Saratoga Picks: 5 straight days of racing begins on July 20

The sparkle and historic charm that surrounds Saratoga Racecourse in Upstate New York is open for business as the track enters its 2nd week. The town north of Albany is buzzing and has what many consider the best competition of the entire year. NYRA will put forward another major stakes schedule, and with full fields, it should be another smashing run!

At Horseracing.net/us we have you covered, including all of the action! It is a good time for some of the best that North American racing has to offer. Stay tuned! If you're looking for picks elsewhere around the country this Wednesday be sure to check out our free Horse Racing Picks via the gold button below. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter ... Horseracing_USA !!!

Late Pick 4 … Races 7-10

Race 7: (Turf, 5½F, MSW105k, F&M 3+)

The “Late” quad gets underway in fine fashion, and if a turf sprint cannot get your blood pumping, then nothing will. Here is a good group of females that will be going around 1-turn, just under 6-furlongs. I am pretty impressed with the exploits of Brad Cox’s filly by Country Day. Hey There #3 already has solid form coming up to Saratoga, and you can expect her to be ready to run. The services of Flavien Prat will be employed once again, and he is going to start the week hot. When this jockey gets going, he can be a juggernaut in the saddle. I consider this Klein homebred to be the one to catch. If there is an anti-dote to Cox’s speedball, then maybe considering Chad Brown’s Klaravich-owned, Crowding Out #2 is a good option. This 4-yr-old filly by Street Boss is built for sprinting on the sire side. The question is … will she be ready to fire off-the-bench? Last year she ran 2nd on an off-track day with Irad Ortiz aboard. Horse and jockey reunite, and with the way her trainer is going, she will be incredibly live. I think we are looking at yet another Ortiz v. Prat moment, with Brown v. Cox as well … what a race this will be! The edge goes to Cox … if we must choose …

Leg 1: 2/3 (2-Deep)

Wagering Recommendation: $2 Exacta Cold, 3/2

Race 8: (Dirt, 6F, OC62.5kn2x, F&M 3+)

As we truck right along to the next leg in the sequence, we are faced with one of the more intriguing races on the card. A quick glance at the field, and you will notice the re-appearance of Smash Ticket #2. Trained by the excellent New Mexico-based Todd Fincher, she was slated to run at Belmont in a Grade 3, just before the Meet ended. A worker’s compensation snafu kept her from running, so she was transferred to Rob Atras’ outfit before coming to The Spa. Make no mistake, this is Fincher’s trainee. She is incredibly talented, and Midnight Lute’s can sprint with the best of them. We will see if Kendrick Carmouche can use his ability to get to the lead … if he does, this race could be well in-hand. One other entry that I quite like is one-half of the coupled entry. Danny Gargan has Piece of My Heart #1A ready to break from the post, and this mare by Flat Out is loaded with class. She should be able to use her experience, and she has faced some tough foes this past year. It is great to see Tyler Gaffalione shift his tack up to New York. He has had success before, and will do so again. The other half of the entry, Short Summer Dress #1 for Robertino Diodoro, probably does not quite have the form in place to win here, but Ricardo Santana will try … that is for sure. It is another 2-Deep race, as we move the ball forward.

Leg 2: 1/1A/2 (2-Deep)

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Bankroll, Graduated Wager, WPS #1/1A ($10-W, $15-P, $75-S)

Race 9: (Turf, 1 1/16th, Suzie O’Cain S. $125k, 3F, NY Breds)

The 3-yr-old filly New York breds will be on the turf Wednesday afternoon, looking to collect a nice sum in this “Non-G.” Barring any rain, it appears that out of these half dozen runners the “deserving favorite” must be Christophe Clement’s She’s a Mia #5. By Astern (AUS), she was 2nd in both of her Belmont races in May and early July. As a bettor, when you get Joel Rosario aboard (who is leading the jockey standings after the 1st weekend) then that means your pick will take money. There is no question that she is talented, and comes from a hot barn. However, that last 7F performance on the turf left me non-plussed. She lost ground in the end, and what if going a bit further just isn’t in the cards? I will use her for sure, but I much prefer Mike Trombetta’s filly by Uncaptured. Dufresne #2 was 3rd in that same race at Belmont, and she is going to be a much better price than her foe. She gets the services of Johnny V, and her form is sound. With a late turn-of-foot, this team has the potential to upset the apple cart. I would not underestimate this one’s ability to score. Let’s go with this pair, and maybe the higher priced runner will get to the winner’s circle! Heading to the finale …

Leg 3: 2/5 (2-Deep)

Wagering Recommendation: $25/$50 WP #2

Race 10: (Turf, 5½F, MC40k, 3+)

We began this sequence with a turf sprint, and now it is time to end it that way. Among this group of maidens, I am sure that George Weaver’s Blinding Light #6 will garner quite a bit of interest. By New Year’s Day, this gelding has turf written all over his bloodline. He debuted down at Gulfstream Park in late March, and it was a great start to his career. Weaver has a strong stable, and can match-up with the powerhouse barns at Saratoga. Working with the “dogs out” on the grass at The Spa, he looks poised to make some noise for the 2nd time out. Just in case Manny Franco misses the break or gets jammed up in traffic, I also like 3 others that have potential in a spot like this one. Weaver’s other half of the uncoupled entry, Super Quality #3 is used to this class level, and even though he was caught close to the wire at Belmont in his last race, the new scenery should be to his liking. When it comes to turf experience, do not pass on Mike Maker’s Rum ‘n Tonic #2. The colt by Unified is making his 6th career start, and he battled tough company last fall in Kentucky. Owned by Three Diamonds, he should enjoy a return to the grass … an angle I particularly fancy. The excellent Tyler Gaffalione is in the irons. I think I would be remiss if I did not include the coupled entry … Kobe’s Legacy #1 for Chris Englehart and Pistol Or Shotgun #1A for Bill Mott … these sprinters offer potential and should be great prices on the tote. Going deeper in a race like this one seems sensible, and should allow us to cash a ticket at the end of the day! What ho … Saratoga is off and running …

Leg 4: 1/1A/2/3/6 (4-Deep)

Wagering Recommendation: $2 Trifecta Box, 1/1A/2/3/6

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Ticket: 2-3 / 1-1A-2 / 2-5 / 1-1A-2-3-6

.50 LP4 Cost: $16.00

Enjoy some action from the SPA! The tradition at Saratoga Race Course marches on … Be sure to follow us on Twitter … Horseracing_USA !!!