Notes on the Saturday Program

By Jude T. Feld

Former relief pitcher Rob Murphy owns major contender GOLDEN SPIKES, entered in the King’s Bishop (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday.

Saturdays like this is why all of us love summer racing. Check the weather and track conditions before wagering and enjoy the magnificent stakes from coast-to-coast.

Six “need the lead” types are set to contest the Victory Ride (G3), SARATOGA’s 8TH RACE. It is not a stretch to think that PORTE BONHEUR will be in the right place to pounce on the tiring leaders. At 8-1 on the morning line, the $250,000 Keeneland September yearling offers tremendous value.

A legitimate case can be made for THORN SONG, OPERATION RED DAWN and PROUDINSKY to win the Bernard Baruch (G2), SARATOGA’s 9TH RACE. They are all listed at 5-1 or less in the program. YATES BLACK CAT earned a better turf figure than the lot of them in his last start at Arlington Park and opens at 15-1 with Robby Albarado in the saddle. He is a “must use” in the exotics.

Former Major League relief pitcher Rob Murphy’s M375 Thoroughbreds sends out GOLDEN SPIKES in the King’s Bishop (G1), SARATOGA’s 10TH RACE. The Grade 2 winner finds a ton of pace to run at and looks like the horse favorite J BE K needs to fear most down the lane.

The Travers (G1) is SARATOGA’s 11TH RACE. Affectionately known as “the summer Derby,” this year’s race includes five colts who raced in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and several others who were hoping to. COURT VISION, who finished 13th – 24 lengths behind his stablemate Big Brown – on the first Saturday in May, seems to have blossomed in his last two starts. Narrowly beaten in the Virginia Derby, he earned a massive Brisnet speed figure in that race, pointing him out as a strong contender. His 12-1 opening line is way out of whack.

ELLIS PARK’s 10TH RACE, the Turf Stakes, offers the most solid exacta box of the day. SWINGIT and KISS WITH A TWIST are class stand outs and if they can avoid traffic woes, one of them should be posing for photos.

Champion Better Talk Now’s “rabbit,” SHAKE THE BANK, is entered in the Leeward Stakes, PRESQUE ISLE DOWNS’ 7TH RACE. He has tremendous speed and if he takes to the Polytrack, he could be long gone.

SPRING HOUSE will be the deserved favorite in the Del Mar Handicap (G2), DEL MAR’s 8TH RACE. The connections of CHURCH SERVICE will be praying the Julio Canani trainee gets bottled up on the tight Jimmy Durante turf course so they can take home the flowers and the trophy.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 22nd, 2008 at 11:56 am and is filed under Selections. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.