Labor Day Weekend – and the final weekend of racing at Saratoga Race Course for 2020 – kick into gear with Friday’s 12-race Saratoga Showcase program for New York-breds. Six stakes line the varied card, which features everything from 2-year-old dirt sprints to two-turn events on the grass for older horses.
Make sure you set a reminder that the opener goes a bit earlier than usual – 12:20 p.m. and the Seeking The Ante Stakes. The stakes are spaced out every-other-race for a bit after that – the Albany as the third at 1:28, Yaddo the fifth at 2:34 and Funny Cide the seventh at 3:50 – before the Fleet Indian goes as the 10th at 5:34 and West Point as the 11th at 6:07.
And don’t forget the Kentucky Oaks, featuring the showdown between recent Saratoga Grade 1 winners Gamine and Swiss Skydiver. The Oaks goes at 5:45, the 12th of 13 races Friday in Louisville.
The handicappers have an opinion on all of the above, including special Oaks selections. We won’t include those in the final tally but it’s fun to see who they like nonetheless.
Here are the picks for Friday, Sept. 4. Good luck and enjoy.
Kentucky Oaks
John Shapazian – Swiss Skydiver, Speech, Donna Veloce
Tom Law – Swiss Skydiver, Speech, Gamine.
Charles Bedard – Gamine, Swiss Skydiver, Speech.
Rob Whitlock – Gamine, Speech, Tempers Rishing.
Saratoga Showcase Day
JOHN SHAPAZIAN (120/360, 33.3 percent):
1-Rossa Veloce, Summer Brew, Make Mischief.
2-Judge N Jury, Work Out, Saratoga Flash.
3-Chestertown, City Man, Microsecond.
4-Martinez, Chrome Dixie, Action Jackson.
5-Fifty Five, Classic Lady, War Canoe.
6-Tercero, Judge Alexander, Papa Luke.
7-Effinity, Eagle Orb, Lookin For Trouble.
8-Astoria Kitten, Light In The Sky, Lem Me Have It.
9-Rodriguez entry, Freewheeler, Three Outlaws.
10-Critical Value, Ice Princess, Makingcents.
11-Dot Matrix, Rinaldi, Gucci Factor.
12-Smite, Imperio D, Fluent In Sarcasm.
TOM LAW (108/360, 30 percent):
1-Rossa Veloce, Summer Brew, Make Mischief.
2-Work Out, Skippingandajumpin, Judge N Jury.
3-Chestertown, City Man, Microsecond.
4-Martinez, Chrome Dixie, Halpert.
5-Classic Lady, War Canoe, Kreesie.
6-Advanced Strategy, Papa Luke, Tercero.
7-Effinity, Lookin For Trouble, Thin White Duke.
8-Astoria Kitten, Light In The Sky, Summer At The Spa.
9-Rodriguez entry, Freewheeler, Luna’s In Charge.
10-Critical Value, Ice Princess, Sharp Starr.
11-Therapist, Dot Matrix, Rinaldi.
12-Imperio D, Smite, Boom Boom Kaboom.
CHARLES BEDARD (97/360, 26.9 percent):
1-Rossa Veloce, Make Mischief, Infringement.
2-Judge N Jury, Work Out, Saratoga Flash.
3-Chestertown, City Man, Turbo Drive.
4-Martinez, Step Dancer, I’m Blaming You.
5-Fifty Five, Myhartblongstodady, Wegetsdamunnys.
6-Raven Rocks, Advanced Strategy, Papa Luke.
7-Eagle Orb, Lookin For Trouble, Thin White Duke.
8-Astoria Kitten, Pandamom, Morning Colors.
9-Freewheeler, Uncle George, Awesome Ammo.
10-Critical Value, Ice Princess, Makingcents.
11-Therapist, Rinaldi, Dot Matrix.
12-Imperio D, Smite, Boom Boom Kaboom.
ROB WHITLOCK (87/360, 24.2 percent):
1-Summer Brew, Ross’s Veloce, Samborella.
2-Devious Mo, Work Out, Saratoga Flash.
3-City Man, Turbo Drive, Chestertown.
4-Halpert, Martinez, Hurtgen Forest.
5-War Canoe, Classic A Lady, Fifty Five.
6-Advanced Strategy, Raven Rocks, Papa Lukes.
7-Market Alert, Windy Nations, Effinity.
8-Astoria Kitten, Morning Colors, Herwaze.
9-Awesome Ammo, Inside Info, Freewheeler.
10-Ice Princess, Critical Value, Makingcents.
11-Gucci Factor, Ronaldo, Blewitt.
12-Boom Boom Kaboom, Smite, Tempesta.
