Three graded races top Saratoga’s final Saturday card of the meet. Race 9 is the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes, Race 10 is the Grade 1 Spinaway while the featured race on the card, Race 11 is the Grade 1 Woodward. Check our full analysis and horse racing odds for Saturday’s top races at the The Spa!
Saratoga Odds & Betting Picks for Saturday, September 1
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Race 9 – Grade 3 Saranac Stakes, $300,000
1 1/8 miles-Turf
For a Grade 3, the Saranac appears wide-open with Raging Bull at 2/1, Up the Ante at 7/2, and Maraud at 9/2 on the morning line. None of them deserve top billing because Steve Asmussen might have a sneaky overlaid shot in Hot Springs. At 12/1 on the morning line, many handicappers might overlook how Hot Springs faced a crowd at the top of the stretch in the July 14 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park. With nowhere to go, jockey Feargal Lynch did the best he could. Hot Springs finished second. He’s improved every race and the works over Saratoga’s lawn are great. Up the Ante should finish second. Breaking from post-position 1, jockey Javier Castellano will put Up the Ante right on the lead. Other speed, including Maraud, should soften him up for Hot Springs. Maraud is a good racehorse. This might not set up for him, though. Raging Bull, the morning line chalk, could easily win this. But, he figures over bet in this spot.- First: Hot Springs
- Second: Up the Ante
- Third: Maraud
Race 10 – Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes, $350,000
7 furlong-Dirt
Freshman fillies hit the dirt for the Grade 1 Spinaway on Sep. 1. On paper, the race looks wide-open, but jockey Mike Smith and trainer Bob Baffert are in town with 5/2 on the morning line Chasing Yesterday. The Tapit sired filly from broodmare Littleprincessmama has the goods to beat her competition. She broke her maiden at first asking by 4 ¼ lengths. Since then, like most Baffert runners, she’s trained lights out. Catherinethegreat won the Grade 3 Schuylerville earlier in the Saratoga Meet. Trainer Mark Casse has done nothing wrong with the Uncaptured filly. She should get a nice stalking trip behind Nonna Madeline. Todd Pletcher trains the speed of the speed. If nobody goes with jockey John Velasquez, he could steal the race aboard Nonna Madeline. The three chalks look tough to beat in the Grade 1 Spinaway on Saturday.- First: Chasing Yesterday
- Second: Catherinethegreat
- Third: Nonna Madeline
Race 11 – Grade 1 Woodward Stakes, $750,000
1 1/8 miles-Dirt
When I write the Grade 1 Woodward is wide-open, I truly mean it. Who deserves a look to win the Woodward on Saturday? 10/1 Chad Brown trainee Kurilov proved he can run on dirt when finishing second in the $100,000 Alydar Stakes in his last. Sired by Lookin At Lucky, Kurilov won a Grade 1 over dirt in his native Chile last year. Dirt might be his preferred surface while Brown could do no wrong until Good Magic and Gronkowski bombed in the Travers Stakes last Saturday. Seeking the Soul should be in a good position to win the race. The Grade 1 Clark Handicap winner finished a decent second in an ungraded stakes race at Indiana Downs in July. He should be tighter in this. That makes him a contender. For third, I’m going with 30/1 on the morning line Term of Art. Brad Cox trains and he should be on the lead because the other speed breaks to the outside of him.- First: Kurilov
- Second: Seeking the Soul
- Third: Term of Art
