Six stakes highlight Friday’s New York Showcase Day card at Saratoga (Photo credit (Photo credit: © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
State breds take center stage on Friday at Saratoga with New York Showcase Day, six stakes with over $1 million up for grabs on the 11-race card.
The stakes action kicks off with the $200,000 Funny CIde, the opening race on the card. A field of five juveniles will go 6 ½ furlongs including two of the most impressive we have seen at the meeting, the Todd Pletcher trained Syndergaard (6-5) and the Chad Brown trainee Bobby On Fleek (8-5).
The fifth race on the card is the $250,000 Albany for state bred three-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
The Gary Sciacca trained Hit It Once More is the 8-5 morning line favorite. The colt earned a career top Beyer Speed Figure of 102 winning the New York Derby at Finger Lakes in his last start. Sciacca is looking to get off the duck, currently 0 for 34 at the meeting.
Juvenile fillies will go 6 ½ furlongs in the $200,000 Seeking the Ante, the sixth race on the card. Seven go to the post led by the Pletcher trained Iron Mizz (5-2), who was second in the Coleen at Monmouth Park in her last outing.
The $150,000 Yaddo drew a full field of 12 with three also-eligibles that will go 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Brown sends out 3-1 morning line favorite Neck of the Moon, who was beaten a neck in the Perfect String in her last start.
Plenty of familiar faces will break form the gate in the $150,000 West Point. Lubash (8-1) will be making his sixth start in the race. He won the West Point in 2015 and 2012, finished second in 2014 and fourth in 2013 and 2011.
King Kreesa (7-2) won the 2014 edition of the West Point and wheels back after a fourth place finish in the Fourstardave (G1) last Saturday.
The final stake on the day is the $200,000 Fleet Indian for three-year-old fillies that drew a field of eight. The Pletcher trained Super Surprise is the 5-2 morning line favorite and looks primed for a big effort in her second start off the bench.
Let’s head out to Saratoga for Friday’s featured race of the day:
Saratoga Race 10 The Fleet Indian (Post time 6:41 ET)
#5 Super Surprise 5-2
#1 Frosty Margarita 9-2
#7 Melodic 8-1
#3 Riot Worthy 7-2
Analysis: Super Surprise was a sharp winner against state bred Alw-1 foes last out in her first start off a nine-month layoff for the Pletcher barn. She won the state bred Maid of the Mist last fall going a one turn mile to cap off her juvenile campaign. She came back with a bullet drill on Aug. 18 for a barn that is 26% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from sprint to route. She is by Giant’s Surprise out of a Langfuhr mare that has dropped three other winners. She looks as if she is going to be able to handle the stretch out.
Frosty Margarita comes back off a two week break after checking in fourth in a New York Stallion Series race here on turf. She tracked the early pace along the inside, had to wait for running room and did not have enough punch late when clear. Her last win came two turns on the inner track at the Big A winning the state bred Maddie May back in January. She broke her maiden over the main track here last summer. The switch back to dirt should suit her.
Melodic was third last out against state bred Alw-2 optional claimers going six furlongs in her first start off the bench. She won two of her four starts last year including taking the state bred Joe A. Gimma at seven furlongs in her second career outing. This will be her first start around two turns. By Tale of the Cat out of an Unbridled’s Song mare, she has enough pedigree.
Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 1,5 / 1,3,5,7
TRI: 1,5 / 1,3,5,7 / 1,3,4,5,7
