Monday’s feature is the $100,000 Lucky Coin at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf with Undrafted the morning line favorite. (photo credit: © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
At 10-1 on the morning line, Pool, Winner appears to be the betting value of the race in Monday’s $100,000 Lucky Coin at Saratoga.
The race drew a field of 13, with 11 in the main body of the field and two main track only entrants.
The morning line favorite is the Wesley Ward trained Undrafted at 8-5. The six-year-old gelding returns from his third trip overseas, running sixth at Royal Ascot in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G2). He won that race last year and was fourth in the Darley July Cup (G1) at Newmarket in ’14.
The well-travelled gelding has won six of his 24 career starts with earnings of $1,263,409. Ward will give a leg up to Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez.
Pool Winner is 10-1 on the morning line for trainer Alan Goldberg with Luis Saez in the irons for the first time. The son of Broken Vow has won his last four starts and has landed in the exacta in 11 of his 12 career starts on turf.
The Bill Mott trained Long On Value (6-1) may end up offering good betting value. The five-year-old is a multiple graded stakes winner going long on turf and has only sprinted on turf once in his career. His last win was the Canadian Turf (G3) at a mile in February of 2015. Joel Rosario, who was aboard for that win will get a leg up from the Hall of Fame trainer.
Saratoga Special: Get Michael Dempsey’s full card reports for the entire Saratoga meeting for less than $3.50 per report with his Saratoga Special Package! All days of the meeting for just $139.95!
Monday is the fourth day of the 40-day Saratoga meeting with a first post of 1:00 ET.
Let’s head out to the Spa for Monday’s featured race of the day:
Saratoga Race 8 The Lucky Coin (Post time 5:02 ET)
#6 Pool Winner 10-1
#12 Undrafted 8-5
#9 Long On Value 6-1
#4 Spring to the Sky 4-1
Analysis: Pool Winner comes in here riding a four race winning streak. The gelding five tries to pass his first allowance condition including losing once by DQ and coming out on the wrong end of photos three times. His luck has been much better recently last out beating non-conditioned allowance foes at Laurel Park for his fourth straight win. He owns solid early and mid pace numbers and while he gets a class test here, he comes in here very sharp and is going to be a decent price in this spot.
Undrafted makes his first start since running sixth in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, a race he won last year. The gelding likes firmer ground and he should get it here. He was a sharp winner of the Shakertown (G2) two back at the Keeneland spring meeting which was his first start since his fifth in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). He shipped in from Keeneland for the Ward barn and makes his first start here at the Spa. The most accomplished in the field with $1.2 million in the bank but tough to get excited about his short price.
Long On Value ran second last out going long against $80,000 optional claimers with the third place finisher Blacktype a next out winner on July 3. The Mott trainee raced in graded stakes in his previous eight starts with two wins, one at a mile and one at nine furlongs. He has only sprinted on turf once, winning the Virginia bred Jamestown at Colonial Downs back in ’13. He has decent tactical speed and gets a jock upgrade to Rosario. The Mott barn is 19% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from route to sprint.
Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 9-2 or better.
EX: 6,12 / 4,6,9,12
TRI: 6,12 / 4,6,9,12 / 4,6,7,9,12
Saratoga Special: Get Michael Dempsey’s full card reports for the entire Saratoga meeting for less than $3.50 per report with his Saratoga Special Package! All days of the meeting for just $139.95!
