ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, CLASSIC COLORS

FIRST RACE

ELEGANT ZIP has made her last two starts going 5.5 furlongs vs. better fields for this level and she was right there in contention into deep stretch before getting outfinished; route on turf for the first time with tactical speed from an inside draw. DANCINGWTHDAFFODLS rallied into a strong pace to score two starts back going seven then got an overly conservative ride over yielding ground last time, before putting in a good finish for 3rd; reunites with Ortiz and will be a price. PECATONICA logical in this spot while in form with a tactical running style; sat a nice trip over that yielding course last time and was clear in second ahead of DANCINGWTHDAFFODLS.

SECOND RACE

CLASSIC COLORS switched to turf and stretched out for her second start at Saratoga and she showed big improvement in that spot to finish a gaining 3rd after missing the break behind Seasons, who just finished 3rd in the Grade 1 Natalma at Woodbine; looks tough dropping in to face NY-breds for her second start on grass. COSMIC KITTEN is a sister to six winners from this dam, three of them turf winners, including fullsister Sky Kitten who just won a turf race at Saratoga with a 73 Beyer; gets Velazquez for a capable first-out trainer. LYN B a stablemate to the top one making her debut for excellent first-out trainer Clement; dam was a route winner for this trainer in an abbreviated career and she is a daughter of Grade 3 turf winner Strike It Rich.

THIRD RACE

BACKSIDEOFTHEMOON is 0-5 since being claimed by these connections for $100k last November, but he has tried one tough spot after another in that time and has run well without winning every time; gets some class relief for this and he has the tactical speed to avoid being compromised by pace. WINSTON’S CHANCE ran close to his top two and three starts back for this trainer and he had a big excuse for that last one when chasing a fast pace being set by the impressive Sea

Foam; in form and looks like a nice fit in this spot. EMPTY TOMB endured a failed turf experiment in his first start for Maker off the layoff then got back to one of his better races when entered MTO last time and setting a legit pace in the mud; think this slightly shorter trip around one turn can play to his strengths.

FOURTH RACE

MICROMILLION made her turf debut at this level off the layoff in July and gave away early position in the early stages, which force her into a wide trip before she rallied gamely for 2nd; figures tough dropping back down but must work out a trip from the outside post. UNICORN SALLY ran well in her first two starts off the layoff vs. MSW rivals, including that effort two back when stumbling awkwardly at the start and then being forced to come around widest to the stretch; was caught wide from an outside post when dropped in class last time. KEPT WAITING blew a stretch lead in her first start to Miceli at Saratoga then sat a perfect stalking trip and was only second-best last time; gets the right class drop for this and projects for another nice trip.

FIFTH RACE

FINANCIAL FREEDOM is making his first start on this circuit as a 9yo and doing so at the right time having finished in the exacta in his last ten dirt starts while earning competitive figures; second off the layoff for an underrated trainer who is 4 for his last 24 (17%) first off the claim, with a big $4.58 ROI. AUTOSTRADE was turned back unsuccessfully in his last two starts but he ran better than it looks over course and distance prior to that

when involved on a fast pace vs. a much better field; back-classer will be tough at this level with one of his good races. LATER CAT came wide and just fell short in his first start off the claim while sprinting off the layoff; earned competitive 78 Beyer for that effort and backed it up well with a clear-cut win vs. weaker at Monmouth.

SIXTH RACE

CARAMOCHA a $100k purchase by a sire who wins with 14% of his juvenile first time starters, and out of a winning sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Artemis Agrotera; Friedman doesn’t have much of a recent history with horses like this 0-20 with firsters over the past five years, almost all at big prices - but he does a good job overall and this filly appears to be training forwardly into this. TANGERINE DREAM and U SHOULD B DANCING debuted in the same race at Saratoga, which was scheduled for turf but rained off to the main track. TANGERINE DREAM stumbled at the start of that race, before making a game outside move to contention and finishing a good 3rd. U SHOULD B DANCING lacked early speed but was racing on gamely late while still appearing to be a bit green.

SEVENTH RACE

KITTEN’S CAT dropped off the layoff back in June and came through with a solid win as the favorite, then got in over his head on the claim in his next start; finished a good 3rd at this level last time and figures tough returning for $25k off the claim for Englehart. MCERIN has made all four starts this year routing to no avail after leaving the Servis barn; has some questions to answer at Pletcher tries to get him back to his best, but do think that sprinting on turf is his game. DUNCASTLE dueled and tired when rained off last time and he weakened to finish behind KITTEN’S CAT on turf two starts back; can handle the added distance of this race but can’t afford to get involved with MCERIN, or one of the other potential speeds, early.

EIGHTH RACE

THE LAST ZIP broke his maiden over course and distance last summer with a 90 Beyer and would go on to place in a pair of graded stakes thereafter, including the Grade 1 Secretariat; has made only two starts on turf so far this year to no avail, but figures tough taking this drop in class in a race without much other pace. BIRD’S EYE VIEW can be forward in this spot as he also drops in class while looking for his first win since June of 2018; 2 for 32 gelding has held his own vs. better horses throughout his career and is finally getting the class relief he needs. BAD GUY came wide and rallied to just fall short at this level off the bench back in June. then stepped up into a much tougher spot and was outrun by a fast pace; finished a game 3rd in his most recent turf start when wired by Ian Glass.

NINTH RACE

LOGIC N REASON was a convincing maiden winner in her final start as a 2yo when getting more distance to work with and she has not exactly had the run of the race in either start since returning from the layoff; got in tight between horses in the stretch and appeared to get intimidated while having to steady out of contention off the layoff, and she wound up contesting a solid pace in a race that went to closers last time. CAPITAL STRUCTURE debuted at Monmouth in July and scored easily over what appeared to be a weak field; earned a solid figure for that effort and will be tough with any improvement for top connections. CRYSTALLE makes a belated 3yo debut following nearly a full year on the sidelines since contesting the Breeders’ Cup last November; showed plenty of talent last year but has a right to need one following the extended break.

TENTH RACE

LEMONCELLA made her first two starts on turf without factoring but may be more suited to these conditions being a sister to a pair of multiple dirt winners from a dam who also went 0-2 on turf to begin her career, before breaking her maiden first time on dirt and then going on to place in the Grade 3 Victory Ride; class drop helps for Gullo, who has won with his first two starters at the meet. MIND OF GOLD caught slop first time out then went to Monmouth and improved over a fast track while finishing a close 3rd; fits for a high-percentage trainer. OAK CREEK CANYON was shut off at the start after failing to break sharply in her debut, after which she never got involved in a race she likely needed; goes off the claim for top connections and is eligible to improve quickly.

SCRATCH BOARD

Here are the horses entered today who have been scratched in the last 45 days and have not raced since the scratch. Definitions: Off the turf: Turf race switched to main track. Trainer: Any scratch made by a trainer, including ones for weather, medical issues, a decision not to run in a stakes race, a horse entered back the next racing day, or a conditional entry (i.e., main track only for a turf race). Vet: Injury or illness. Steward: Administrative issues like medication and eligibility.