Nine go in Sunday’s feature at Saratoga, the $300,000 Spinaway (photo credit:Bigstock.com)
Sunday is the next to last day of the Saratoga meeting, and the 12-race card features a pair of graded stakes in the $300,000 Spinaway (G1) and the $150,000 Saranac (G3), and we have a $139,854 Pick 6 carryover.
The Saranac drew a field of seven three-year-olds that will go 1 1/8 miles on the turf course. All of the races except for the Bernard Baruch were moved to the main track on Saturday and the turf course was labeled as yielding.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who is on his way to his fourth consecutive training title sends out the 5-2 morning line favorite Notacatbutallama, who has won his last three races.
The Spinaway is the marquee event of the meeting for juvenile fillies and drew a field of nine. Pletcher will be well represented with a pair of recent maiden winners, Stopschargingmaria (5-2) and Sweet Whiskey (2-1).
Pletcher has won the Spinaway four times, the last coming with R Heat Lightning in 2010. Tony Dutrow won the last two running’s of the race with Grace Hall in 2011 and So Many Ways last year, but does not have a runner in this year’s edition.
The main track was sloppy throughout the day on Saturday and there is a 30% chance we will see more rain on Sunday.
Yesterday’s card was decimated with over 50 scratches as races were moved to the main track. We have seven turf races carded for Sunday so we need Mother Nature to cooperate.
Let’s head out to the Spa for Sunday’s featured race of the day:
Saratoga Race 10 The Spinaway G1 (5:45 ET)
3 Designer Legs 12-1
4 Sweet Reason 8-1
9 Sweet Whiskey 2-1
6 Stopchargingmaria 3-1
Analysis: Designer Legs is going to be a decent price in this spot, perfect in three starts thanks to being put up to first in the Adirondack (G2) last out. The filly was bumped coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace, came with a four wide bid, battle don gamely from the outside and could not get by the winner late. The filly caught a racing strip that was playing to inside speed that day. She picked up a stakes win two back winning the Prairie Gold Lassie at Prairie Meadows. She did not beat much, the runner up coming back to beat Alw-1 foes in her next start but earned just a 47 Beyer. The filly should get a good pace set up here as this race is top heavy with early speed and she should get better with more ground. She is by Graeme Hall out of the stakes winner Elegant Designer ($416,785). Worth a look if she goes off near her 12-1 morning line.
Sweet Reason also is going to be a decent price and will benefit if the early fractions are sharp. She broke her maiden in a race washed off the turf and contested over a sloppy track. She was outrun early and came with a strong four wide run and drew away to win by 6 1/4 lengths. She figures to move forward with a better break and the extra ground here should suit. She is by Street Sense out of a stakes placed Mt. Livermore mare that has dropped six other winners including one stakes winner, top earner Don’t Forget Gil ($370,737).
Sweet Whiskey is one of two in here sent out by the Todd Pletcher barn and she was no secret when she made her debut here on Aug. 11. She took the field gate to wire in a sharp effort over a racing strip that was playing to inside speed. She came back with a bullet drill on Aug. 26. She looks like she is quicker early than her stablemate Stopshoppingmaria. Johnny V. was aboard both for their debut wins and sticks with Sweet Whiskey.
Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 8-1 or better.
EX: 3,4 / 3,4,6,9
TRI: 3,4 / 3,4,6,9 / 1,2,4,6,9
