FIFTH RACE

EVERYBODY LOVES ME brought a big ticket after working a quick 9.4 at OBS in April, and he has some pedigree being by the speedy sire Maclean’s Music, and out of a winning dam who is a sister to this year’s Arkansas Derby runnerup Conquest Mo Money; needs a scratch to get in. HONEY GLOW the first 2yo to debut for the ever-dangerous Pletcher barn at the meet; home-bred is by a top sire and out of a dam who is a sister to the multiple graded stakes winner Indian Vale (2nd dam won the Grade 1 Test here). SUNNY’S FUNNY owns valuable experience, and while I didn’t love that debut run from her, Asmussen has historically been much better with his juvenile maidens making their second career start, especially in dirt sprints (past five years, 29% from a big sample, $2.21 ROI, and 9-21 at Saratoga with a $4.08 ROI). COUNTRY AFFAIR an expensive Uncle Mo debuting for Lukas; dam is a sister to Pioneer of the Nile.

SIXTH RACE

MO PROMISE has posted lone win so far over a sloppy main track going a mile, but the best race she has run to date was likely that debut over this course and distance as a 2yo; cuts back for second start off the layoff after getting up close to a solid pace routing and giving way vs. a much better field. SAME KINDA CRAZY was on a class drop when winning here last summer, but she went on to improve her form from there, and fits well in this field with one of her better races; good try two back in race where she was held up in a bit of traffic before altering course in the stretch. SWAYED showed speed in return from a long layoff back in May, and gave way when challenged in the stretch in race she had to need; competitive with her best race, and she will go with lasix on for the first time. WANTAGH QUEEN caught a pace to run at and closed it down in her first start back for underrated trainer; infrequent winner needs another setup for go back-to-back.

SEVENTH RACE

Understand why they tried to make MUQTASER a dirt horse after that big win in the slop last October, but he has made it pretty clear that he is better off on turf, and he was unlucky not to win when switched back last time after getting shut off in the stretch; shaped with plenty of promise in Europe early on, including an impressive win over a distance of ground, and he reportedly bled in that last start over there. MESSI has managed to pick up a couple of wins at the graded stakes level over here, but he really struggles with those horses, for the most part; not that this is an easy allowance, but he is 2-for-2 at this kind of level, including an impressive win over this course and distance, and he looks set to trip out while saving ground in this spot. HIGHLAND SKY has been a disappointment since starting back as an older horse, and still not so sure that I prefer him going in these longer races, but he has missed in a couple of recent photos, and it’s not like he had a ton of pace to set him up in either of those races.

EIGHTH RACE

STAINLESS a debut winner for Pletcher down in Florida, which is no surprise, but liked the way he closed that race down after being put on the chase by a fast horse right from the start; wellposted on the outside ndin race not lacking for fast horses. BUY SELL HOLD impressed right on the front-end in short KEE debut, then worked harder on the chase and managed to grind out a win over the boys in her second start; takes on an added furlong off a bit of a layoff, but she should be okay with that. LIMITED VIEW was purchased for just over $5k and has little pedigree to speak of, but that stuff mattered not when showing good speed and then going on to easy score in her debut at Laurel; will find this tougher, but she will be a price and she really did run well first time out for trainer who does good work with 2yos. MEL’S GONE WILD flashed big speed and never looked back in her debut, which was only a 4.5-furlong race; tough post with other speeds in here, but she may be fastest early and she jumped well from the gate in that first one .

NINTH RACE

DEFIANT HONOR was a solid 2yo for a master trainer, and she was likely best in that mess of a Jimmy Durante at Del Mar before hitting the sidelines; seems like a sure-fire stakes horse assuming she keeps things going forward, and she started back the right way when kicking clear of allowance rivals with a new top figure. DREAM DANCING was a good winner from a tough post here last summer vs. maidens, and she went forward immediately once switched back to grass this year after failing to develop into a dirt horse; likely to revert to closing tactics from this post, after keeping close tabs on New Money Honey early and proving to be no match last time. PARTY BOAT might have won that Penn Oaks last time if she could have gotten Union Avenue Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 584-6200 Main track: One and one-eighths mile, oval. Mellon turf course: One mile, 98 feet. Inner turf course: Seven Furlongs, 304 feet. Distance from last turn to finish line: 1,144 feet.

TAKEOUT INFORMATION ■ Win, place, and show: 16% ■ Daily Double, Quinella, and Exacta wagering: 18.5% ■ Trifecta, Pick Three, Pick 4 and Superfecta wagering: 24% ■ Pick 5 wagering: 15% ■ Pick 6 wagering: 24% (15% on non-carryover days) through between horses in the stretch, and that is the second time this year, from four starts, that she felt like a bit of an unlucky loser; looked good in the Memories of Silver two back, but that came after a perfect trip, and this is tougher. PROCTOR’S LEDGE has also been unlucky a couple of times this year following a pair of impressive wins at Gulfstream; lasix on for the first time and switches to Castellano.

TENTH RACE

Finale seems to be all about the dropdowns, but I’ll give PINCHPENNY one more try after failing to last on the lead most recently; turf debut wasn’t bad with a bit of a trip, and she’s a price. DYNAMIC WAR had speed but wasn’t good enough sprinting on synth as a 2yo; best to be forgiving of turf debut last time as she was bumped hard at the start before getting very rank in that race, and she will likely appreciate stepping in with maiden claimers for the first time. VEIL also getting some class relief, and she was rallying late to land a piece in her NY debut for Shug. SWEET CONNIE GIRL and MIZZENCAT the other MSW droppers to look at, though there hasn’t been much running form either one yet, and the former is sure to get bet considering connections. SUBMIT may not be very good, but she did lose all chance when allowed to get shuffled all the way out the back door last time; rider change.