Pete's Picks Saratoga 7/23 Plays

Little Pete
Jul 23, 2021
5 min read

Friday racing and we have a stacked card today at Saratoga. We are going to be covering the entire card today with an early double, a spot pick 3, and a late pick 3. I will be locked in to my plays and Big Pete will give his usual insight. Let's make it a profitable day and GOOD LUCK.

Little Pete's $2.00 "Early" Double:

R1: 7, 8, 9

R2: 1, 7, 10

Cost: $18.00

Little Pete's $ 1.00 Spot Pick 3:

R5: 2, 3, 8

R6: 5, 7, 10, 11

R7: 4, 6, 8 Cost: $ 36.00

Big Pete's $ 1.00 Late Pick 3:

R8: 1, 7, 8

R9: 3, 6, 8, 10

R10: 1, 2, 3, 11 Cost: $ 48.00

Big Pete's "Play of the Day":

Race 3:

Clement and Rosario are poised for a big meet as the two team up and continue to produce. Joel put (1) BIG EVEREST in a strangle hold last time and it probably cost him too much energy to overcome a sharp Treason last time. Guessing Clement will work out the kinks and have him more settled today as that race was coming off an 8 Mo layoff. He lost to both Brown's and Pletcher's runners in that same race but the post position today works in his favor.

$ 7.00 WPS 1 Cost $ 21.00

$ 7.00 Exacta 1 w/ 2, 4, 9 Cost $ 21.00

We’ll also use Big Everest in R3 and try to crash in on a DAILY DOUBLE play.

(8) Dark Money will be a heavy favorite, but we'll also use the closers (1) Manifest Destiny and (3) Sicilia Mike in case the "Money" doesn't show up in Race 4:

$ 7.00 Double 1 w/ 1, 3, 8 Cost $ 21.00

Little Pete's "Early" Double:

Race 1:

Tough to look past the one horse with experience in here with (8) Buckingham Prince. This horse shown early speed and could just be too good to catch late. (7) Stolen Base is a horse I will like to try in here coming from the Bodemeister lineage and the training coming in. (9) Big Scully has some impressive workouts coming into this one as well and worth an inclusion on the ticket.

$3.00 Ex Box 7,8,9 Cost: $18.00

Race 2:

(1) Fetching will find the lead and be a tough catch late. Luis Saez may have the early double to himself and a must play for me. (7) Violent Point had a touch trip last time out and going to expect a better trip in here. This horse has the ability and I think a good price horse to include. (10) Time Limit is going to show speed throughout and Irad will try and bully the field. This is going to be a battle and I always trust Irad when it gets aggressive.

$3.00 Ex Box 1,7,10 Cost: $18.00

Little Pete's Spot Pick 3:

Race 5:

I am all in on (2) Dame Time who I think is ascending at the moment and will have a convincing stretch drive second time out on grass. (8) Six Feet Apart is going to be the speed in here and if left alone then Johnny V will run away with this one. Last play will be a late closing (3) GailHorseWind who loves to run her best late and this race should set up well for that style of racing.

$3.00 WPS 2 Cost: $9.00

$3.00 Ex Box 2,3,8 Cost: $18.00

Race 6:

(10) Journeyman ran a big number two back against Hard Love and ran evenly last time. This Animal Kindoom won't mind the extra distance and Irad shows up. (7) AJourneyToFreedom has ran the best race to date and a must play for me. Rosario is dangerous on grass and will give this horse a great chance to win. (5) Opry will get an aggresive ride from Saez and it looks like they will have to catch him. If they can slow them down early, these tight turns will work in there favor and slow the closers momentum. My last play will be (11) He's No Lemon who gets a bit of some class relief and should get a well timed trip late under Castellano.

$3.00 Ex Box 5,7,10,11 Cost: $ 24.00

Race 7:

Rudy has a big for sale sign on (8) Deputy Flag so we're expecting him to put on a good performance. if they get to the front early, he just may get brave and hang on. I am giving (6) Dee Bo a chance in here who ran a good race on a sloppy track last time out and I say this horse keeps up in good form in here. (4) U. S. Steel is a bit of a wild card in here for me. Irad is choosing to ride and ran a decent race on grass last time out. I am going to trust the connections with the class drop and think this horse will be aggressive from a more favorable post position than the favorite.

$3.00 WPS 6 Cost: $9.00

$3.00 Ex Box 4,6,8 Cost: $18.00

Big Pete's Late Pick 3:

Race 8:

I’ll try to beat the 8/5 favorite Big Bobby to kick off this late Pick 3. (8) DEVIL’S CODE has two strong races on a dry track at this 7F distance. Davis likely will stalk from his outside post and gather momentum turning for home. Noda is getting aggressive with his claim and moves (1) NINTH HOUR up a notch or two. The barn is producing right now and Cancel knows how to ride him. He’ll save some ground so if he responds to what ever Noda is doing, he may be trouble late. I will land on the Gargan gelding coming off a year hiatus. (7) JUDGE N JURY was here last year and took a ton of money in both starts. He ran well in both, then went on the shelf. His morning routine looks promising as he continues to run bullets. Saez will likely use that speed and dare them to come and get him. I’m all in with this as he returns L1.

$ 7.00 WPS 7 Cost $ 21.00

$ 3.00 Ex 7, 8 w/ 1, 6, 7, 8 Cost $ 18.00

Race 9:

Brown is loaded in this G3 Lake George. I don’t think we’ll get the 6:1 ML on (10) MINAUN as he looks to beat the filly to beat. She wants two turns and she finally gets it today. (8) TECHINCAL ANALYSIS ran on odd Wonder Again and just didn’t look like she wanted to run that day. She’s been train like clockwork so I’m expecting a much better run today. (6) AMY C looks dangerous as she won first time in the states which looked like a public workout. Irad winds up on this one and I’m guessing she’s special and will dominate this group. It wouldn’t surprised me if Brown hits the superfecta as (3) FLUFFY SOCKS has been dancing with the top filly’s in all of her starts. Rosario is a nice addition and I wouldn’t count her out either.

$ 7.00 WPS 6 Cost $ 21.00

$ 3.00 Ex 6, 10 w/ 3, 6, 8, 10 Cost $ 18.00

Race 10:

Both Weaver and Ward have a pair of runners and it looks like the race goes through those four fillies. (1) THRILL looks to be the stronger half of the entry but we get both. The only scary part is they drop her off a year absence. She has been training well, so I’ll trust Weaver to have her ready. (2) HIGH FAIR is where I landed as this American Pharoah drops and cuts back to a sprint. This is Ward’s signature move and he attracts Rosario. (3) EPICUREAN will likely give her stablemate a target but she may just forget to stop. Irad returning is a good sign that she’s on her toes. I can’t resist the price on the Get Stormy filly (11) THISMIGHTBETHEONE. She should a little speed and got close to the leaders through the stretch. She tired late and now cuts back to the 5.5F distance. I like the move to Davis and she’s worth a shot in this wide open finale.