The final Saturday of the 2026 Saratoga season offers racing fans a 12-race card headlined by the Spinaway (G1) for 2YO fillies at seven-furlongs. The featured event goes as Race 11 on a card filled with strong 2YO racing from start-to-finish. Here are my full card thoughts on the slate that kicks at 12:05 PM eastern.


Grade Descriptions: A= Highest Degree of Confidence, B= Solid Play, C= Least Preferred or Pass, X= Likely Winner but at odds probably too short to wager on.

Race 1:
Grade: B+
Use: 1 U.S.S. Valor/2 Mystrix; 8 Implied Open

Forecast: #1 U.S.S. Valor ran too well to lose in his first career start back on August 8. The Team Valor International homebred got off to a brutal start almost hitting the rail, but jockey Tyler Gaffalione was able to keep him in the race and put in a strong late run to lose by less than a length. Trainer Shug McGaughey does not win often with debut runners these days, so the fact this son of War of Will ran that well at first asking after the terrible start suggests big things for this colt’s future. He should have no issue with the extra half furlong and besting this field with a cleaner voyage in lifetime try number two.


Race 2: With Anticipation (G3)
Grade: X
Use: 3 High Official; 4 Bold Leadership

Forecast: Todd Pletcher holds an extremely strong hand in this year’s With Anticipation. The Hall of Fame conditioner brings the three favorites into the 1 1/16-miles event for 2YOs over the Inner Turf. #3 High Official clearly caught the eye earning a strong 99 late pace Bris rating in his two-length win on July 26. He looms large in his first start versus winners, but #4 Bold Leadership’s effort last time out was probably equally impressive despite losing a tough photo by a nose. The son of Not This Time was caught four-wide into the first turn and lost a ton of ground throughout the 8.5-furlong journey, yet still kept coming and only lost because the eventual winner got a much better trip along the inside. Both Pletcher runners have big upsides and will attempt to run down #2 Liam’s Law, who could be loose on the lead. I expect one of them if not both to get by the third Pletcher runner in the first of two stakes events on the agenda.


Race 3:
Grade: C+
Use: 5 Thirteen Colonies; 4 Highlands Way

Forecast: #7 Favorable Scenario was made the 8-5-ML favorite by oddsmaker David Aragona after his second consecutive runner-up effort at Saratoga in 2026. The son of Good Magic gets blinkers for the first time, but is one I am willing to try to beat with his lone victory coming over a year ago by a head. #4 Highlands Way is probably the best horse in the race, but could be pace compromised given an overall lack of early zip signed on. I will hope that Ricardo Santana Jr. gives #5 Thirteen Colonies an aggressive ride from the gate to attempt to take advantage of a possible moderate early tempo. If Santana, can get this Hit It a Bomb gelding to the front early, he has a shot to steal it despite a poor effort off the ten-month layoff in July. The price should be fair.


Race 4:
Grade: C+
Use: 2 Stewie; 4 Three B’s; 7 B Thedonald

Forecast: The pace should be contentious in this state-bred second-level allowance event at 6.5-furlongs over the main track. #7 B Thedonald is one of the more obvious ones that could potentially take advantage. The son of Girvin ran a solid second in the Mike Lee at odds of nearly 19-1 before flopping at this level in early July. Trainer Horacio De Paz has reportedly gelded this 3YO since and now brings him back for his first start since. He makes sense with Flavien Prat taking the call, but I prefer the likely value of #2 Stewie and #4 Three B’s. Three B’s moves back to his preferred surface after a couple of months off from trainer Linda Rice and could be the one making the final move. Long shot #2 Stewie is likely to be closer to the early pace, but is far from a need the lead type. Trainer Mitchell Friedman took the blinkers off for the first time in his 33-race career on August 16 and it led to one of his best lifetime efforts. He appears capable of being in the mix late, if Ricardo Santana Jr. can work out a favorable pocket type trip from his inside draw.


Race 5:
Grade: C
Use: 2 Joy of Life; 6 Aerial Affair

Forecast: I lack a strong opinion unfortunately in this seven-furlong affair for 2YO fillies over the main track. #6 Aerial Affair has been the best of those with experience thus far, but has been well-beaten by dominant winners in both of her first two starts making her tough to get excited about it at her likely off-odds. #2 Joy of Life intrigues enough to make my top choice. The daughter of Speaker’s Corner broke sharp from her far outside draw on debut, but was underwhelming the rest of the way losing by 13 lengths despite finishing third. There does not appear to be any world beaters debuting in this spot, so I will hope the experience and the extra half furlong leads to a much improved effort from the Bill Mott trainee.


Race 6:
Grade: B-
Use: 5 Reasoned Analysis

Forecast: 5-2-ML favorite #5 Reasoned Analysis makes his third start off the long layoff for trainer Chad Brown. The Upstart gelding has competed in two races out of the Wilson chute, including last time out when he was clearly best despite finishing second beaten a head. The Klaravich Stables runner did all the dirty work battling early, disposing of the other speed easily, and fighting all the way to the wire under Dylan Davis on August 1. The pace is likely to be less contentious in this spot making him the clear one to beat.


Race 7:
Grade: B-
Use: 8 Jackpot Rocket; 5 Pops Novo; 6 Electro

Forecast: #3 True Essence ships into New York after a late running second place finish in a 5.5-furlong MSW event at Ellis Park on August 2. More ground and a better setup should help the son of Essential Quality, but the lack of speed and never being in contention until it was too late on debut makes him tough to endorse at his 3-1-ML offering. I will try to beat the favorite with a pair of runners, including top choice #8 Jackpot Rocket. The Tapit colt makes the second start of his career after a solid third place run to Pinpoint on August 1. It was interesting that Junior Alvarado stuck around New York that day instead of taking more obvious stakes mounts elsewhere, but the fact he only rode two firsters suggests someone in that camp likely believed this colt has some serious upside. He should take a big step forward in his second lifetime try. Of the debut runners, I like #5 Pops Novo most. Whit Beckman has been much better at Saratoga with 2YO debut runners than his overall numbers may suggest. This son of Corniche commanded seven figures back in March at the OBS sale suggesting he looked the part. Both colts have the upside to beat this group at solid prices.


Race 8:
Grade: B
Use: 3 Artemis Two

Forecast: Trainer Brad Cox enters #3 Artemis Two off of several works over the Turfway Park synthetic in this two-turn MSW event for 2YOs over the Inner Turf. The son of McKinzie has plenty of distance and grass pedigree on the dam side and Cox’s numbers with juveniles debuting over the Saratoga sod at a route of ground over the last three years is eye-popping. Cox has sent out six first-time starters in two-turn grass debuts at the Spa in that time span with four crossing the wire first. This colt draws favorably along the inside and likely is live at first asking.


Race 9:
Grade: B-
Use: 3 Ortley Avenue

Forecast: #3 Ortley Avenue makes his second start off a year layoff for trainer George Weaver after showing big speed off the bench from his far outside draw, but being unable to hold off the eventual winner in the final strides. The 4YO colt had to work early to make the front from the outside, but draws inside in a race where he appears to be the speed of the speed. His three seconds in five starts is slightly concerning, but if he makes an easy lead that is unlikely to matter in the start of the late Pick 4.


Race 10:
Grade: B
Use: 7 Iron Dome

Forecast: The pace should be honest and contentious in this first-level allowance at 1 1/8-miles over the main track. Many will look to #5 Preside or #4 Lion of Justice to take advantage, but both have too many questions to answer for me at their likely final prices. I will instead try #8 Iron Dome again. The Into Mischief colt was caught five-wide into the first turn and remained wide throughout on a day where the outside was probably not where you wanted to be on the Saratoga main track last month. North America’s all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen wheeled him back on short rest in that August 1 start, but has given him far more time to freshen up for this one. Plus, he meets a softer bunch. He should run a lot better than last time out at a solid price.


Race 11: Spinaway (G1)
Grade: B-
Use: 4 Stress Relief; 8 Life Changing/7 Angel of Kirk; 2 Summer Starlet

Forecast: Trainer Johnny Ortiz won both the Adirondack (G3) and the Spinaway in 2023 with Brightwork. #4 Stress Relief attempts to do similar in her third career start for trainer Kinnon LaRose. The Not This Time filly dazzled in her debut, but admittedly the race has not come back that strong at Churchill. She followed it up though with a big move forward on the class hike over this surface at the tricky 6.5-furlong distance. She obviously meets the toughest field in her career, but is a good bet at anything close to her 8-1-ML price. #2 Summer Starlet, #8 Life Changing, and #7 Angel of Kirk all won impressively over this surface on debut and have unlimited upsides. Of the three, I prefer Life Changing a touch in this spot. The outside draw, natural speed, and presence of Flavien Prat are all at least somewhat noteworthy. That said, I will likely focus my wagering on my top choice.


Race 12:
Grade: X
Use: 3 Ori

Forecast: #3 Ori is unlikely to offer much value in the finale, but looks like the right horse nonetheless in this optional claimer at two-turns on the grass. The Hard Spun mare makes her second start of the summer in Saratoga after tackling better on July 4. She gets Flavien Prat, a favorable post, and has the speed to find a prominent spot early. Looks like a formful result to close the card.