Saratoga Picks for Thursday, August 21:
TRACKING MR. ED: The rains came, but not to be deterred, so did the horses, the riders and the racing fans. When all was said and run, the battle for leading jockey remains with Irad holding a four-win margin. On the chalkiest day so far at the meet, attributed mostly to short fields after scratches, the average $2 win ticket returned $7.14. Forecast for Thursday: Mostly sunny, high in the 70s. First race for Thursday’s 9-race card goes at 1:10 p.m. ET/10:10 a.m..
Mr. Ed’s Saratoga Picks for Thursday (8/21)
Race 1 (1:10 p.m. ET/10:10 a.m. PT) — $95 ALLOWANCE FOR NY-bred fillies and mares going 7 furlongs
Mr. Ed has three for the money: #4 CRIMSON QUEEN (8-1 morning line) for 007 James Bond barn with Katie Davis; #6 ACCELERATED NEWS (5-2) for trainer Melanie Giddings with veteran rider Shaun Bridgmohan, and #7 GRACE AND GRIT (7-2).
SARATOGA SELECTION; $5 Exacta Box. ($30)
Race 3 (2:18 p.m. ET/11:18 a.m. PT) $200K FLEET INDIAN for NY-bred 3 YOs going 1⅛ mile
Mr. Ed’s money is on #3 KAY CUP (6-5 morning line) as she goes for three in a row for meet’s top rider Irad Ortiz and good trainer, Jorge Abreu, (21-3-5-3). Stretching out on familiar ground.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $10 to Win. ($10)
Race 6 (4:02 p.m. ET/1:02 p.m. PT) — $80K MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT for 2YO NY-breds going 6 furlongs
I like #1 DONNA ROMANO (8-1 morning line) for disappointed trainer Brad Cox, who’s looking to turn a mediocre meet around in the final two weeks. Popular NY rider Manny Franco gets the best out of the young coed.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $10 to Win & Place. ($20)
Race 7 (4:36 p.m. ET/1:36 p.m. ET) — $100K MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT for fillies and mares 3YOs & up going 5½ furlongs on grass
Mr. Ed picks three for the money: #2 GELLHORN (4-1 morning line) for fine trainer Danny Gargan and top rider Irad Ortiz, Jr.; and #3 SHADES OF JADE (6-1) for good trainer-rider combo of Phillip Antonacci-Santana, and #4 GET BACK LORETTA (10-1) with Kendrick Carmouche for Al Stall, Jr. Mr. Ed’s PLAY OF THE DAY.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $5 Exacta Box and $5 Daily Doubles of 2,3,4/3. ($45)
Race 8 (5:10 p.m. ET/2:10 p.m. PT) — $115K ALLOWANCE CLAIMING for fillies and mares, 3YOs & up going a mile
Mr. Ed likes #3 LEMON MUFFIN (4-1 morning line) for savvy trainer Rudy Brisset and jockey Flavien Prat.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $10 to Win & $10 Daily Double of 3-4.
Race 9 (5:44 p.m. ET/2:44 p.m. PT) — $200K ALBANY STAKES for NY-bred 3YOs going 1⅛-mile
Mr. Ed closes out his action betting on #4 IRON DOME (7-5 morning line) to get a hat trick for the All-Pro team of Steve Asmussen and Jose Ortiz. Colt is Mr. Ed’s BEST BET OF THE DAY.
SARATOGA SELECTION: $20 to Win. ($20)
TOTAL WAGERS: $145
PLAYS OF THE DAY: (19 bets): -$259.85
BEST BETS OF THE DAY: (19 bets): -$144.50
FAMILY FEUD: With 10 days of the 2025 Saratoga meet remaining, Mr. Ed is tracking the duel for leading rider between brothers Irad and Jose Ortiz. Jose had a pair of winners on Monday, Irad had one. The number of wins for each rider at the beginning of Thursday’s 10-race card is as follows:
IRAD 49
JOSE: 45
FRIDAY AT THE SPA: Two excellent stakes restricted to NY-breds highlight the 10-race program: R3 The Seeking the Ante sprint for 2YO fillies, and R9 The Yaddo route for fillies, 3YOs & up on the turf. Mr. Ed will spend much of the day handicapping Saturday’s exceptional TRAVERS’ DAY 14-race card, featuring five Grade 1 stakes and several competitive allowance contests. Weather forecast: Cloudy, showers possible, high in the mid-70s. Early post time for the opener is 11:10 a.m. ET/8:10 p.m. PT. Mr. Ed’s exclusive selections will be posted here on VSiN.
