The racing week at Saratoga concludes later this afternoon with a ten-race card that gets rolling at 1:10 PM eastern. The card is led by the $200k Albany Stakes for NY-bred 3YOs at 1 1/8-miles over the main track. Here are the horses I like most over the course of the day.


Race 2:
My first play comes in this MSW event for 2YOs traveling 1 1/16-miles over the Inner Turf where trainer Mark Casse holds a strong 1-2-punch with 8-5-ML favorite #2 And the Runner Is and 5-2-second choice #1 Harbaugh. Both ran second in their first two-turn turf test last month. Of the duo, I prefer Harbaugh. The Not This Time colt loved the move to the grass on July 26 after debuting in a dirt sprint just 15 days earlier. He ran well that day to finish second, but was a bit too close in a race where the eventual winner was able to come from behind and out finish this D J Stable colt. I do not expect the $450k OBS April 26 purchase to get caught in the lane later this afternoon.

Play: #1 Harbaugh (5-2 ML)
Picks: 1-3-2


Race 3:
Up next is this first-level allowance at six-furlongs over the main track where there almost has to be a contentious pace in the early stages since most runners in this spot want to be forwardly placed. I am expecting Flavien Prat to take advantage with the lightly-raced #7 Tennessee Belle. The daughter of Yaupon has not raced since a 2YO when she made three starts under the care of trainer John Ortiz, including a dominant win over this surface in her second start after a runner-up finish to Tommy Jo to kick off her career. Her best races have been on the front end, but the outside draw and the presence of Prat lead to me believe she will do her best to play the break and probably end up finding a favorable tracking position from her outside draw. She has to prove herself again off the layoff, but should improve under the care of Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. Tennessee Belle comes in off a steady series of local drills since returning to the work tab in early July. Hopefully, she is ready to fire big off the bench.

Play: #7 Tennessee Belle (2-1 ML)
Picks: 7-3-1


Race 9: Albany
Withers winner #6 Talk to Me Jimmy was made the understandable 8-5-ML favorite by oddsmaker David Aragona after his win last out in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes. The son of Modernist is likely to make the lead under jockey Manny Franco, but whether he finishes the deal is the question. I will hope he gets leg-weary late in his first start over the Saratoga main track and it is undefeated #4 Onebigbeautifulbill that handles his first two-turn test and runs him down late. The son of Tiz the Law has had a great start to his career at the Spa rattling off two wins in one-turn races for trainer Brad Cox. Last time out, he took advantage of a perfect pocket trip to run down #1 Tricky Business in the final strides, but I expect him to get another good trip and relish the stretch out to nine-furlongs.

Play: #4 Onebigbeautifulbill (3-1 ML)
Picks: 4-6-7