Saratoga Horse Racing Picks for Saturday 8/1/20
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 12 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.)
Code of Honor, Race 9
FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2
Race 9 is the featured $750K Whitney (G1) at 1 1/8 miles. A small field of five, but four runners have a good chance to cash in and win. An automatic fees-paid entry to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic is also awarded to the winner.
Daily Horse Picks goes with Improbable (5/2) on top followed by the favorite Tom’s d’Etat (6/5) and Code of Honor (5/2). DHP rates the speed edge to Tom’s d’Etat with co-class advantage to Tom’s d’Etat and Code of Honor just ahead of Improbable.
numberFire has those three in the money and switches Improbable with Tom’s d’Etat on top.
Here's a full breakdown of the Whitney Stakes.
Eight Rings and Tap It to Win , Race 10
FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/1 and 5/1
Race 10 has high payoff potential for the $300K H. Allen Jerkens (G1) at 7 furlongs. Guaranteed Tip Sheet notes than six or seven runners are capable of winning this race but gives the speed and final say to favorite No Parole (9/5) with inclusion for Eight Rings (8/1), Mischevious Alex (8/1).
Horse Racing Nation’s Super Screener has three must inclusions with Tap It to Win (5/1) a value play and pace presser and a deep closer and big longshot Sonneman (50/1) capable of hitting the board along with No Parole in the mix.
The wide open race with differing opinions continues with numberFire going across the board with Three Technique (6/1) on top followed by Liam’s Pride (20/1) and Echo Town (9/2).
Cross Border and Pillar Mountain, Race 11
FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2 and 12/1
Race 11 is the $250K Bowling Green (G2) for older horses running a route at 1 3/8 miles on the Inner Turf. Surprisingly, no Chad Brown-trained runner in here, but other leading trainers and EPO mask masters are in here with Todd Pletcher’s Pillar Mountain (12/1), Brad Cox’s Dot Matrix (9/2) and a pair for Mike Maker in Cross Border (5/2) and Marzo (8/1).
Cross Border will likely be on the lead and looking to relax on the front end. He’s 4-for-4 over this turf course but should have to hold off a charge from a live longshot Pillar Mountain. He raced here in June off a long layoff and won here a year go with a top 109 speed figure. Highland Sky (15/1) is another viable longshot underneath.
Morning line favorite Sadler’s Joy (2/1) is the top pick of numberFire but is vulnerable and not worth the risk/reward. He’s 0-for-4 this year, and his lone Grade 1 win was in 2017. Speed figures are solid and consistent triple-digits.
