Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mike Beer handicaps the Wednesday, August 26 racing card at Saratoga, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 6.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Gee No Hollander (6th race)
Sixth Race
1. Gee No Hollander
2. Secured Landing
3. Glen Airy
GEE NO HOLLANDER has concentrated on sprinting this year while achieving some solid results, and he has improved since being claimed by these connections in May; stretching out for this, but he handled distance without issue early on in his career, and he can show speed, which is always valuable out of the chute. Save the effort when turned back to sprint three starts back, SECURED LANDING has been racing in excellent form as a 5yo, and he has done so for several different trainers; has won five of his last six starts over this distance; turns back after getting involved on a contested pace last time going longer. GLEN AIRY wheels back quickly off the claim for Linda Rice after dropping in class to post an easy win going longer here 12 days ago; in good form, and going a bit shorter might actually be better for him.
Here are Mike’s thoughts on the other seven races on Wednesday’s Saratoga card.
First Race
1. Cody’s Approval
2. Dotsy
3. Atlas a Eye
CODY’S APPROVAL might have been using the turf run on debut as a prep. She improved when switched to dirt for her second start, though she was no match for an easy, front-running winner that day; this appears to be a likely spot as she breaks from the outside and faces a suspect field. DOTSY has the advantage of being a new face in a race like this. Her unraced dam is a sister to a Grade 3-winning dirt sprinter, and she has already dropped six winning foals, including multiple stakes-winning dirt sprinter Dirt Monster (97 Beyer top). ATLAS A EYE flashed some speed when finishing second, ahead of two of these same rivals, in her debut here last month, though that race came back slow; keeps Franco as she moves to the inside draw.
Second Race
1. Brigadier General
2. Unit Economics
3. Right to Win
BRIGADIER GENERAL has never run on turf, though there is some pedigree to suggest that he can handle it, and he looks loose on the lead in this race; dangerous if able to transfer his main track form over to this surface. UNIT ECONOMICS took a few starts to figure out the racing game, though he did progress right along while finishing either first for second in six straight races as a 4yo – four of those with Beyers in the 90s, a level none of his rivals in this field has reached on turf; missed a lot of time after an underrated effort in a Grade 3 early last year; suppose he had a right to need that first start back behind a wire-to-wire winner, though he did not run well in that spot; drops sharply. RIGHT TO WIN is a former stablemate was never on par with UNIT ECONOMICS while racing out of the same barn to begin his career; he did find himself last year while winning three of his last four starts after enduring a long layoff of his own; also dropping sharply for this while second off the bench.
Third Race
1. Thirteen Red Flags
2. Calling an Audible
3. Kaz Farm Girl
THIRTEEN RED FLAGS is capable of an effort that would make her competitive here, and she also has the right running style for this race, which is projected to be run at a fast pace; might have been using that first start back as a fitness-builder when taken out of her game by being sent to the lead and tiring. CALLING AN AUDIBLE also fits well here from a trip and dynamics perspective – she just isn’t a winning type, as evidenced by her overall record; two recent efforts over this track weren’t her best, and she also ran poorly in two prior starts at Saratoga. KAZ FARM GIRL took advantage of class relief to break her maiden in front-running fashion when last seen, though she was basically bulletproof in that spot while facing only two rivals; still has upside, and it’s not clear that she needs the lead to be effective.
Fourth Race
1. Saint Tropez
2. Fletch’s Rockette
3. My Divine Spirit
Well-bred SAINT TROPEZ made her debut going long against a better field than this one early in the meet; she showed speed in that race and brought that field down to midstretch before tiring; turns back with the upside, and it’s not like there is a ton of interesting turf form in this field. FLETCH’S ROCKETTE also tried going longer in her lone turf start to date, where she made the lead and tired; has run better sprinting on dirt; back to turf, this time going short, after earning a new Beyer top off the layoff. MY DIVINE SPIRIT had a bit of a trip in her debut over course and distance as a 2yo; was only second-best when sprinting on turf again before the layoff; makes her second start back after failing to fire in her return; blinkers on.
Fifth Race
1. Mr. Rogers
2. Al Mowashaah
3. Calling Mr. Mo
$100k yearling MR. ROGERS is by a versatile sire in Munnings (14% with juvenile first-time starters, 11% with turf routers); the dam is an unraced sister to a Group 3 winner in Europe, and his half-brother, Harry Hood, is Grade 2-placed on the grass; bred for this, and has been breezing right along. AL MOWASHAAH owns the valuable edge in experience, though he has lost as the favorite in both starts so far, including the turf debut last time; he didn’t come close to reaching the Beyer par for this level in his first start on grass, though this field might not be as strong as that one. CALLING MR. MO doesn’t have a ton of turf in his pedigree, but he did do some running in the dirt sprint debut when chasing and tiring after a bit of a slow start; picks up Prat for the surface switch.
Seventh Race
1. Side Quest
2. More Champagne
3. Extravaganzoo
SIDE QUEST ran better than it looks with a troubled trip on debut; took a big step forward when crushing maidens with the switch to turf last time; handy filly steps right up in a field packed with speed. MORE CHAMPAGNE impressed when stalking and overpowering the well-meant Shining Moment (who is also back in this field) to win her debut; got in over her head in a Group 2 overseas last time; better fit here, and she proved that she can rate and run from the rail in the debut win. EXTRAVAGANZOO was no match for MORE CHAMPAGNE and SHINING MOMENT back in April at Keeneland, though she got bet in that race; went back to the drawing board after that, and she looked good defeating fellow NY-breds easily over course and distance last month in fast time; threat right back.
Eighth Race
1. Forever to Go
2. Starship Lizzy
3. All Bright
FOREVER TO GO has had more chances than anyone in this field, though she also owns the top five speed figures and has finished second four times in tougher MSW company; turf to dirt and finally getting some class relief on her preferred surface. STARSHIP LIZZY challenged the winning favorite on the lead before settling for second-best in her 3yo debut last time while using the claiming waiver; can easily do better with that race under her belt. ALL BRIGHT was making just the second start of her career, and first on dirt, when finishing just behind STARSHIP LIZZY in a similar spot here 24 days ago; gets a big rider change for the rematch.
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