Saratoga Stakes Plays for Friday, Aug. 7
Turf racing at Saratoga (Photo by Joe Labozzetta/Coglianese Photos)
A strong pair of Grade 2 events for three-year-olds will take place on the Saratoga lawn on Friday.
Race 9 β Hall of Fame (G2)
Sophomores will travel one mile on the inner turf in the first black-type race of the afternoon. The Brad Cox-trained #1 Touch of Fire (5-2) has speed from the rail in a race without a ton of pace, and the three-year-old will also cut back from nine panels, as well. By Constitution, the Juddmonte homebred stayed on well when fourth in the Belmont Derby (G1) last time on the oval and has posted a trio of morning drills in the interim. The colt will be formidable with Irad on board.
#3 Vasy (10-1) could offer the best value in the tilt with Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle. One of two in the field for Brendan Walsh, the Space Blues colt was outrun in the American Derby (G1) in his latest showing, but he had fine form prior to that performance and comes in fresh for a very good layoff conditioner, in general. The Irish-bred has the natural speed to be in range throughout the event.
Race 10 β Saratoga Oaks (G2)
A cast of eight three-year-old ladies will travel 1 3/16 miles on the grass in the second stakes tilt of the afternoon. WinStar homebred #1 Kentucky Belle (6-1) has shown nice improvement since having blinkers added and earned a lifetime-topping 93 Brisnet Speed rating for her tally in an allowance heat at Keeneland at the distance. The sophomore daughter of Justify has an ideal post on the fence for her to save ground throughout the tilt, and having Irad in the silks is always a good thing, too. I expect the dark bay filly to be much closer to a moderate pace in this affair prior to inching clear in the final yards.
#2 Fitz Right (5-2) ran into a buzzsaw when third in the Belmont Oaks (G2) last out and will get more ground with which to work with on Friday. The Grade 2 heroine is proven over both firm and yielding ground, and the chestnut daughter of Charlatan looks like the type that will handle the added distance with relative ease beneath Flavien Prat.
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