Saratoga, Thursday, July 11

[Teach]

“They’re Off And Running At Saratoga” as The Spa begins its 40-day meet.

Race One:

I open with the question: “Which horse can ‘get’ the one mile and 3/16ths distance?” There are candidates, yet there are also question-marks. Because I can’t - with any degree of assuredness - recommend any one particular horse, I’m going to cite four horses that I believe can win the opener. I’ll start with: Armament. As they all do, he has plusses, but also minuses. This War Front-bred is trained by the very capable veteran conditioner, Gary Gullo (he saddled his first winner in 1980 when he was 20-years old). Gullo does well with “shippers”. As far as this Danzig-bred is concerned, he is dropping, sharply. Yet, this 5-year old hasn’t raced in over three months (he was last seen finishing up the track at Oaklawn Park in early April). His morning work-tab is nuthin’ to write home about. He also tends to get jostled and bumped (yet he could overcome that at this marathon distance). He has the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. Nuff Ced. This Seattle Slew-bred’s lineage appears to say that he can: “get the distance”.

Another horse I’m giving consideration to is: Blurred Line. Here’s another horse that’s been on the shelf. Most of this Girolamo-bred’s efforts have come on the grass, yet this gelding has also won on the dirt. This A.P. Indy-bred looks like he can go longer. Danny Gargan trains. Gargan does well with horses entered in claiming events. “The Louisiana Kid,” Kendrick Carmouche, is in the irons.

Another horse that I believe merits consideration is the lightly-raced Tiznow-bred gelding, Tiz No Bluff. This 5-year old easily won his last, at this level, about one month ago at a mile and a ‘teenth. This is this 7-year old’s 3rd start off a layoff, a category at which this horse’s trainer, Michelle Nevin, does very well. This gelding does move up off his last win. The very capable Luis Saez (he was narrowly 2nd in Belmont’s riding title) has his feet in the stirrups.

Hollywood Handsome is another horse who catches my eye. This Tapizar-bred holds a distinct class edge over most of these (in the past, he’s raced in graded stakes). Yet, he’s been en vacaciones for 7 months. However, his morning works have been very good. This horse’s trainer, Jorge Navarro, started as a hot walker and groom. He’s been a perennial leading trainer at New Jersey’s Monmouth Park. Navarro does very well in all racing categories. He’s 36% with horses making a 2+ class drop. Belmont Park’s leading jockey in the recently completed spring-summer meet, Jose Lezcano (I remember when the Panamanian-born Lezcano was a “bug” at Boston’s Suffolk Downs) is in the irons.

Later today or during the week with my other selections.

[Teach]

Race Two:

An MSW sprint on the grass. As I read down the lines, I’m more and more inclined to bet Declined. I like this colt’s outside starting post. This Will Take Charge-bred has an “early turn of foot”. This 3-year old – with alert handling – should be put on or near the lead, right out of the gate. No traffic jams. No fits and starts. Clear sailing. It would then remain for jockey Jose Ortiz to ration out this Unbridled’s Song-bred’s speed. I also like the 3rd start off a layoff angle. A racing category that this colt’s trainer, Mike Maker, does very well with. Others: Sayyaaf; Hurricane Jake; Vehement

[Teach]

Race Three:

I believe Walkoff wants to go longer. Six panels, eight…do I hear nine. I believe this Street Sense-bred has the stamina to handle the added furlong. His connections are impeccable: Repole Stable, trainer Todd Pletcher, and jockey Manny Franco. If this gelding performs up to expectations, he can make it three-in-a-row. Others: Potomac; Growth Engine; The Rock Says

[Teach]

Race Four:

Bemma’s Boy gets my tepid nod in this 8-panels turf route. What intrigues me is that trainer Mike Maker has decided to put this Into Mischief bred back on the turf where this 4-year old gelding recorded one of his two lifetime wins. I suppose the question remains: “Will this switch to the grass pay dividends?" If I knew beforehand… Frankly, I’m on the horns of a dilemma. Oh, I’ll play this Harlan’s Holiday-bred, but I’m most emphatically “buying insurance”. I should cite the aforementioned Maker has a modest record with horses making their first start off a claim. The two published morning works are, at best, mediocre; yet… Jose Ortiz is in the irons. Others: Gosilently; Autostrade; Bootlegger

[Robert Fischer]

enjoying your thoughts, Teach

[Teach]

Thanks, Bob

[Teach]

Race Five:

I’ve landed on the Aubrey Tate in this state-bred 78k MSW sprint. Why? A first-timer, no less. What gets your attention? I tell you what catches my eye. For starters, a sire, Bayern, who has a 25% record in producing winning first-time starters (that is tres incredible!). Oh, yes, I would I like it to rain. The breeding says: Offlee Wild. Then, there is, as Cole Porter might have penned: “It’s delightful, it’s delicious…”: it’s D’wildcat! Norm Casse trains. That’s Mark's son. Oh, as to add an exclamation point to all this; this D’wild Ride-bred (she had 3 winners from 4 starters) has turned in array of consistent, eye-catching works in preparation for her “coming-out” party. Can she win? I believe she can. Yet, a little moisture…it wouldn’t hurt. Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call. Others: Ghostghostghost; Love Me Tomorrow; Funfetti.

[Teach]

Race Six:

Three Outlaws is my off-the-wall pick -- at least based on his M/L 20-1 odds (no guts, no glory) -- in this state-bred allowance n1x turf sprint. Yes, this Goldencents-bred chestnut colt has never raced on the grass, heretofore, during his brief pari-mutuel racing career. Yet, the turf breeding, i.e., Into Mischief, especially “on top.” is noteworthy. This Tiznow-bred 3-year old does draw the rail. This colt has “an early turn of foot”. I should note that this colt has been away from the races for over 9 months; yet his morning works do cause one to “sit up and take notice.” In addition, he has the services of Luis Saez. Saez is very good at getting horses away from the gate. The Aussie, Brian Lynch, both owns and trains this daughter of Bojangle Now. Others: Veterans Beach; Pipes; Analyzethisandthat.

[Teach]

Race Seven:

I’ve landed on Giant Zinger in this state-bred turf route. This Giant’s Causeway-bred bay filly was last seen finishing up the track in the Grade II New York Stakes at Belmont in early June. This Storm Cat-bred has, at least recently, campaigned against open stakes company; she’s now back in with “Empire State”-bred fillies and mares. That level of competition could serve as a “wake-up call”. Bill Mott, the Hall-of-Fame trainer from “The Mount Rushmore State,” is this filly’s conditioner. Today’s one-panel cut-back off this filly’s last effort should help. Her morning works have been very good. Junior Alvarado is in the irons. Others: Wegetsdamunnys; Classic Lady; Bareeqa

[Teach]

Race Eight:

It’s the Grade III Schuylerville! Frankly, I find this opening stakes race of the 40-day Spa meet to be a tough one. A race made up of 2-year old unraced or lightly-raced fillies can be a tough one to decipher. That said, I’ve come up with my selection, the outside horse, Kiss the Girl. I make my choice based on several factors. (1) The riding services of the Hall-of-Fame jockey, John Velasquez. Johnny V. is a pro. A wily veteran reinsman. He knows how to win. (2) This filly’s trainer is one of the top conditioners in thoroughbred racing, “Big D’s” Todd Pletcher. (3) The owners, Three Diamonds Farm, is a top-flight outfit. (4) In addition, this Into Mischief-bred’s morning works have been solid. This Harlan’s Holiday-bred easily won her only pari-mutuel start; she went off at .60 cents on the dollar. (5) Finally, I believe her outside starting post will aid and abet her cause. Others: Aurelia Garland; Shippy; His Glory.

[Teach]

Race Nine:

I’m coming right back with Johnny V. in the Grade III Quik Call, a turf sprint. My choice, Abyssinian. I believe this Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile)-bred filly is capable of getting the jump on this field from her rail starting post. The most capable Wesley Ward is this grey filly’s conditioner. Ward does very well with horses that have been on the shelf. This filly was last seen two months ago finishing 2nd at Churchill Downs in non-graded state-bred stakes company. This filly’s most recent morning work, on the turf, was excellent. She appears ready for her return to the races. I suppose the only "fly in the ointment" is that Ward has relatively low percentage when it comes to winning graded-stakes races. Yet, I believe this 3-year old is capable of getting her picture taken. Others: Neverland Rock; Somebeyay; Listing.

[Teach]

Race Ten:

My choice in the finale is the Jonathan Thomas-conditioned bay filly, To a Friend. This Scat Daddy-bred is making that precipitous drop from MSW company into “the selling ranks”. At this level of competition, this Johannesburg-bred 3-year old bay filly moves up, considerably. Yes, admittedly, she failed to carry her speed in a turf route at Belmont in late May, but that was against MSW types. She’s also cutting back one panel, that should help. The Floridian, Tyler Gaffalione, is in the irons. The aforementioned Virginia-native and former jockey, Johnathan Thomas, a former assistant trainer for both Christophe Clement and Todd Pletcher (he currently conditions Catholic Boy), does very well with horses that have been “on vacation”. Others: Encore Kitten; Bizness Beauty; Elite Mom.

[parlay]

I will look to the firster Duress. Violence offspring exceptionally dangerous first out on the turf. Smart Strike on the bottom could result in a offspring perfectly suited for today. Trainer looks week in this situation but this is Saratoga! He reaches out for a top Jock and they have had good success in the past. Prepped at Fairhill on faux grass, last 2 works look sneaky good. I'll take a shot at a price.

[TheGarMan]

Major props to "Teach" for handing out the winning Tri combo to start the meet (Race #1) - Awesome job.

[Teach]

Thanks, TheGarMan