Saratoga Horse Racing Picks for Sunday 7/19/20
With most of the sports world on pause, it's a great time to dive into horse racing, and FanDuel Racing gives you the chance to do just that.
Starting at 1:10 p.m. EST, we have 10 races at Saratoga. Using our numberFire projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets.
As always, check the program for scratches and changes, and check the weather and track conditions.
(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions).
Candy Cornell, Race 4
FanDuel Racing Odds: 1/1
Race 4 is a six-furlong sprint that drew six runners. The favorite in this $50K Claiming race is Candy Cornell (1/1) with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. up. Candy Cornell is a best bet of Guaranteed Tip Sheet and second choice of Daily Horse Picks (DHP) behind Releasethethunder (2/1). The two rate the best speed and class in the race by DHP. The same order of finish for numberFire, but the race offers no value.
Candy Cornell is available for purchase for the first time and is 9-for-11 in the money. He’s hit triple-digit speed figures in six straight races, including just nine days ago with a runner-up finish as the favorite at Keeneland. He's a good Single in the start of the Pick 3.
Releasethethunder has just two wins in 13 starts and races for the first time at Saratoga. He’s had declining speed figures in four straight races with a best clip of 101.
Canadian-born EPO trainer Robertino Diodoro has the favorite and Twelfth Labour (5/2) available for claim in this race. Twelfth Labour has not won in his last nine starts over the past 13 months.
Zero Gravity, Race 6
FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/1
Race 6 is the start of the Grand Slam and Late Pick 5. It's a $50K Claiming race and drew 11 runners going 1 1/6 miles on the Inner Turf.
The favorite Leitone (5/2) won eight days ago at this distance running up front and switches from dirt to turf. His 105 speed figure is solid but surface change noted. Daily Horse Picks still makes Leitone its top choice followed by Sentry (3/1) and Kroy (7/2), who DHP rates the top speed in the race. Kroy is the second choice of numberFire.
Kroy won in May at this level as the heavy favorite and then finished fourth in a stakes race at Gulfstream, hitting a 101 speed figure. Include Kroy in horizontal and exotic wagering.
Sentry makes his 2020 debut and hit triple-digit speed figures in four Allowance races the second half of last year.
Zero Gravity (4/1) breaks from the far outside for EPO trainer Mike Maker with rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons. Zero Gravity just missed at this level last month at Churchill Downs, finishing with a rush from off the pace as the favorite. In two races back in May, he posted a 101 speed figure. A bullet-best of 31 runners a week ago says she’s got something extra in her worth supporting.
Isotherm (15/1) has top stakes class in this field, but the seven-year-old has not won a race since Lassie was a puppy 20 races ago in 2017.
Blame Debbie and Lashara, Race 9
FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/1 and 4/1
Race 9 is the $150K Lake Placid Stakes (G2) for three-year-old fillies, and it's going 1 1/8 miles on the turf. It's a competitive affair that drew 8 runners.
The favorite breaking from the outside post is Cat’s Pajamas (5/2). The daughter of Street Sense has won both her turf starts since switching over to the grass in May. Her last Allowance race at Belmont produced an 88 speed figure, and she finished a half-length in front of a fast closing Lashara (4/1), who also finished with an 88 speed figure.
Cat’s Pajamas makes her stakes debut for trainer Graham Motion with Hall-of-Fame rider John Velazquez up.
Lashara is a daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and gets a jockey change to Javier Castellano for trainer Mark Casse.
The top pick at numberFire is Blame Debbie (8/1) followed by Stunning Sky (3/1). Blame Debbie, sired by the great Blame, is also trained by Motion and Jose Ortiz rides. She’s a graded stakes-place runner last December and finished third a neck behind the winner, going 1 1/4 miles last month after taking the lead in the stretch.
Stunning Sky has run in four straight stakes races with a best finish of third and speed rating of 94. She’ll be charging late with Irad Ortiz, Jr. riding for EPO trainer Mike Maker.
Queen’s Embrace (6/1) has won 4-of-5 starts and makes her stakes debut having won just two weeks ago at Monmouth, coming from off the pace to move swiftly down the stretch and win by more than four lengths. Improving and you should include in horizontals plus exacta and trifecta wagering as the top pick of Guaranteed Tip Sheet.
