Spa selections: Saratoga August 11
Pret Say Eye was antsy early, strong late for trainer Lacey Gaudet (left) at Saratoga last year. 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, today including the Tale of the Cat Stakes!
Race 6 – Alw 75000n1x
- #6 Bookman (9-2) – Putting blinkers on this three-year-old gelding and switching back to dirt should help him go right to front and wire the field
- #4 Benevolence (8-5) – McLaughlin trainee seems to have a case of seconditis
- #2 D’funnything (5-1) – Finger Lakes shipper is cheaper than others, but is good at distance and has speed to contend with Bookman on the front end
Race 7 – MC 40000
- #2 Mr. Massena (9-2) – First-time gelding keeps jockey Jose Lezcano who is zero-for-thirteen for William Mott this meet, but is best of rough group
- #5 Wondermeister (10-1) – Has improved each race out and finds right surface but might need more distance or pace to have time to close
- #10 Uncle Chester (6-1) – Yeah, he’s lost all his 16 races and has a tough post, but at least this five-year-old has shown some flashes that Set Me Up has not
Race 8 – Tale of the Cat Stakes
- #3 Weekend Hideaway (5-2) – Has already won four at the Spa, and at seven years old still has something left for trainer Philip Serpe
- #6 Stallwalkin’ Dude (7-5) – Best in race with most class, dropping out of a Grade II race
- #7 Candip (6-1) – Chief Lion or Caderyn might steal this race from the front, but they are more likely to provide pace for this gelding by Candy Ride to close in to
