turf) is :5: Dads Caps, an MTO. This colt has never run on the turf and was entered solely in the possibility that the turf would come up wet and that the race would be run on the main. All advanced forecasts call for as much as an inch of rain (possibly more) in the Saratoga Springs area. Well, in the likelihood that the Forestry-bred colt draws in, he has to be considered the prohibitive favorite. The colt was last seen finishing fourth in the Grade III Belmont Sprint Championship. This off-the-turf likelihood is the ideal situation for this colt. Irad Ortiz, Jr. rides for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Others: :2: Tightend Touchdown; :4: Choctaw Chuck; :6: Sandy’z Slew.
Race Ten:
In this six-furlong claimer, non-winners of two, I’m going with :8: Stalag mite. The gelding is superbly bred for the wet going. He broke his maiden in his last effort at Belmont almost a couple months ago. He now goes up against winners. Since dropping into the maiden-claiming ranks from the maiden-specials, the gelding has finished second and first. Add to that a wet surface and this gelding looks like a player here. Luis Seaz rides for trainer Thomas Morley. Morley, by the way, is very good in conditioning horses who’ve been away from the races for a while. Others: :11: Perfect Disco; :9: Cosmic Coincidence; :3: Southern Blessing.
:6: Broadway Bay was so far back after the start of his only race - a six-panel sprint at Saratoga about three weeks ago - that he could have literally called a cab to catch up with the rest of the field. As announcer John Imbriale aptly described: Broadway Bay got off to a “hesitant start”. That “hesitant start” cost this Flower Alley-bred 3-year-old about ten lengths. Well, as you can imagine, this gelding was languishing at the back of the pack. He was so far back - this may be a slight hyperbole - his jockey, Javier Castellano, might have needed a pair of binoculars to see the front of the field. Yet, like a bat out of Hades, this Cryptoclearance-bred gelding began moving like Silky Sullivan in the 1958 Santa Anita Derby. Well, the gelding started picking off horses in the stretch like they were standing still. Amazingly, he finished third. I have to estimate that he covered the last two panels in :22-and-change. Oh, his pedigree indicates that he should take to a wet surface. I think all that’s needed is a clean trip. Others: :4: Wildniteattheopera; :5: Warrior’s Hero; :7: Imposing Figure.
Race Three:
In this allowance sprint for state-breds, I’m going for a longshot, :6: The Lost Tigress. Oddsmaker Eric Donovan has assigned this Henny Hughes-bred filly the morning line odds of 12-1. I think it could be an overlay. Here’s my thinking. First, trainer Charlton Baker has switched pilots to the most capable Jose Ortiz. Second, it’s turf-to-dirt (Baker is 27% in that category). Third, it’s the filly’s third start off a layoff (Baker’s 31% in that category). The filly’s breeding says that she should take to the off going. Finally, I believe all these factors might well lead to a winning effort. Others: :2: Sheriffa; :7: Desert Valentine; :4: Readygetsgold
Race Four:
In a race that's likely coming off the turf, my choice is :3: Amulay, an MTO. This Bruce Levine-trained, Distorted Humor-bred filly, should take to any wet going; she won at Aqueduct in late March on a wet track. The filly recently hit a dry patch after winning five out six from the fall of last year to the spring of this. This could well be this filly’s wake up call to get back in the winner's circle. “Johnny V.” is in the irons. Others: :2: Jane’s Heir; :10: Ginny’s Grey[/B]; :8: Edie.
Race Five:
In this six furlong maiden-claimer for state-breds I’m going with :5: Kleptocrat. This Gone West-bred filly got off a step slow in her last and ended up off the board. The filly now drops back in for a tag in a field she should handle. The filly also draws a better post from which to mount a charge. She has the breeding to handle a wet track. Trainer Charlton Baker is good with sprints. Shaun Bridgmohan is in the irons. Others: :4: Laura Can Disco; :3: Keep Right; :2: Penella.
Race Six:
In a sprint that I’m sure will be taken off the turf my pick is :14: Piquant, an MTO. This is the same horse that unseated jockey Rosario Montanez (I hope jockey Montanez is doing better; I know that when he was unseated about a month ago he injured an eye that required surgery).
This gelding has the kind of wet-track pedigree, e.g., Arch; Kris S., to prevail here. No rider was listed in the DRF. Bruce Brown trains. Others: :13: Eastwood; :7: Power World; :6: Private Tutor.
Race Seven:
In this six-furlong optional claiming sprint, my choice is :4: Isabelle. I must profess that jockey Alex Solis and trainer Lisa Lewis are both, thus far, winless at this 2014 Saratoga meet. Yet, this could well be the horse that gets them both “off the schneid”. This filly is extremely well bred for the wet going, e.g., Successful Appeal, Valid Appeal. In her last, she finished off the board in the Grade III Victory Ride at Belmont in late June. The filly now meets a field she should be able to handle. Others: :5: Here’s Zealicious; :7: Bridgetta; :2: Superior Sarah.
Race Eight:
This becomes tougher with the race likely coming off the turf. I’m taking a shot with :8: Chrysolite. The David Donk trainee was third in a race taken off the turf over two weeks ago. That one that was run on a muddy surface. That race proves the filly can handle the off going. As for wet-track breeding, I like the filly’s Notebook pedigree on the dam’s side. John Velasquez is in the irons. Others: :7: Aesthetique; :9: Jet Majesty; :10: Takeoff Your Hat.
Race Nine:
In the Troy, my pick (assuming once again (ad nauseum) they’re off the turf) is :5: Dads Caps, an MTO. This colt has never run on the turf and was entered solely in the possibility that the turf would come up wet and that the race would be run on the main. All advanced forecasts call for as much as an inch of rain (possibly more) in the Saratoga Springs area. Well, in the likelihood that the Forestry-bred colt draws in, he has to be considered the prohibitive favorite. The colt was last seen finishing fourth in the Grade III Belmont Sprint Championship. This off-the-turf likelihood is the ideal situation for this colt. Irad Ortiz, Jr. rides for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Others: :2: Tightend Touchdown; :4: Choctaw Chuck; :6: Sandy’z Slew.
Race Ten:
In this six-furlong claimer, non-winners of two, I’m going with :8: Stalag mite. The gelding is superbly bred for the wet going. He broke his maiden in his last effort at Belmont almost a couple months ago. He now goes up against winners. Since dropping into the maiden-claiming ranks from the maiden-specials, the gelding has finished second and first. Add to that a wet surface and this gelding looks like a player here. Luis Seaz rides for trainer Thomas Morley. Morley, by the way, is very good in conditioning horses who’ve been away from the races for a while. Others: :11: Perfect Disco; :9: Cosmic Coincidence; :3: Southern Blessing.