The July 4 Racing Festival opens Thursday at Saratoga and provides 4 additional days at the Spa before the 2025 summer meet gets underway next week. The 11-race card co-features the Victory Ride Stakes in Race 3 and the Wild Applause in Race 8. Here are a couple of my keys to the day.

Saratoga | Race 5 | 3:21 pm ET
#2 Moon Gate (5-1 morning line odds) drops in class to face a level of competition that should give her the edge. Sharp trainer Arnaud Delacour goes sprint-route-sprint in her last 3 starts and the benefit Thursday will be the added endurance from her most recent try over a farther distance. Win bet #2.

Saratoga | Race 9 | 5:38 pm ET
#1 Fromanothamutha (4-1 morning line odds) has an advantageous rail draw, especially when in possession of early speed, for 1-1/8 miles on the Saratoga dirt. Can take advantage of the ground-saving run with a short dash into the first turn under a hustling rider Ricardo Santana Jr. Past races at Saratoga are pretty solid when meeting stronger than these despite an 0-5 local record. Win bet #1.