Closing week of the 2026 Saratoga meeting commences this afternoon at 1:10 PM eastern time. The last Wednesday slate of the year offers horseplayers a nine-race card that is headlined by a trio of allowance races run at one-turn over the main track. Here are the horses I like most on the day.


Race 2:
My first play comes in this $130k allowance event for 4YOs+ at seven furlongs over the main track where I will try #6 Over and Ollie. The son of Cairo Prince returned off a two-month layoff on August 22 in a similar spot for trainer Rick Dutrow and was beaten just a neck by the late run of Cat On Time. It was Over and Ollie’s third consecutive runner-up effort, which could be considered concerning, but I will give him one more shot on the quick turnaround for a barn that has clicked at 25% with runners returning off ten or less days rest over a 500+ race sample size. Kendrick Caromouche gets the leg up on the 6YO gelding that has won 2 of 4 over this surface. He should be prominently placed throughout to kick off the early Pick 5.

Play: #6 Over and Ollie (7-2 ML)
Picks: 6-2-4


Race 4:
The Wednesday Pick 6 kicks off with another $130k allowance event, but this one is at six-furlongs for older fillies and mares. #3 Senza Parole is expected to be a significant favorite by oddsmaker David Aragona after being nailed at the wire by late running Beauty Reigns in a similar spot last month. Trainer Chad Brown cuts the Gun Runner filly back from seven to six furlongs in hopes she can earn her first win since January. At her expected price, she will do so without me. I will try to run her down this time with #6 Strong State. The Al Stall Jr. trainee has been given a freshening after a big last-to first run over this surface on July 12 led to her third win over this surface in four career starts. He moves up in class, but finds another winnable spot at what should be a fair price.

Play: #6 Strong State (7-2 ML)
Picks: 6-3-5


Race 8:
My final play of the day comes in this state-bred second-level allowance event at 6.5-furlongs over the main track where #6 Nina Kay makes her third start of the form cycle for trainer Linda Rice. The first start came on August 2 when she was beaten to the front by odds-on gate-to-wire winner Hot Currency and was cost second when trying to take on the eventual winner at the top of the lane. #2 Grace and Grit got the best of her for the Place $$$ by a neck before Nina Kay won a four-horse race over the slop out of the Wilson chute three weeks later. Rice will try to strike while the iron is hot with this William Sinkler homebred that draws towards the outside for the first time in several starts. This should allow jockey Jose Lezcano to play the break, instead of having his hand forced much more with an inside post. Hopefully, it leads to this filly’s second win in a row at a much bigger price than a couple of weeks ago.

Play: #6 Nina Kay (8-1 ML)
Picks: 6-2-1