Sarandia excels at Glens Falls distance

NEW YORK – Labor Day Weekend is at hand, which means we are down to the last Saturday cards of the big summer meets at Saratoga and Del Mar.

The main event at Saratoga is the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward Stakes, but there are three other stakes on the program, most notably the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway. The Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante is the headliner at Del Mar, with the Grade 2, $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes being the supporting feature.

If the weather cooperates, Saturday will be opening day of the rich, all-turf Kentucky Downs meet, with the $400,000 Tourist Mile topping the four stakes on the card. But a cancellation seems like a distinct possibility since heavy rain was expected in the days preceding the opener, perhaps more than six inches, according to the National Weather Service. Track management was scheduled to issue an update on the status of Saturday’s card late Friday afternoon.

Glens Falls Stakes

With Gun Runner looming large over only four opponents in the Woodward, the Spinaway also attracting only five entrants, and the exciting and undefeated Bricks and Mortar looking like a probable winner in the Saranac, this is easily the best betting race of the stakes offerings at Saratoga.

For better or worse, I’m against Estrechada, Lottie, and Summersault – the one-two-three finishers in the Waya Stakes earlier in this meet. Estrechada might have had traffic trouble two starts back in the River Memories, but she previously had turned in only one good race in this country, and since she was 56-1 in that effort, it was a surprise. I’m taking Estrechada’s win in the Waya as an indication that the field was not especially strong.

I’m not picking them on top, but I do think War Flag and Harmonize are much more appealing win candidates. War Flag has yet to finish worse than second, and her second in the Matchmaker most recently (ahead of the highly accomplished Miss Temple City, who was outside of her element that day going nine furlongs) was a fine effort considering that she was not well set up from a pace standpoint.

As for Harmonize, she has been in very deep waters in the Grade 1 Diana and Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes in her last two starts. She’ll appreciate this class drop, and she might like this 1 3/8-mile distance.

Sarandia is my play, however. Sarandia made her U.S. debut recently in the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes, and though she finished sixth after lagging early, she was beaten only 2 1/2 lengths. Not only is this a considerably softer spot than the Beverly D., the stretch-out from 1 3/16 miles is right in Sarandia’s wheelhouse. She is 5 for 8 at this 11-furlong trip, including a narrowly beaten second of 16 in last year’s Group 1 German Oaks and two dominating wins prior to the Beverly D. in which she earned strong Timeform ratings.

John C. Mabee Stakes

My hope is that the three-plus-month layoff and the No. 13 hole throw some of the betting public off Goodyearforroses, because as sharp as some of her opponents might be, her form this year is a significant cut above this field.

Cambodia was good in winning the Yellow Ribbon last time out in her California debut, and Mrs McDougal figures to only improve on a good third in her recent seasonal debut, but Goodyearforroses’s sharp second most recently in the Grade 1 Gamely to none other than Lady Eli towers over this group.

Lady Eli always had the jump on Goodyearforroses in the Gamely, but Goodyearforroses still gamely ran her to within a half-length. Of course, Lady Eli has since come back to win the Grade 1 Diana and the Grade 2 Ballston Spa, and is the best female turf horse in the country.

Susan’s Girl Stakes

Go Astray was good in winning the Desert Vixen last time, and the wellregarded Reagan’s Rose finally got her picture taken most recently, but it’s all Dessert Honeys for me here, even if she is a maiden facing winners.

Dessert Honeys made her only start last month at Saratoga, and not only did she come from a distant last after a slow start to finish a gaining fourth, beaten just 2 1/2 lengths, she did so on a track that was extremely kind, if not outright biased, toward speed horses.