Saratoga Horse Racing Picks for Sunday 8/30/20
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 numberFire’s 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.)
Elusive Site, Race 3
FanDuel Racing Odds: 2/1
Race 3 is a Maiden Special Weight for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs. The two favorites separate themselves from the field in breeding and talent, and numberFire’s algorithm projects No Mo’ Spending (6/5) and EPO trainer Todd Pletcher’s Elusive Site (2/1) to finish first and second, respectively.
Elusive Site makes her debut and has leading jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. riding. Top Race Reports notes she is well-bred by top new sire Liam’s Map out of Elusive Qualify mare.
No Mo’ Spending improved between her debut and second race, when she finished third as the favorite. She has a pair of solid training works in the morning since.
Gandy Dancing, Race 8
FanDuel Racing Odds: 2/1
Race 8 is an Allowance race for state-breds sprinting 6 furlongs. The top pick of Daily Horse Picks is Gandy Dancing for EPO trainer Chad Brown. Inside Info (8/1) and Harris Bay (3/1) are projected to hit the board, too.
Daily Horse Picks rates Three Jokers (4/1) and Harris Bay as the top two horses in Class with the speed favoring Gandy Dancing and Harris Bay. Far outside horse Riken (10/1) won three straight races, including two this summer at Belmont, before finishing poorly in a race early this month. Gandy Dancing finished a closed second and Harris Bay third. Gandy Dancing is improving in just his fourth start and came back with a pair of solid training works showing good fitness and health.
Golden Award and Another Broad, Race 9
FanDuel Racing Odds: 9/2 and 15/1
Race 7 is the Grade 3 Shuvee Stakes with nine older fillies and mares running a route a 1 1/8 miles. The favorite Letruska (3/1) is the top pick, according to numberFire's data, followed by Golden Award (9/2). Letruska has won 9-of-12 starts but finished fifth earlier this month in a Grade 1 race. Golden Award has won four of her last 10 starts with three runner-up finishes for trainer Bill Mott. She’s finding good health and should run well.
Daily Horse Picks projects longshot Lucky Stride (15/1) to win with leading jockey Jose Ortiz aboard. She’ll be a front runner and has shown some talent in Puerto Rico. EPO trainer Todd Pletcher has three runners in the race with Nonna Madeline (4/1) the second choice of DHP with Irad Ortiz, Jr. riding. She’ll likely stalk the pacesetters and is rated top speed in the race by Daily Horse Picks.
Trainer Chad Brown’s Royal Flag (7/2) has three wins in five starts and has finished in-the-money in every race. Top Race Reports prefers longshot Another Broad (15/1), also trained by Pletcher and ridden by top jockey Luis Saez. She’s been off since June, when she finished a closing third behind a top runner. This 5-year-old mare has multiple triple-digit speed figures and finished second behind Golden Award last November.
