Schuylerville Stakes (Grade 3): Saratoga Racing Returns Thursday 7/14

Summer at “the spa” is back. Saratoga returns on Thursday with the Wilton Stakes and the featured Grade 3 Schuylerville.

What Makes Saratoga Special

Saratoga is a special place for many race fans. There are a number of reasons for this. Every fan can find something to like at Saratoga.

Quality Racing

For those who want to see the best horses, the meet features races like the Travers, The Alabama, the Jim Dandy and more. All of the stakes featuring the most established runners in the country. There is not a day of racing at Saratoga without a stakes race of some sort.

Future Stars

If the future of the game is more your speed, this time of year is typical for next year’s Derby and Oaks hopefuls to begin their campaign. The young stars of this meet will be framed in terms of not how they run here, but where they will run later.

Days Gone By

The final and perhaps biggest reason for racing fans love of Saratoga is the novelty. The track has seen some of the all time great jockeys, horses, and trainers. Beyond that though there is a quaintness to a town that comes alive for just a couple months in the summer.

Horse racing has always been a sport with great accessibility to the stars, but in Saratoga it is just different. The horses cross the road to get onto the track. It is not uncommon to be out at dinner sitting a table away from Todd Pletcher or getting coffee behind D. Wayne Lukas.

The fans, the horses, and the connections are almost inseparable from one another. It is this feel of connectivity that brings many people back year after year.

Racing at Saratoga

Chad Brown

The big story coming into Saratoga the last several years is to Chad or not to Chad. The reference is to Eclipse winning trainer Chad Brown. It is no secret that his horses are pointed toward the competitive and prestigious Saratoga turf racing.

While he is a high percentage trainer on both dirt and turf he makes his money on the lawn. It is the class of his grass horses that have already earned him 4 separate training titles at the track affectionately called “the spa”.

Players will often have to decide which of his many entries they prefer and at what price as his runners are often pounded into the ground by the betting public.

Jockeys

The jockey colony at Saratoga may be the deepest of any colony anywhere in the United States. Last year’s winner Luis Saez will have to fend off old rivals Irad Ortiz, Jose Ortiz, and Joel Rosario.

Complicating things will be the addition of Flavien Prat who has quickly become the go to rider for some of Chad Brown’s top turfers. Add to the mix the year round NYRA jockeys like Manny Franco and Dylan Davis who both had head turning Belmont meets and you have a recipe for a jockey crown that will be fun to watch all summer.

Opening Day Full Card Analysis

Saratoga- Race 1

Post: 1:05 PM ET; $52k Claiming going 1 1/8 miles on dirt; Entries: 9

• #9 KERSHAW (4-1) gets the top selection. He shouldn't have trouble with the 1 1/8 mile distance and makes sense on speed figures.
• #6 BEAR ALLEY (5-2) goes out for the Morey barn and gets Prat in the irons. This one has races good enough to beat this group.
• #1 PARSIMONY (9-2) makes sense on speed figures. This one should be in the right spot to be in with a chance late.
• #7 GIOCARE (7-2) looks to be the class of the field and has competitive speed figures.

Selections: 9 – 6 – 1 – 7

Saratoga- Race 2

Post: 1:39 PM ET; $105k Maiden Special Weight going 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 6

• #1 HALF A CHANCE (9-5) gets the top selection. She shouldn't have trouble with the 5 1/2 furlong distance. This one has races good enough to beat this group.
• #4 THIRTY THOU KELVIN (6-1) goes out for the Gargan barn and gets Davis in the irons.
• #6 CHOCOLATE GELATO (7-5) has to be respected going out for the combination of Pletcher and Ortiz.
• #2 SPELTERINI (5-1) is a little bit interesting in this spot at the right price. 5-1 is about as short as I’d go though.

Selections: 1 – 4 – 6 – 2

Saratoga- Race 3

Post: 2:15 PM ET; $72k Claiming going 1 1/16 miles on turf; Entries: 12

• #4 HIGH TIDE (5-2) gets the top selection. He seems to fit well enough here. This one makes sense on speed figures.
• #7 TIBERIUS MERCURIUS (6-1) should be competitive in this spot. He has races good enough to beat this group. This one has been really solid in recent starts and should be ready to run a big one here.
• #2 BE HERE (3-1) is another logical player in this spot. He makes sense on speed figures. This one has the top overall power rating in the group.
• #8 BALLAGH ROCKS (15-1) feels like a fringe contender. He seems to fit well enough here and makes sense on speed figures.

Selections: 4 – 7 – 2 – 8

Saratoga- Race 4

Post: 2:49 PM ET; $105k Maiden Special Weight going 1 3/8 miles on turf; Entries: 9

• #3 REMOTE (2-1) gets the top selection. He has races good enough to beat this group. This one has the pedigree to be a major player in this spot.
• #5 GRAND CAY (4-1) looks to have a good shot here. He makes sense on speed figures. This one has the perfect run style for this type of race and may just get the perfect trip here.
• #6 SNOW'S ISLAND (6-1) looks to have a good shot here. He goes out for the Gargan barn and gets Carmouche in the irons.
• #4 VINTAGE YEAR (8-1) feels like a fringe contender in this spot. He has races good enough to beat this group. This one has been really solid in recent starts and should be ready to outrun the odds in this spot.

Selections: 3 – 5 – 6 – 4

Saratoga- Race 5

Post: 3:21 PM ET; $50k Maiden Claiming going 6 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 10

• #2 CATCHING CUPID (7-2) gets the top selection. He has races good enough to beat this group. This one has the pedigree to be a major player in this spot.
• #4 TOMMY GUN (3-1) should be competitive in this spot. He makes sense on speed figures and has good breeding.
• #5 SENSIBLECONCLUSION (10-1) isn't without hope. He could get the right setup in this race. This one seems to fit well enough here.
• #8 HEREBY (8-1) is probably best to put underneath on most tickets. He could get the right setup in this race. This one goes out for the Clement barn and gets Davis in the irons off a hot Belmont meet.

Selections: 2 – 4 – 5 – 8

Saratoga- Race 6

Post: 3:55 PM ET; $70k Starter Allowance going 5 1/2 furlongs on turf; Entries: 14

• #9 KING MOONRACER (7-2) gets the top selection. He has races good enough to beat this group. This one has the top overall power rating in the group.
• #5 FAST N FEARIOUS (6-1) looks to have a good shot here. He looks to be the class of the field. This one makes sense on speed figures.
• #2 DARK TIMBER (10-1) feels like a fringe contender in this spot. He shouldn't have trouble with the 5 1/2 furlong distance. He has races good enough to beat this group.
• #10 PROPENSITY (8-1) feels like a fringe contender in this spot. This one should be in the right spot to be in with a chance late.

Selections: 9 – 5 – 2 – 10

Saratoga- Race 7

Post: 4:29 PM ET; $135k Wilton Stakes going 1 mile on dirt; Entries: 9

• #7 TARABI (5-2) gets the top selection. She looks to be the class of the field. This one has plenty of races good enough to beat this group.
• #6 FAVOR (7-2) should be competitive in this spot. She makes sense on speed figures. This one has been really solid in recent starts and should be ready to run a big one here.
• #1 GODDESS OF FIRE (3-1) is a really good turf runner and makes sense on speed figures. This one has the top overall power rating in the group.
• #4 ANGITUDE (8-1) feels like a fringe contender in this spot. She goes out for the Cox barn and gets Rosario in the irons.

Selections: 7 – 6 – 1 – 4

Saratoga- Race 8

Post: 5:05 PM ET; $115k Allowance Optional Claiming going 1 1/8 miles on turf; Entries: 15

• #2 BRAVO KITTEN (8-1) gets the top selection. She looks to be the class of the field. This one has races good enough to beat this group. I really like the value on this one at a nice price.
• #3 MYRISKYAFFAIR (7-2) should be competitive in this spot. She shouldn't have trouble with the 1 1/8 mile distance. I have trouble distinguishing this one from the #2 and don’t get the same value.
• #14 QUEEN JUDITH (15-1) should be competitive in this spot. She has speed figures that fit and the stamina should be there if she can work out a trip from post 14.
• #11 WONKA (9-2) looks to have a good shot here. She makes sense on speed figures. This one should be in the right spot to be in with a chance late.

Selections: 2 – 3 – 14- 11

Saratoga- Race 9

Post: 5:39 PM ET; $175k Schuylerville Stakes going 6 furlongs on dirt; Entries: 9

• #1 JUST CINDY (5-2) gets the top selection. She shouldn't have trouble with the 6 furlong distance and has a speed figure edge on the group.
• #9 SUMMER PROMISE (3-1) should be competitive in this spot. The numbers in previous starts say that this one is a likely contender.
• #6 ME AND MY SHADOW (7-2) isn't without hope. She has races good enough to beat this group.
• #3 ADORA (6-1) is probably best to put underneath on most tickets. She has been really solid in recent starts and should be ready to run a big one here. This one could get the right setup in this race.

Selections: 1 – 9 – 6 – 3

Saratoga- Race 10

Post: 6:13 PM ET; $50k Claiming going 5 1/2 furlongs on turf; Entries: 12

• #8 HALF BIRTHDAY (12-1) gets the top selection. She has the speed figures to win and the wide draw can sometimes be a tactical edge in these short turf sprints.
• #4 RIGBY (8-1) should be competitive in this spot. She goes out for the Maker barn and gets Saez in the irons. This trainer can get hot especially at the start of the meet.
• #6 ABUSE OF POWER (5-2) should be competitive in this spot. She has proven to be able to handle these conditions in previous starts.
• #2 HIGHWAY QUEEN (12-1) should be competitive in this spot. She has proven to be able to handle these conditions in previous starts.

Selections: 8 – 4 – 6 – 2

Daily Saratoga Coverage

Betting News will continue bringing full card analysis from each and every race day at Saratoga. Need a little extra help handicapping? Betting News offers free handicapping tools that can help you analyze speed, pace, and track trends.

3 Stars of the Week

With the quality of racing at Saratoga the likelihood of seeing outstanding performances is high. Don’t forget to nominate your nominations for 3 stars of the week by emailing t3handicapping@gmail.com or tweeting @T3handicapping.