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 7 – OC 80000n2x

1. #6 Quiet Confidence (4-1) – Won her lone try here last year and has been working well off the bench after missing the break last time out in September but has the top end races to win

2. #3 Sadie Earp (2-1) – Could simply have a speed advantage over this group with good early speed and the right distance to take them all the way around for the second straight time

3. #8 Abientot (9-2) – Last finisher does a good job at hitting the board in his career and is classier than this bunch, but has struggled to win and tends to leave too much ground even if she compares well

4. #1 Capturing (6-1) – Competitive speed figures with solid finishes at this level, and gets the red hot Jose Ortiz for Todd Pletcher here

Race 8 – OClm 12500

1. #5 Jackie The Joker (8-5) – Has won back to back at this distance in claiming company and should be on the early lead but will need to prove he can win above claimers and may be overbet

2. #2 Baby Sassicaia (5-1) – Has been somewhat inconsistent but faces a weaker group and goes turf to dirt with a race three back that could win here

3. #6 Play Good Pay Good (4-1) – Finger Lakes shipper has won two straight and should be in a good stalking position but may prefer shorter

4. #1 Ah Ca Ira (6-1) – Won here last year against better, but may have taken a step back and is accustomed to more ground than this

Race 9 – Grade III Victory Ride Stakes

1. #7 Mythical (9-2) – Unable to catch Goodall last time out over this track, but could be aggressive here and grab the early lead if she can catch Carmel Coast

2. #10 Goodall (3-1) – Has been sharp recently when she breaks well, but her lone bad effort came in graded company and may get a less speed biased track this time around

3. #5 Tommy Jo (7-2) – Off a long layoff from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but has run in three straight grade I races and won both of her tries here last year with as much upside as any here

4. #4 Sneaky Good (8-1) – Could benefit if Carmel Coast goes out too fast, but a lack of recent wins puts her behind the top contenders

Race 10 – MC 55000

1. #4 Ink Lies (8-5) – Has an edge on this field purely off the class drop, but sluggish works don’t place him clearly ahead of the rest even if he keeps Jose Ortiz

2. #5 Twenty Two Black (5-1) – Improved last time out dropping down in class, but hasn’t tried a turf sprint yet with his lone turf try a distant sixth place finish

3. #1 Two Ducks (5-2) – Has hit the board in three straight on turf, and should be in a favorable mid pack position against this under-performing group

4. #2 Funky See Funky Do (8-1) – Dropping from maiden company for Chad Summers and is a first time gelding with his lone competitive race coming at five furlongs and against claimers

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