Spa selections 2020: Saratoga picks August 28

Ginger N Rye won the 2017 Smart N Fancy Stakes at Saratoga. Photo by Chelsea Durand/NYRA.

by Joseph Aiello

In Spa Selections, Saratoga on-site correspondent Joseph Aiello provides Saratoga picks for a handful of key races at Saratoga, including all of the exciting stakes action!

Race 1 – New York Stallion Stakes

1. #2 Captain Bombastic (3-5) – Not much competition here in a small five horse field for this colt who drops from a decent effort in a Grade I

2. #5 Dream Bigger (7-5) – Only other that is likely to compete with Captain Bombastic, his best chance here is to be aggressive from the start and try to take them gate to wire

3. #4 Slash Gordon (10-1) – This first time gelding has a bit more upside than Chowda who appears to need control of the pace that he likely will not get

Race 8 – Alw 72000n1x

1. #6 Wild Medagliad’oro (3-1) – Can either take control of the race early or sit mid pack, but this colt should be in the mix off of a surface change

2. #4 Blindwillie McTell (2-1) – Seven furlongs may be this gelding’s ideal distance, and being more involved early on a softer surface could bode well

3. #2 Irish Front (8-5) – Famished has good back-class and should be played, but this colt should be sitting off of the leaders with a good chance to pass in the stretch

Race 9 – Grade III Lake George Stakes

1. #1 Sweet Melania (8-5) – Assuming this race stays on, a softer turf surface probably isn’t ideal for this filly, but she is still a cut above the others here

2. #2 Micheline (9-2) – Rosario should get this filly by Bernardini to move late, with some of her better closing efforts coming on good surfaces

3. #3 Witez (8-1) – Can’t fully discount the Klaravich and Brown entry, but this filly has some versatility plus has fared well at this distance

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