The first five-day racing week of the summer is upon us in Saratoga Springs, which means a Wednesday of thoroughbred action in New York. The first of several “Hump Day” cards over the next several weeks commences at 1:10 PM local time with a MSW event out of the Wilson chute. The mid-week card is headlined by the return of Bill Mott conditioned Chief Wallabee. The fourth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) is set to take on five rivals in a spot where he is likely to be odds-on. Here are my thoughts on the Curlin Stakes, as well as a couple of horses I am most interested in to kick off the racing week.


Race 1:
#5 Wedelia and first-time starter #3 Maria Louise are expected to take the lion’s share of the wagering based on David Aragona’s morning line in this MSW for fillies and mares 3YOs+ at one-mile over the main track. Wedelia was made the 7-5-top choice off a pair of underneath finishes over the sloppy going at Churchill Downs, while the $850k daughter of Gun Runner is listed at 9-5. Debuting out of the Wilson chute suggests to me that Maria Louise is using this as a race to prepare for a true two-turn test in her second start, while I am concerned about Wedelia’s lack of early zip over a course that has played towards speed the first several weeks. I will try to beat them both with #1 Noble Glow. The Juddmonte homebred debuted in a 7-furlong sprint in Louisville in late November where she battled on the front end while wide on the backstretch, eventually got the best of the other speeds at the top of the lane, but had little left late for those coming from off-the-pace. She has been given plenty of time since that first start and should be fit for her return to the races. Flavien Prat was in the saddle on debut and is back once again. I like her chances with a clean break from her rail draw.

Play: #1 Noble Glow (5-1 ML)
Picks: 1-5-6


Race 6: Curlin Stakes
The aforementioned Wednesday feature is this $150k 1 1/8-event over the main track for 3YOs which have not won a graded stakes race. The clear class of the field is #4 Chief Wallabee. The 4-5-ML favorite has not won since a stylish debut victory at Gulfstream in January, but finished second in the Fountain of Youth (G2) followed up by third beaten a half-length in the Florida Derby (G1). His Kentucky Derby was better than looks based on flow and trip, but he fell flat in the Belmont over this surface. The class relief should help him, but he is likely to get hammered exiting the Triple Crown runs.

I prefer #1 Blackout Time. The son of Not This Time was very good as a juvenile, including a runner-up effort to Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) before heading to the sidelines until late winter. Kenny McPeek brought him back off the bench in the Rebel (G2) where he disappointed much like he did in the Arkansas Derby (G1) leaving him out of the Triple Crown series. McPeek gave him three months off before bringing him back in a competitive allowance in Kentucky where he romped over the sloppy going. He draws the rail and has some upside still making him my play in this year’s Curlin.

Play: #1 Blackout Time (3-1 ML)
Picks: 1-4-3


Race 7:
My final play of the day comes in this second-level allowance at 9-furlongs over the grass where I like #1 Tirupati. The Mitole mare makes her second start of the form cycle for trainer Jonathan Thomas after getting a much different trip in an allowance at Ellis Park than I anticipate on Wednesday afternoon. It was Umberto Rispoli aboard in Kentucky in early July and he did not ride this gal as aggressively as I expect Luis Saez to in her first try over the Saratoga grass. Rispoli was somewhat passive out of the gate, which led to Tirupati getting caught between rivals while mid-pack in the early stages. This allowed the eventual winner to get the jump on her. Saez is unlikely to have Tirupati on the lead, but I expect him to ride for position out of the gate and sit a favorable ground saving pocket trip throughout. If so, she has a big shot to get the money.

Play: #1 Tirupati (9-2 ML)
Picks: 1-5-6