Cover photo by NYRA/Adam Coglianese.

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

Follow along all meet with all the exciting action (and good betting opportunities)!

Check out our other handicapping here!

Race 1 – Grade I Jonathan Sheppard Handicap

1. #3 Jimmy P (3-1) – Consistently keeps strong company as one that primarily competes in grade I hurdlers, winning this race last year by thirty-four lengths

2. #2 Hidden Path (10-1) – Won here last time out and ran well over this course last year, this gelding by Hard Spun has shown good consistency and offers value here

3. #4 Sweet Will (12-1) – Has yet to win, but should have no issues with this distance considering he went further last time as he steps up in class here

4. #5 Who’s Counting (9-2) – Maryland bred runner has been in the mix in most of her hurdle races, but would still need to improve to have real winning chances

Race 2 – OC 100000b

1. #3 R Disaster (3-5) – Has never finished worse than second in ten tries, and likely wins last time on a dry track with a good chance to bounce back here at a short price

2. #4 Striker Has Dial (5-2) – Finished well behind R Disaster in the Grade II Honorable Miss last time, but is still her biggest threat if she runs her best on a dry track

3. #2 All Class (10-1) – Doesn’t have the class of some others here, but won her only try over this track last time and has been sharp at this distance lifetime

4. #1 Legadema (8-1) – Drops from a grade III and cuts back to a better distance here with Irad Ortiz but comes off a longer layoff and needs to be sharp to win

Race 8 – Clm 40000

1. #10 Son of a Birch (8-1) – Flavian Prat takes the mount on this gelding who is a bit classier than most in here, and should be making a late push from mid pack

2. #11 Irwin (5-1) – Tougher post, but was running well in the fall before going to the bench, and should have enough to hit the board on the class drop

3. #4 Barnstorming (15-1) – A winner of his last two, this horse by Quality Road drops back down into claiming and has been strong at this distance and over this track

4. #12 Belouni (9-2) – Won last time out in the drop into claiming company, and should have chances here if the pace heats up and he settles in after the break

Race 9 – MC 50000

1. #10 Veola (7-2) – Drops into maiden claiming company and should be aggressive from the jump with Luis Saez in the irons off a layoff

2. #11 Victoriously (9-2) – First timer by Win Win Win is on a good workout pattern and should be in the mix despite the tougher outside post

3. #7 New Attitude (8-1) – Adds blinkers and gets Ricardo Santana, now cutting back in distance to something that should be more manageable for her

4. #1 Aerialist (15-1) – Bolt House takes a big drop in class and adds lasix, but this filly gets Flavian Prat and has shown huge improvement since switching to turf

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