A field of six line up in the Bernard Baruch (G2) at Saratoga. (© Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
A field of six line up in Sunday’s feature at Saratoga, the $150,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2), a 1 1/16-mile test on the inner turf led by Halladay.
The Todd Pletcher trained Halladay is coming into the race off a gate to wire score in the Sunshine Forever at Gulfstream Park on May 9.
The colt has won three of his last four starts and is the 2-1 second choice on the morning line. Luis Saez has the return call on the son of War Front.
“The horse is training super and we’re excited about Sunday,” Pletcher said. “He’s in great form and seems to be steadily improving. Obviously, he took to the turf at Gulfstream quite well so I’m hoping that he can apply that to this turf course.”
Sunshine Forever Replay
The Chad Brown trained Good Governance is the 9-5 morning line favorite. The colt beat first level allowance foes last out in his first start off the bench.
“He’s lightly raced but he’s very talented,” Brown said. “Hopefully he’s up to the challenge. He has a nice race under his belt, and he looks good.”
Brown also saddles Olympico (9-2), who makes his first start since running second in the Knickerbocker (G2) at Belmont Park last October.
Recently retired trainer Kiaran McLaughlin won the last two editions of this race with Qurbaan and won the race six times. The Baruch is one of the few turf races in New York that Brown has not won.
My Best Plays for Sunday includes my eight strongest plays from Del Mar and Saratoga.
Let’s head out to Saratoga for Sunday’s featured race of the day:
Saratoga Race 9 The Bernard Baruch Hcp G2 (5:46 ET)
6 Halladay 2-1
3 Somelikeithotbrown 4-1
2 Good Governance 9-5
5 Olympico 9-2
Halladay
The Pletcher trainee bobbled coming out of the gate last out in the Sunshine Forever at Gulfstream park. The colt still took command of the lead and took the field gate to wire, winning by a measured 1 1/4 lengths and the margin could have been larger as he was much the best. The fourth-place finisher
Admission Office came back to win the Louisville (G3) at Churchill Downs in his next outing on June 13. The colt is going to have to deal with the speedy Somelikeithotbrown early but looks capable of sitting just off the pace if that foe is sent. The colt comes in here for Pletcher off back to back career tops and he just missed here last year by a neck over the grass against Alw-1 foes. Sharp works for his return off a 2 1/2-month break and the barn has been live at the meet.
Somelikeithotbrown
This colt set a solid early pace and weakened to finish third last out in the Ft. Marcy (G2) at Belmont Park over good ground at nine furlongs. He earned a career top speed fig in the effort. He is just 1 for 6 on turf but put in some solid efforts as a two-year-old on turf including a game third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). He could shake loose here and among the top three is going to be the best price.
Good Governance
The colt is one of two in here sent out by the Chad Brown barn. The colt has just three starts under his belt, beating Alw-1 foes last out at Belmont park off the bench. he graduated here in his debut last summer and then was beaten just a neck in the Saranac (G3) to Global Access. The barn is 29% winners with runners making their second start off a +180-day break and he looks as if he still has plenty of upside.
