Centre Court made a good late rally to get up late and win the Lake George by a nose and is the 2-1 second choice on the morning line in today’s compact field of six three-year-old fillies.
The filly is trained by Rusty Arnold and will be ridden again by jockey Julian Leparoux.
Better Lucky was not exactly lucky as she was beaten a neck in a runner up finish at 15-1 and is back looking to turn the tables.
Eddie Castro rides again for the Tom Albertrani barn and is the 4-1 third choice.
The betting favorite figures to be Stephanie’s Kitten, who had a tough trip in the Lake George as the 5-2 favorite, lacking room in the stretch and unable to find a path until it was too late, checking in fourth while beaten just a half-length.
The filly won three of her five starts last year including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2) last fall at Churchill Downs.
The Wayne Catalano trainee gets recent hall of fame inductee John Velazquez back in the irons and is the 9-5 morning line favorite.
Todd Pletcher sends out Lake George fifth place finisher Medolina (4-1), and also will saddle Disposiblepleasure (8-1), who was fourth on the main track in her last start in the Coaching Club of America Oaks (G1).
The winner of that race was Questing, who came back and ran huge on Saturday winning the Alabama (G1) over the Saratoga main track.
Completing the field is Lake George sixth place finisher Somali Lemonade (12-1), who has not won since taking the Jessamine (G3) over a yielding turf course at Keeneland last fall in her second career start.
Michael Dempsey provides his selections for Saratoga each racing day. Mike’s Best Plays Report is available each weekend, with his strongest plays and selections including the top stakes races.
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Let’s head out to Saratoga for Sunday’s featured race of the day:
Saratoga Race 8 The Lake Placid G2 (Post time 4:55 ET)
3 Medolina 4-1
1 Stephanie’s Kitten 9-5
2 Centre Court 2-1
5 Disposiblepleasure 8-1
Analysis: Medolina came up short last out in the Lake George (G2), tracking the early pace, taking over the lead and did not have enough punch left late, weakening to finish fifth while beaten 1 1/4 lengths for the top spot. Five of these are coming out of the Lake George and on that is missing is the pacesetter Elusive Rumor. That leaves no pace in here and our top pick may be able to control things up front and if she shakes loose early she may prove tough to catch. She came from off the pace to win her first two starts, and then was up on the pace two back in her win in the Tweedside.
Stephanie’s Kitten was the beaten favorite in the Lake George and she had a tough trip in the stretch. The filly was put to a drive in upper stretch and had nowhere to run from the eighth pole to the sixteenths pole, finally getting clear moving down toward the inside but it was too late to make up the ground. She was making her first start off a 2 1/2 month break and her trouble last out was so obvious she is going to get way too much attention at the betting windows here. She won three of five starts last year including taking the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2), as well as the Alcibiades (G1) on poly. She will be tough if she gets a clean trip but she is going to get bet down.
Centre Court was the winner of the Lake George despite getting bumped heading into the first turn. She split rivals in a tight spot in the stretch and took over inside the final furlong, holding on to win by a neck over Better Lucky. She was a bit closer to the pace two back in her win in the regret (G2) at Churchill Downs in her first go against winners. She has plenty of pedigree to handle the extra ground, by Smart Strike out of the stakes winner Let ($604K) who is by A.P. Indy.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 1,3 / 1,2,3
TRI: no play
