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Spa selections 2018: Saratoga September 1

by | Aug 31, 2018 | Breaking, Handicapping

Pret Say Eye

Pret Say Eye was antsy early, strong late for trainer Lacey Gaudet (left) at Saratoga in 2016. Photo by Teresa Genaro.

by Joseph Aiello

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

Race 9 – Grade III Saranac Stakes

1. #3 Raging Bull (2-1) – Only one career loss to Up the Ante, but if Sand Dancer applies a little pressure early, this Brown trainee should come out on top

2. #1 Up the Ante (7-2) – Would prefer a firm track, and yet still could be able to take this field wire to wire

3. #9 Maraud (9-2) – Close to beating Raging Bull at the wire last time, and with some solid backclass and first time turfer Free Drop Billy to his inside, this colt by Blame can certainly win

Race 10 – Grade I Spinaway Stakes

1. #3 Virginia Eloise (10-1) – Javier Castellano timed the move with this filly a tad late in the Adirondack after starting eleven lengths off the leader; a better move here will win and at a price

2. #7 Chasing Yesterday (5-2) – Half sister to American Pharoah will prove if she is the real deal for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith in this distance stretch

3. #4 Catherinethegreat (7-2) – Too impressive in the Grade III Schuylerville to ignore, and should have enough speed to fend off Sippican Harbor who won by seventeen last time

Race 11 – Grade I Woodward Stakes

1. #10 Seeking the Soul (9-2) – Enough speed here potentially for this five year old horse to close; seems to be in the best form of this group

2. #12 Sunny Ridge (8-1) – Always in the mix and will be sitting off Leofric and others early with a chance to win his first Grade I

3. #1 Yoshida (5-1) – Interesting entry here along with Rally Cry, Gunnevera, and Kurilov, but unlike those this colt has never run on the dirt which might be the change he needs to win

Race 12 – Grade II Glens Falls Stakes

1. #5 Santa Monica (6-5) – Coming out of two Grade II races and is just a bit better than the rest and the deserved favorite

2. #6 Homeland Security (9-2) – Next best who just won a stakes, but has yet to win two in a row and won’t win if the turf course stays soft

3. #4 Danceland (10-1) – Another who won’t like a soft surface as much as other long-shots La Manta Gris or Lady Montdore, but runs well here and should go off at a higher price due to class