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Spa selections: Saratoga July 20

by | Jul 20, 2018 | Breaking, Handicapping

Pret Say Eye

Pret Say Eye was antsy early, strong late for trainer Lacey Gaudet (left) at Saratoga in 2016. Photo by Teresa Genaro.

by Joseph Aiello

In Spa Selections, Saratoga on-site correspondent Joseph Aiello provides picks for a handful of key races at Saratoga, today including the Lucky Coin Stakes!

Race 6 – Alw 87000n1x

  1. #4 Miss Mimosa (3-1) – Mott trainee gets Irad Ortiz back in the irons and cuts back to a shorter distance which suits her better
  2. #7 Cosita Mia (12-1) – Any type of improvement off of an already strong first start victory for this filly puts her in the mix in the stretch run and at a solid price
  3. #3 Hay Field (6-1) – Dancing All Night and Cypriana have slightly better connections and class, but this five-year-old mare seems to just be hitting her stride, winning three of her last four

Race 7 – Alw 77000n1x

  1. #5 Way Smart (8-1) – A lack of pace in this race gives an advantage to this filly stretching out from seven furlongs while most others will try to close
  2. #12 Giant Zinger (5-1) – Tough post, but with a good jockey on the turf for Mott, a repeat of last race puts this filly in the mix late
  3. #3 Cumbria (4-1) – The two Brown trainees on inside could find their way onto the board, but this Distorted Humor filly has a better chance to win

Race 8 – Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes

  1. #1 Catherinethegreat (5-2) – A repeat of her last performance will win her this race, but with both tries on a sloppy track, affinity for the mud might be a factor on what should be a fast track
  2. #6 Tapping Pearl (10-1) – Only one who has run and won at the distance, and should set the pace or at the very least be up front for a strong stretch run in loaded race
  3. #7 Serengeti Express (6-1) – Should still play the duo of Velazquez and Pletcher on Nonna Madeline, but this filly improving on her break will spell trouble for the rest of this field

Race 9 – Grade 3 Lake George Stakes

  1. #5 Goodthingstaketime (7-2) – Very close to putting it all together, runs best off layoff, and is only filly here with any semblance of front end speed
  2. #1 Punked (5-1) – Back-to-back solid performances will get her in the money, but might need a few breaks to cross the finish line first
  3. #3 Daddy Is a Legend (9-5) – This filly gets the edge over Altea and Andina Del Sur to make a run if the pace is overly hot due to strong work and last race finish ahead of those two competitors