RACE 1
WIN – Blockbuster card gets underway with the return of ROLLERS, a Tagg trainee who was a universal good thing when debuted here last summer. Work tab suggests he’s ready to roll off the bench again.
PLACE – BORROWING LIMIT showed dramatic improvement once racing shifted from Aqueduct to Belmont, and if he is able to carry that form up here, will pose a threat.
SHOW – BENNY THE WAITER has been nailed on the money in two of his last three starts, and while Rollers will prove quicker early on, should still manage a share.

RACE 2
WIN – Pletcher has won with just one of the last 39 juveniles he has debuted on dirt here, so I am already kicking myself for picking MUNNINGS on top. Nonetheless, love the work tab on this son of 2004 A.G. Vanderbilt hero Speightstown. Sold for $1.7 million earlier this year, so must be a looker.
PLACE – JUST A COINCIDENCE debuts for LaPenta-Zito-Nakatani, the same team that debuted (more…)

RACE 1
WIN – Bruce Brown is winning at nearly a 25 percent clip this year, and moves AT ATTENTION back to dirt first off the claim. Raced mid-pack when debuting here last summer.
PLACE – CHARGING HERO takes a significant class drop after having faced much better all season. Just hard to overlook fact that trainer Michael Sedlacek is 0-for-28 here the last five years.
SHOW – CLEMENS will be part of the early pace battle, although a duel with THUNDER BUDDY could prove his undoing.

RACE 2
WIN – Not overly excited about either part, but Pletcher enters a pair and he has been very good with juveniles on the Spa grass. JOIN IN THE DANCE finished well behind a next-out winner in his last, while FOREST TANGO debuts with a good turf work on the tab.
PLACE – MR. DR. PROFESSOR pushed along up the inside going shorter, and have to believe that the added ground will be to his liking. McPeek very good with second-out runners (33 percent win rate).
SHOW – UNBRIDLE’S DREAM won an early pace battle in his career debut before losing the war. (more…)

RACE 2
WIN – Siding with experience here, and RED SEVEN need only a return to her career debut to be tough versus these. Faltered as the favorite in her last, but has trained nicely since and Dominguez takes over on the cut back.
PLACE – TOMORROWS ROSES has been extremely quick in the mornings, and enters this off a pair of eye-catching bullet works. Yet her trainer, Bobby Barbara, has finished off the board with the last 14 juveniles he has debuted at the Spa over the last 5 years, so impossible to select on top.
SHOW – STUNNING ELECTRA drew the tough rail post for her debut, and ran evenly for third at a big price. Winner returned to run eighth in the Schuylerville.

RACE 3
WIN – GORETTY tops this field in number of career wins, and considering she has won the last five times she has started for a tag, seems poised to add to these totals. Has won half of her career starts at this distance.
PLACE – FRENCH SONG ships in from Kentucky first off the Michael Maker claim. Speed figs don’t necessarily match up with the top choice, but she shows a sharp local drill and would be no surprise to step up.
SHOW – CLASSY CONCERN is in good form riding a two race win streak, (more…)

RACE 1
WIN – Very tricky meet opener on the turf with a bulky field and shaky form. From the rail, STORMY MIRAGE could sit a beautiful trip beneath Ramon Dominguez, who finished fourth in the jockey standings last summer. Trouble at the start eliminated his chances most recently.
PLACE – DANCING TIN MAN gets reunited with reigning King of Saratoga Cornelio, who will need to be at his best as this runner closes from out of the clouds and will need to find a seam.
SHOW – ROMP is an absolute overlay at the 15-1 morning-line price. Checked in second versus much better here last summer. If run on Main Track: 1. Coach Butts; 2. Saint Barr; 3. Star Player.

RACE 2
WIN – Could be a big day for Asmussen, and (more…)

Planning on hitting it big at the races? Then be sure to get to Saratoga Race Course sooner rather than later as the opening week has been very generous to long shot players in recent years.

In 2006, there were more horses that paid over $20 to win (17) than favorites (more…)

Labor Day 2007 seems like an eternity ago now that the Saratoga racing season is just about ready to get underway.

Much more will be written in the coming days as we begin to freshen up, remembering what happened last summer as a useful precursor to what we should expect this time around when the gates open on July 23.

One big loss the meet has already sustained is the everyday presence of jockey Garrett Gomez, who will instead spend the time at Del Mar. His absence should open up some additional appealing mounts, with Edgar Prado and Javier Castellano likely reaping most of these opportunities.

On the trainer side, Linda Rice had a fantastic 2007 Spa season, finishing tied for second with 13 wins.

Of these, 7 wins came in turf sprints. And good news, Linda, as the first condition book has 26 turf sprints carded over the first 18 racing dates. (Last summer, there were a total of 40 turf sprints contested during the meet.)