Free Picks For Saratoga - 7/30/20

Race 7 - Starter Allowance $50,000 (Purse -$55,000)

Eight male horses, between 4-and-6 years old, will go six-and-one half furlongs on the dirt. I believe that this is essentially a two-horse race between #5 My Man Firestone and #8 Mister Bobby. Mister Bobby has run exceptionally consistently lately and is coming off a second-place finish despite bumping with a foe early in the meet at this level going six furlongs earlier this month, The 4-year-old gelding runs well and has finished in the money in 50% of his career races. My Man Flinstone bounced back from recording a DNF, in his first try on the grass, with a second-place performance though he was no match for the winner. The son of Into Mischief is the fastest horse in the field and has run well at this distance. Overall, My Man Flinstone has cashed in five of his eight races on the main track. #4 Dangerous Edge is stepping up in class after finishing third and fourth against $25,000 and $40,000 claimers in his last two races. This is Dangerous Edge’s third race since moving to John Toscano’s barn.

Picks: I like a show be on #4. I also like an exacta box bet of #5, #8.

Race 9 - John Morrissey Handicap (Purse - $85,00)

Nine New York-bred male horses will go seven furlongs in this handicap. This should be an excellent race. #6 Funny Guy enters the foray in good form having either won or finishing second in each of his last six Black Type Stakes races including The Commentator Stakes (June 12), while posting a career-best ESPeed of 112 in his first start of the year. The 4-year-old colt has been pretty consistent in his recent workouts as well. Joel Rosario, who has won 19% of his stakes races this year, will be in the saddle for the excellent closer once again. #1 Pat On The Back is arguably the classiest of the horses in this field and was very very much in contention in the Commentator Stakes until weakening down the stretch and finishing sixth in his last outing (June 12), which was his first appearance of the year. The 201 2 Kelso Championship Stakes (Grade 2) champion has won 25% of his stakes races while finishing in the money in 72% of those races. Pat On The Back, who gets the inside post rather than an outside spot like his last outing, put up a superb workout last Thursday, going four furlongs in 47.83 seconds. #5 Bankit has been very consistent in each of his last eight races and has six cashes to show for it, including five Stakes races. Bankit has finished in the top 3 in each of his three races at Saratoga and has done so in 62% of his career starts overall. #8 My Boy Tate has been inconsistent of late and #9 Celtic Chaos should also be considered in exotic bets.

Picks: I like an exacta box of #6, #1. I also like a trifecta box bet of #6, #1,#8, #5.

Race 1 - Claiming $40,000 (Purse - $62,000)

Six 3-year-old fillies are set to go one and one-sixteenth miles on the turf. This should be an excellent meet. #4 Sugar Fix has been very consistent lately and is in great form overall. She has finished in the top 3 in seven of nine starts, including five wins (three straight), on the grass though this is only her second start at the current distance. In addition, Sugar Fix has won all three of her claiming events since breaking her maiden. #5 New Day Dawning returns to the grass, where she is 3-0-1-0, after finishing third in a six and one-half furlong event on the dirt against $50,000 optional claimers at Ellis Park. The daughter of Meglia D’Oro runs well at this distance and also had an excellent workout last week, going four-furlongs in 47.7 seconds. #7 Little Red Frog has finished second in each of her two starts on the turf. Out of Mike Maker’s barn, Little Red Frog just missed a win by a neck, in her last outing in a seven-furlong event in a $40,000 waiver claiming event on June 7. #6 Tonal Vision has shown improvement in each of his last two starts and has run pretty well at this distance. The daughter of Tonalist is taking a huge drop in class, entering the claiming division for the first time, and is making her first start at Saratoga as well as on the turf.

Picks: I like an exacta/trifecta box of #4, #5, #7.