The second week of the extended 2026 Saratoga Race Course meetings kicks off Thursday with a another nine-race card and a rare day without a stakes race here in upstate New York.
How’s your bankroll faring after opening weekend? Fear not if it’s not up to par, there’s plenty of time to make up for lost ground and bad beats. Everything starts at 1:10 p.m. Thursday. Looks like the co-features on the day are the fifth race, a 1-mile optional claimer worth $120,000, and the sixth, a 1-mile optional claimer on the grass worth $125,000. There’s a 2-year-old maiden race on the grass, too, so a little something for everyone.
Just a week to go before the first edition of The Saratoga Special for 2026 (not counting the four we already did for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival). That starts a run of 20 papers for the season right through Labor Day weekend.
Here are the picks for Thursday, July 9. Good luck.
TOM LAW (6/31, -$19.66):
1-Snide, Tough Street, Bow Draw.
2-Generational, Excessif, Beach Sandals.
3-Cold Spell, Fletch’s Rockette, Lil Tipsy.
4-Amelia’s Echo, Heavens Lee, Twirly.
5-Soaring High, Madam Opus, Brunch With Amy.
6-Play With Fire, Queen Of Hawaii, Scythian.
7-Factually Correct, Red State, Gatsby.
8-Counter Move, Joker On Fire, Bridle A Butterfly.
9-Coordinator, C J Star, Feline Curious.
JOHN SHAPAZIAN (8/31, -$20.28):
1-Snide, Tough Street, Bow Draw.
2-Beach Sandals, Just A Holiday, Pirate Ship.
3-Cold Spell, Fletch’s Rockette, Lil Tipsy.
4-Amelia’s Echo, Miss American Pie, Margarita Molly.
5-Soaring High, Madam Opus, Hidden Rose.
6-Ashikidah, Brisbane, Play With Fire.
7-Red State, Gatsby, Factually Correct.
8-Counter Move, After Taxes, Joker On Fire.
9-Coordinator, C J Star, Pay The Piper.
CHARLES BEDARD (7/31, -$22.60):
1-Bow Draw, Snide, Royal Bobbie.
2-Pirate Ship, Call Attendant, Excessif.
3-Cold Spell, Lil Tipsy, Fletch’s Rockette.
4-Amelia’s Echo, Margarita Molly, Heavens Lee.
5-Soaring High, Brunch With Amy, Will Not Be Swayed.
6-Brisbane, Opulent Restraint, Play With Fire.
7-Gatsby, Red State, Factually Correct.
8-Golden Symphony, Russi, Joker On Fire.
9-Okefenokee, Coordinator, C J Star.
ROB WHITLOCK (4/31, -$31.98):
1-Tough Street, Snide, Street View.
2-Pirate Ship, Captain G, Just A Holiday.
3-Cold Spell, Fletch’s Rockets, Collective Bargain.
4-Margarita Molly, Twirly, Defining Role.
5-Soaring High, Hidden Rose, Brunch With Amy.
6-Pop Art, Queen Of Hawaii, Brisbane.
7-Red State, War Master, Factually Correct.
8-After Taxes, Counter Move, Global Prosperity.
9-Ollie Luke Out, Iron Palace, Coordinator.
JESSICA PAQUETTE (1/31, -$56.66):
1-Snide, Tough Street, Bow Draw.
2-Excessif, Pirate Ship, Beach Sandals.
3-Cold Spell, Fletch’s Rockette, Rose To Riches.
4-Amelia’s Echo, Margarita Molly, Twirly.
5-Hidden Rose, Soaring High, Madam Opus.
6-Struts Her Stuff, Scythian, Opulent Restraint.
7-Gatsby, Red State, War Master.
8-Kid Billy, Counter Move, Launch Patrol.
9-Feline Curious, Iron Palace, Coordinator.
