Whitney Week in Saratoga Springs heats up on Thursday with a solid ten-race card that kicks off at 1:10 PM eastern. The day includes a NY-bred stakes event over the main track and a pair of high-quality allowances over the grass. Here are the horses I like most.

Race 2:
My first play comes in this state-bred MSW event for 2YOs at 1 1/16-miles over the Inner Turf where the field of ten is led by 5-2-ML favorite #5 Al Mowashaah. The pricey Tiz the Law colt debuted at Aqueduct going 5.5-furlongs over the main track in June where he was outrun by all three rivals as the 8-5-public choice. He stretches out to two turns for Brad Cox, tries the grass, and attracts Irad Ortiz Jr., but is likely to get over bet based on connections. So, I will try to beat the chalk with first-time starter #3 Howard’s Hope. The son of Karakontie makes his first start for trainer Horacio De Paz. De Paz has had a strong summer thus far at the Spa winning with 6 of 19 for an ROI of $6.89 and this gelding is bred on both sides to appreciate the surface and distance. Manny Franco is riding well, so him being in the saddle brings confidence along with a favorable inside draw for the Barry Schwartz owned runner.

Play: #3 Howard’s Hope (9-2 ML)
Picks: 3-7-2


Race 8:
#2 Starship Titan is halfway through his 5YO season, yet the Michelle Nevin trainee has only raced four times. The son of Not This Time clearly has soundness issues, but has been serious when running over the grass thus far. He broke his maiden via DQ a little over a year to the day over a good turf course before springing the upset at 39-1 in a first-level allowance at Aqueduct last October. Nevin gave Starship Titan lots of time off after the big victory before bringing him back last month in a similar spot at one-mile where he rode the rail throughout in an attempt to run down the lone speed winner. He was unable to get there missing by three-quarters of a length in the end, but it is a great sign he returns quickly. The stretch out to nine-furlongs and favorable inside draw only add to the case of the 5-2-choice on David Aragona’s morning line.

Plays: #2 Starship Titan (5-2 ML)
Picks: 2-9-1


Race 9: John Morrissey
The featured event for NY-breds traveling seven-furlongs over the main track came up extremely competitive evidenced by the 7-2-ML favorite. I will take a swing here with #5 Buttah. The son of Leofric moved into the Ilkay Kantarmaci barn this spring and rattled off a pair of strong efforts in open company first-level allowance events since. The most recent one came over this surface during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival when he used an inside trip to get to the wire first at odds of 29-1. Now, the 4YO colt moves back into the NY-bred ranks and competes over a racetrack he has won 2 of 4 over thus far. His tactical speed should allow him to find a prominent spot early, but also not force him to go with a couple of runners that probably need the lead to be at their best. Buttah heads into this spot fresh and in the best form of his career. Javier Castellano will hope to make it two upset wins in a row in the saddle.

Play: #5 Buttah (12-1 ML)
Picks: 5-6-7