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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Sunday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read
I tried to beat the chalk Midnight Bisou on Saturday in the Alabama (G1) at Saratoga and while the chalk could do no better than third, it was my third choice Eskimo Kisses that rallied for the win paying $20.00 while my top pick Figarella’s Queen was eased in the stretch at 14-1.
 
The Ken McPeek trained Eskimo Kisses had checked in fourth in both the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), the latter with Midnight Bisou running second to the winner Monomoy Girl.
 
McPeek had stated he used the CCA Oaks as a prep for the Alabama and things worked out beautifully. The filly got a solid pace to run at and she went from last to first, drawing away to win by 6 ½ lengths.
 
Rushing Fall won the co-feature, the $300,000 Lake Placid (G2), winning by 2 ¾ lengths and the margin could have been larger.
 
The Chad Brown trainee has now won five of her six career starts including last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). She returned $4.70 as the favorite with Capla Temptress rallying for second at 10-1 and completing a $2 exacta that returned $43.60.
 
Sunday’s feature is the $100,000 Summer Colony for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles. The race drew a compact field of five led by the 7-5 morning line favorite Awestruck.
 
The George Arnold trainee was second in a stake at Indiana Grand last out and fourth in the Fleur De Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs in her previous outing.
 
She is going to be a short price but there were not any viable options and I will be eating chalk in the race, which goes off as the fourth race this afternoon.
 
Sunday’s Best Plays Report includes my nine strongest plays from Del Mar and Saratoga.
 
Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package for just $99.95. It gives you a month of Saratoga (and then Belmont Park) and my Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday.
 
To purchase my Saratoga and Best Plays Reports for Sunday click here .
 
Here is the opening race from Saratoga to get the day off to a good start:
 
SAR Race 1 Clm $25,000 (1:00 ET)
#7 Miss Nancy   6-1
#1 Glory to Kitten / 1a Queen of Castle   9-5
#2 Lucky Long   4-1
#5 Miss Aja Brown   5-1
 
Analysis: Miss Nancy was outrun last out going seven furlongs on the fake stuff at Arlington Park and is back on turf here with a class drop out of Grade 3 company. Two back on turf at Churchill Downs this mare made a mild late run to finish fourth against Alw-3 optional claimers. She lands with the Lynch barn here and looks like a good fit here in for a $25,000 tag. Her last turf win came at Kentucky Downs last fall going seven furlongs on grass.
 
Glory to Kitten had some traffic troubles early and was not much of a threat in a seventh-place finish in the Powder Break and drops into an easier spot here for the Abreu barn. Three back this gal won the Florida bred Mary Todd going long on turf. Her entrymate Queen of Castle was not a threat tin her last two starts behind repeat winners. Three back she beat state bred Alw-1 foes on grass. Her last was her first go off the bench and now she returns off a two-month break for Nevin.
 
Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 9-2 or better.
EX: 1,7 / 1,2,5,7
TRI: 1,7 / 1,2,5,7 / 1,2,3,5,7
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:
 
SAR Race 7 Md Sp Wt (4:25 ET)
#1 ItJusthitthe Wire   5-1
#2 Mo Wheels Up   3-1
#3 Private Beach   8-1
#5 Two Dozen Roses    10-1
 
Analysis: ItJusthitthe Wire makes her debut for the McLaughlin barn that is 6% winners overall with firsters but if we look at the Spa dating back five years the trainer has hit at a 19% clip with firsters (with a +ROI). This gal was a $410,000 Ocala purchase, by Bernardini out of a stakes placed Mizzen Mast mare that has dropped four foals to race with three winners. The works are not jumping off the page, but she did have a good gate drill on July 29 here and should be a fair price.
 
Mo Wheels Up has quick works on the morning tab for her debut for the Sharp barn that is 15% winners with first time starters and is having a solid meeting landing 10 of 18 starters in the exacta. The filly is by Uncle Mo (16% winners with debut runners) out of the stakes winner Smarty Deb ($171,055) who has dropped four foals to race, all winners, top earner stakes winner Wild About Deb ($312,870) with two others earning $167K+. She looks ready to go for a live barn.
 
Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 1,2 / 1,2,3,5
TRI: 1,2 / 1,2,3,5 / 1,2,3,5,7
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Del Mar:
 
DMR Race 8 The Del Mar Hcp G2 (5:33 PT)
#6 Bowies Hero   8-1
#7 Caribou Club   6-1
#4 Sharp Samurai   7-2
#1 Catapult   9-2
 
Analysis: Bowies Hero was fourth in the Eddie Read (G2) last out behind a couple of foes he runs into again today. The colt saved ground early, angled out for the stretch drive and was in tight off heels late, beaten a length for the top spot. He won the Frank Kilroe (G1) three back at a mile and was only beaten 1 1/2 lengths tow back in the Shoemaker Mile (g1). The cut back to a mile here will suit him and Rosario picks up the call for the D'Amato barn.
 
Caribou Club earned a career top speed fig two back winning the Conaught Cup (G2) at seven furlongs at Woodbine and last out tracked the early pace and did not have enough punch left late in a fourth-place finish in the King Edward (G2) going a mile. The winner Delta Prince just missed winning the Fourstardave (G1) in a photo in his next outing. She won her last fall beating easier company and willing to give another look at a mile with Mike Smith picking up the call and the price should be right.
 
Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 9-2 or better.
EX: 6,7 / 1,4,6,7
TRI: 6,7 / 1,4,6,7 / 1,3,4,6,7
 
Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
 
Saratoga
R5: #7 Traipsing   12-1
R6: #7 We Should Talk   8-1
R7: #3 Private Beach   8-1
R7: #5 Two Dozen Roses   10-1
R9: #8 Max Velocity   8-1
 
Good luck today!

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