HORSE RACING

​Saratoga Horse Racing Picks for Friday 8/13/21

Saratoga has 10 races on Friday, including a minor stakes race. Which horses should you bet on at FanDuel Racing?

Starting at 1:05 p.m. EST, we have 10 races at Saratoga. Using numberFire’s projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes and monitor 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).

Doc Doc Rock and Howdyoumakeyourmoney, Race 6

FanDuel Racing Odds: 2/1 and 9/2

Race 6 is a Maiden Special Weight for state-bred two-year-old fillies sprinting 6 furlongs. numberFire's data projects Doc Doc Rock (2/1) to beat Makin My Move (3/1) and Howdyoumakurmoney (9/2).

Leading jockeys Luis Saez, John Velazquez, and Jose Ortiz ride those three favorites, and Making My Move is an alternate for the race.

Doc Doc Rock makes her debut and has the most upside as a daughter of Into Mischief for EPO trainer Todd Pletcher.

Howdyoumakeurmoney is bred to be quick, and her recent worktab shows a good late move ahead of a horse who won here yesterday.

Duress and Shekky Shebaz, Race 8

FanDuel Racing Odds: 6/1 and 2/1

Race 8 is an Allowance sprint at 5 ½ furlongs. numberFire's algorithm projects the in-the-money finishers as Shekky Shebaz (2/1), Duress (6/1), both from the inside, and slight favorite Ragtime Blues (9/5), who will only run if the race is moved to the main dirt track.

Shekky Shebaz was once a stakes caliber sprinter, but he hasn't won since 2019 for top trainer Christophe Clement. Top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. does ride.

Duress had four straight in-the-money finishes until his race last month. He took money, broke poorly, and never fired in a race Shekky Shebaz finished second and Competitive Saint (4/1) finished third for show money.

Shashashakemeup and Bon Riason, Race 9

FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/1 and 8/1

Race 9 is the $120K Tale of the Cat Stakes Stakes for older horses sprinting 6 furlongs. A very competitive field according to FanDuel Racing odds, and numberFire's data picks Wind Of Change (2/1) over Shashashakemeup (8/1) and Wondrwherecraigis (9/5).

Wondrwherecraigis has four wins in seven starts, including last month at Pimlico with a blistering 118 speed figure. He finished fourth in his only start at Saratoga last summer, but it was his only graded stakes start. Jockey Luis Saez will push him along the front end with Wind of Change and Foolish Ghost (4/1), who have leading jockeys Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Joel Rosario riding.

Shashashakemeup is in great form and finished second earlier this year in a Grade 2 stakes race. He's a son of multiple Grade 1 winner Shackleford and enters with a strong workout in place, off a pair of runner-up finishes. Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. takes over to ride.

Bon Raison (8/1) races second off a layoff having run in a pair of Grade 1 races to close last year. He’s an 11-race winner with numerous triple digit speed figures including 116 in an upset win at this distance last fall. He offers solid value for respected trainer Jack Sisterson.