by Jeff Siegel
August 11, 2024
______________________________________________________________________________
Saratoga 6th Race – Post: 3:53 ET. Degree of confidence: B
Top Selection: 4-Trading Strategy.
Other Contenders: none.
Forecast: Trading Strategy hasn’t been asked for much in the morning but he should be fit enough to graduate at first asking based on the team gate breeze we viewed on video from July 28 over the Spa’s main track. In that drill, the son of Quality Road was always going easily while looking best over his workmate, and based on our watches he probably went several ticks faster than what the official final time (:48 2/5b) gives him credit for. A $600,000 Keeneland yearling purchase, the C. Brown-trained colt lands the stable’s “go-to” jockey F. Prat, and at this seven furlong distance he should be able to assert his superiority in the final stages. He’s listed at 5/2 ln the morning line and offers a gamble at or near that number.
______________________________________________________________________________
Saratoga 10th race – Post: 6:16 ET. Degree of confidence: B+
Top Selection: 7-More Than Looks.
Other Contenders: 6-Ottoman Fleet (GB)
Forecast: It’s hard to guess what condition the turf course will be – we'll assume it won't be firm – but if More Than Looks can grab the surface he should be tough to contain late after wrapping up his sophomore season with a fast finishing performance (sixth but beaten two diminishing lengths) in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. With a pair of triple-digit Beyer figures in his last pair of starts, the son of More Than Ready is fast enough on figs to win this year’s edition of the Fourstardave H.-G1 if he's fit, and the work tab certainly provides confidence that he’s ready to pick up where he left off. The barn has sensational stats (27%) with the comebacker angle and the presence of I. Ortiz, Jr. certainly is a plus as well, so at 7/2 on the morning line this 4-year-old colt is worth a confident play on the tote and in the horizontal and vertical exotics.
______________________________________________________________________________