The second of 10 (!) Saturday cards at the 2026 Saratoga Race Course meeting arrives as we near the midpoint of July and rev up for the start of The Saratoga Special’s 26th publishing season.
Saturday’s 11-race slate features a pair of stakes – the Grade 2, $250,000 Caress Stakes for fillies and mares sprinting on the grass and the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green going long on the turf.
The day starts at 12:35 p.m. with a 2-year-old maiden race going 5 1/2 furlongs and there’s another juvenile event going the same distance for the fillies in the second race.
The 5 1/2-furlong Caress drew a field of seven that includes Grade 2 winner In Our Time and Grade 3 winner Italian Soiree, who both exit the Grade 2 Intercontinental at Saratoga during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Zeitlos, Sunna and Movin’ On Up add depth to the cast. The Caress runs as the fifth race at 2:47 p.m.
The 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green goes as the 10th race at 5:39. Seven runners are entered for the turf with a trio entered main track only. European invader Fort George and 2024 Grade 1 Saratoga Derby winner Carson’s Run figure to take plenty of action, along with Mirate Station and Ole Crazy Bone.
Friday, Sippin Pretty pulled a massive upset in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes for trainer Ian Wilkes and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. Owned by Randall Block, Six Column Stable, Mike Davis and Gene Rice, the daughter of Yaupon paid $55.18 while defeating favorite Goodall by 1 1/4 lengths. Wilkes runner A Fine Chardonnay was third. None of the handicappers came up with that bomber on a tough day. Jessica Paquette opened with three consecutive winners ($58.28 pick three) to be up $4.40 on the day while Charles Bedard’s two winners Baby Sassicaia ($15.72) in the eighth and Two Ducks ($9.04) in the 10th helped fuel his positive day.
Here are the picks for Saturday, July 11. Good luck.
TOM LAW (11/50, -$31.44):
1-Harbaugh, Midnight Still, Decimation.
2-Hot Fries, Aerial Affair, Angel Of Kirk.
3-Speightful Lily, Army Gal, Gridlock.
4-Sounds Like A Plan, Final Verdict, Life And Times.
5-In Our Time, Sunna, Italian Soiree.
6-D’muehl, Uptown Rosie, Secret Connection.
7-Unit Economics, Yinzer, Plensa.
8-Bosun, Cyclonite, Grunge.
9-Tricky Business, Sunday Boy, Judge Boushay.
10-Fort George, Ole Crazy Bone, Carson’s Run.
11-Karsten, Classic Commander, Coach Ryan.
JOHN SHAPAZIAN (12/50, -$39.04):
1-Midnight Still, Decimation, Magic Chuck.
2-Aerial Affair, Angel Of Kirk, Harpoon.
3-Speightful Lily, Army Gal, Next On Stage.
4-Sounds Like A Plan, Intellect, Life And Times.
5-In Our Time, Sunna, Italian Soiree.
6-Annotate, Secret Connection, Rosapenna.
7-Unit Economics, Yinzer, Starship Titan.
8-Cyclonite, Gypsy Art, Bosun.
9-Tricky Business, Toscano, King Farro.
10-Ole Crazy Bone, Fort George, Minaret Station.
11-Karsten, Coach Ryan, Maximum Heat.
CHARLES BEDARD (13/50, -$13.80):
1-Motawaali, Johnny Hockey, Harbaugh.
2-Christopher Vedder, Hormesis, Angel Of Kirk.
3-Next On Stage, Speightful Lily, Army Gal.
4-Ejtimaa, Sherlock’s Jewel, Life And Times.
5-Zeitlos, Italian Soiree, In Our Time.
6-Annotate, B Yutiful Carly, Luck Penny.
7-Unit Economics, Candytown, Unlimitedpotential.
8-Grunge, Cyclonite, Gypsy Art.
9-Judge Boushay, Hey Toby, Sunday Boy.
10-Minaret Station, Ole Crazy Bone, Dr. Kraft.
11-Karsten, Before The Wind, Manor Park.
ROB WHITLOCK (10/50, -$21.18):
1-Midnight Still, Harbaugh, Magic Chuck.
2-Hormesis, Harpoon, Aerial Affair.
3-Gridlock, Army Gal, Speightful Lily.
4-Burhan, Sounds Like A Plan, Intellect.
5-In Our Time, Italian Soiree, Sunna.
6-Uptown Rosie, Rosapenna, Call Me Rosie.
7-Yinzer, Unit Economics, Walley World.
8-Bosun, Sweeping Shadow, Grunge.
9-Judge Bushay, Toscano, Sunday Boy.
10-Minaret Station, Carson’s Run, Fort George.
11-Before The Wind, Coach Ryan, Maximum Heat.
JESSICA PAQUETTE (6/50, -$55.96):
1-Harbaugh, Decimation, Motawaali.
2-Harpoon, Rum Twist, Angel Of Kirk.
3-Speightful Lily, Army Gal, Next On Stage.
4-Sounds Like A Plan, Intellect, Ejtimaa.
5-In Our Time, Italian Soiree, Zeitlos.
6-Early And Often, D’muehl, Uptown Rosie.
7-Plensa, Unit Economics, Candytown.
8-Grunge, Gypsy Art, Bosun.
9-Tricky Business, Judge Boushay, Sunday Boy.
10-Desvio, Soleil Volant, Minaret Station.
11-Karsten, Classic Commander, Coach Ryan.
