Saratoga: Sunday, 8/03 Plays Pete's Picks

Little Pete
Aug 3, 2025
3 min read

A perfect day of racing to follow a Whitney weekend. I will be condensing my plays down to just the number and attacking the early double (Races 1 & 2) and a spot pick 3 (Races 5-7). Big Pete will attack two "Play of the Day" and the late pick 3 (Races 8-10); GOOD LUCK.

Little Pete's $ 5.00 Early Double:

R1: 2

R2: 2, 3 Cost: $ 10.00

Little Pete's $ 1.00 Spot Pick 3:

R5: 1, 6, 7

R6: 3, 7

R7: 1, 2, 8 Cost: $ 18.00

Big Pete's $ 1.00 Late Pick 3:

R8: 1, 3, 5

R9: 1, 3, 6

R10: 4, 5, 7, 10 Cost: $ 36.00

Big Pete's "Play of the Day":

Race 3:

There is plenty of speed in here and I'll play it to have one come from off this hot pace. (8) HERO'S MEDAL can close and the cutback here looms large. He'll sit mid pack and let the other duke it out. Davis has yet to get it going but had a test drive last time with this gelding and looks live to me.

$ 7.00 WPS 8 Cost: $ 21.00

$ 7.00 Ex 8 w/ 3, 5 Cost: $ 14.00

We'll use (8) Hero's Medal in R3 and try to cash in on a Daily Double.

(1) Mythical or (5) Meringue in the 4th.

$ 7.00 Daily Double 8 w/ 1, 5 Cost $ 14.00

Big Pete's Late Pick 3:

Race 8:

(3) BRING THEBAND HOME is a single on most tickets. He's earned it with his Harvey Pack score last month. Prior to that, he's just a contender. I'll include two more with stalkers that can come late if the favorite bounces a little. (1) DETERMINED KINGDOM and (5) LET MY PEOPLE GO are the ones I want. Both ship in and both barns are clicking right now.

$ 7.00 WPS 5 Cost: $ 21.00

$ 3.00 Ex Box 1, 3, 5 Cost: $ 18.00

Race 9:

(1) HAMILTON WAY will be tough as he goes out for the first time off the claim with decent speed figures. I'll use him but try to beat him with others. (3) GENE AND JUDE has the speed to control and needs the others to leave him alone up front. I want (6) BACK IN THE SADDLE coming out of a minor stakes down south. He gets the big rider switch, and his last two speed figures top this group. (9) DESPERATE PROPOSAL always breaks tardy and comes late. One of these days he'll get it right.

$ 7.00 WPS 9 Cost: $ 21.00

$ 3.00 Ex 4, 9 w/ 2, 4, 7, 9 Cost: $ 18.00

Race 10:

(4) JOKING WAY and (5) FUNNY JOKE exit the same race where Amundson laughed at them the whole way. They need this drop to be competitive. (7) GATSBY will be tough as he too drops several levels and his speed figures are tops in this field. I'll take a small shot with (10) CAMP DAVID. He's another dropping in class and ships in for a hot barn. The cutback is what makes me lean this way as Santana is having a meet.