SARATOGA – 8/31/2023
RACE 1: 10-4-9-2
#10 KATHERINE THOMAS should benefit from having a race behind her after chugging along for a mid-pack finish on debut. She is bred to improve with experience and more ground and has come out of that debut training forwardly for Barclay Tagg. Look for her to settle and make one run this afternoon.
RACE 2: 1-5-4-2
#1 LIFE TALK is a second time starter who ran a bang-up race on debut. She was out of the gate poorly before making up some real ground around the far turn and into the stretch. Having more ground to work with today will help her chances and she meets a soft field for this level this afternoon.
RACE 3: 4-1-7-8
It’s far too tempting to resist #4 MASTEROF THE TUNES in this spot cutting back in distance for Joe Lee. She lures Irad Ortiz, Jr. and should be in position to settle and make one run in this spot. If things heat up in the opening stages then it will help, but she has shown more speed in recent starts and should be more forward sprinting.
RACE 4: 7-2B-1-8
#7 DIAMOND COLLECTOR goes first off a claim for trainer Linda Rice and should improve. She has faced better competition throughout her career for a trainer who is, quite honestly, less proficient than Linda Rice. The fact she has some speed should help her stay in a good spot early and that’s a positive.
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RACE 5: 14-10-12-1
#14 SCREAMIING UNCLE drops in for a tag for trainer Chad Brown and should benefit from the class relief. He draws the far outside post and will have to work out a trip from there in this bulky field. He has faced better in a limited number of engagements and should be a player from start to finish.
RACE 6: 7-8-10-1
#7 BILLY’S GOT ISSUES ran arguably the best race last time out going two turns and should have no issue returning to sprinting. Trainer Ray Handal is 18% with turfers cutting back from routes to sprints ($2.95 ROI) and this is likely his best game. There should be more than enough pace in here to setup his late bid.
RACE 7: 1-7-8-2
#1 GALA BRAND was scratched out of the PG Johnson on Wednesday, a race that Bill Mott won anyway after it was taken off the turf. This daughter of Violence laid back and got a big pace setup in her debut before exploding late. She got a 12 Thorograph number for that effort and that towers over her rivals in this field.
RACE 8: 3-5-2-7
Two starts back, #3 CICCIOBELLO ran a bang-up race to be second behind Drake’s Passage and that colt most recently won the Albany here on Sunday. He has ample early speed and should be a factor from the opening bell today. Jockey Javier Castellano is back aboar and should have him prominent from the outset.
RACE 9: 6-5-7-3
#6 AMANI’S EAGLE goes first off a claim by Tom Morley after showing speed and fading late last time out for Jason Barkley. He has good tactical speed and should be close early, especially with blinkers being added. There’s other speed in this field and he can be a major threat if he runs back to his best races.
RACE 10: 5-9-2-8
#5 MISS BONNIE T is clearly the one to beat on a class drop today for trainer Phil Antonacci. She has faced better throughout her career and has the tactical speed to be a player from the opening bell. Her local races have been among her best and she should be hard to beat this afternoon.
SARATOGA 2023 STATS: 358-94-53-58 $588.60
