Spa selections 2023: Saratoga picks August 16 * The Racing Biz

Spa selections 2023: Saratoga picks august 16

Joseph Aiello
August 15, 2023

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

Follow along all meet with all the exciting action (and good betting opportunities)!

HISA announces research into equine sudden deaths
HISA announced it had made grants to support two projects analyzing exercise-associated sudden death among horses.

Race 6 – Alw 149500n1x

1. #8 Portage (7-2) – Tough to pass up any Linda Rice trainee, especially one that could be a fair price coming off a sharp win over this track earlier in the meet

2. #7 Cupid’s Heart (9-5) – Has a few efforts at seven furlongs that should give her as good a chance as any to win here, and has been frequently bet to favorite in her seven starts

3. #4 Cuz Ur Pretty (9-2) – Luis Saez takes this mount of a Finger Lakes shipper who may be keen on the early lead, getting Lasix first time and trending up in speed figures

4. #5 Three Rivers (4-1) – This filly by American Pharoah won first time out at this distance, with some room to improve and the right running style that gives her a chance here

Race 7 – Clm 25000n2L

1. #3 Freeze Pop (4-1) – Off the claim for Diodoro, this four year old has a win at the distance and has fared well in this class, likely to be solid value with a chance using a stalking trip

2. #7 South Street (1-1) – May get over bet with these connections, but still should improve off the class drop and has speed figures which put him squarely in the mix here

3. #2 Lucky Lucky Luke (7-2) – His last two races haven’t been sharp, but should prefer the switch back to dirt and will be more of a factor if Irad keeps this gelding closer to the lead

4. #6 Boys Code (20-1) – Shipped over from Finger Lakes in late July, this gelding ran well over this track in claiming company, and could be one to close into third or fourth at a price

Race 8 – Suzie O’Cain Stakes

1. #8 Collaboration (6-1) – Should get solid value even with this Linda Rice trainee who has some of the better races going past eight furlongs of this group as long as the surface is firm

2. #5 Silver Skillet (2-1) – Will likely be in a stalking position and has clearly taken to the surface change plus comes off a win over this track last time as the favorite and is improving

3. #7 Orange Freeze (5-1) – Won last time against similar class after a maiden claiming win, but loses Rosario who jumps to Silver Skillet who may have the better running style for this field

4. #3 Im Just Kiddin (8-1) – Seems to run better going shorter, but could sit back and make a late move into the money and has a bit more upside than Smokie Eyes who typically fades

Race 9 – MC 40000

1. #8 Army of Thoughts (12-1) – May get overlooked a bit coming off a long layoff, but gets lasix for the first time and only lost by five lengths in her non-claiming maiden debut

2. #2 Showemyourheels (2-1) – Another who gets lasix first time, this one can improve on the class drop and could win if she runs close to her effort here last year at this distance

3. #4 Red Butterfly (7-2) – Improved a bit since dropping into maiden claimers and clearly prefers turf to dirt with a couple of efforts that would put her in the mix here

4. #9 Sonja Knips (10-1) – Hasn’t run since the fall, but should be a solid price and was far sharper on grass first time out even against tougher competition plus adds lasix