The strength and the strange for this weekend:
On Saturday, we have some excellent races and horses:
At Saratoga you have
Jackie's Warrior against some decent horses in the Vanderbilt:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday July 30, 2022 - Saratoga - Race 8, PPs ]
Willy Boi and
Ny Traffic are likely trifecta participants, but
Jackie's Warrior likes Saratoga and is a monster.
Also at Saratoga, in the following race, is the Jim Dandy for 3YOs:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...9/summary.html
[URL above, Saturday July 30, 2022 - Saratoga - Race 9, PPs ]
A small but select field including:
Epicenter, Zandon, Early Voting, and
Tawny Port.
These 4 horses each have credentials. I might give Zandon the nod, but I'd probably bet the highest odds of the 4.
At Del Mar there are some great races on the card:
Start you off with a 2YO maiden race because there are some high priced firsters:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...99/summary.htm
[URL above, Saturday July 30, 2022 - Del Mar - Race 6, PPs ]
Newgate at $850k and with two bullet works is the Baffert offering.
In the 8th is the Bing Crosby at 6f for the sprinters:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...99/summary.htm
[URL above, Saturday July 30, 2022 - Del Mar - Race 8, PPs ]
Drain The Clock invades from the east coast, hoping to revitalize his career.
Shaaz is back with Baffert.
American Theorem has been facing tougher.
Bagboss looks sharp.
In the 10th race is the San Diego Handicap:
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/brisw...99/summary.htm
[URL above, Saturday July 30, 2022 - Del Mar - Race 8, PPs ]
Mandaloun, Country Grammar, Defunded, There Goes Harvard, and
Senor Buscador all have something to say for themselves. Country Grammar has put $10M on the card this year, thanks to 2 big races in the middle east, but he hasn't started for a while and shows improvement after a start.
Defunded and There Goes Harvard are in shape, but may not be in the class of the big two. We don't know what Senor Buscador is; he is still green and hopefully is healthy. The top horses in this race will be on the front or stalking, which will play into his come from way back style. Could be interesting now that he has a race under his belt. I'd expect his next race will be peak form. Mandaloun may have needed that last race (which really looked bad); I might take a shot with him because you'll get odds.
In the standardbred world, the Adios will be raced at The Meadows (outside Pittsburgh) this Saturday. This will bring together the two top 3YOC pacers
Pebble Beach and
Beach Glass. These two SHOULD have raced in the Meadowlands Pace recently (won by Beach Glass), except Pebble Beach was not eligible because of something called the Gural Rule. Jeff Gural, who owns the Meadowlands, instituted a rule that says any colt (Trotter or Pacer) that retires as a 4YO to stud, but was not injured, will have their first crop ineligible to race in Meadowlands sponsored stakes races. The object here is to encourage the stars of the sport to stay in training as 4YOs and help promote the sport. In this first real repercussion of the Gural Rule, Pebble Beach's sire Downbytheseaside did retire after his 3YO year to stud in Ohio and happened to turn into a great sire. So Pebble Beach, who appears to be the top 3YO pacer, was no eligible to big money Meadowlands Stakes. What a pity. Pebble Beach did beat Beach Glass in the rich North American Cup 1 month ago. Not having Pebble Beach at the Meadowlands Pace would appear to have backfired on the original intent of the Gural Rule by taking the top 3YO colt out of that race and the fans are the poorer for it.
Larry
DevilHorse