Pick 4 of the Week: Saratoga Saturday, July 18

A fun and challenging sequence, headlined by the feature, will make up the Pick 4 of the Week at Saratoga on Saturday. 

Race 4 Wager

• 50-cent Pick 4: 2,5 with 1,3,4,6 with 1,6 with 2,4,7,8 ($32)

Race 4 – Optional Claiming

Eight are entered for a 5 1/2-furlong dash on the sod to commence the play. #2 Dhabab (5-1) was nearly singled to kick off my play for trainer Eddie Vaughn. Choosing a one-run closer on this lawn currently is a dicey proposition, but the gelding has been facing excellent company and looks best to me for sure. 

I’ll also include Grade 3 hero #5 Spiced Up (3-1), who was a close second in a stakes-quality field on the oval on Belmont Day for Bill Mott. The colt has put in his best two efforts on this surface. 

Race 5 – Diana (G1)

Trainer Chad Brown has saddled nine winners in this race over the last 10 years, so it seems fairly likely to me that one of his four ladies entered in the tilt will come through with the victory. I’ll use each of them – Grade 1 heroine #1 Dynamic Pricing (6-1), New York (G1) third #3 Kathynmarissa (2-1), New York victress #4 Portfolio Duration (5-2), and Jenny Wiley (G1) queen #6 Segesta (3-1). 

Race 6 – Allowance

A well-matched field of eight will dash six furlongs on the dirt in the third leg of the sequence. I really liked the maiden win registered by #1 Tab At Zanzibar (4-1) on the Belmont Stakes undercard last time out, and think that he is a nice prospect for Brad Cox. The Candy Ride gelding has posted a trio of morning moves at this venue in advance of the tilt and retains regular rider Manny Franco. 

#6 Agoo (7-2) is not the easiest of reads, and he has also been off since 2024, but the Beckman trainee has run some big races in his career, and he looks live to me off the shelf in this one. The Munnings gelding has been working steadily in advance of the heat, and I expect him to get a fine voyage behind a fast and contested early pace, too. John Velazquez will take the reins. 

Race 7 – Maiden Special Weight

Two-year-old fillies will go six panels on the dirt in the closing piece. #8 Key Colony Beach (12-1) is very interesting to me in the dash for trainer David Fawkes. The $650,000 daughter of Omaha Beach has been working swiftly in Kentucky, but comes to The Spa with jockey Mario Gutierrez named to ride. The February foal could be live in a tough dash. 

#2 Energy Flows (6-1), #4 Have Hope (12-1), and #7 Elevated (5-1) will also make the ticket to conclude the play.