Thursday’s Picks from Saratoga

We should be back on the grass on Thursday at Saratoga, with the feature being the $100,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Cab Calloway going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
 
The race drew a compact field of six including two fillies taking on the boys. The Michael Maker trained Jolting Joe is the 9-5 morning line favorite. The colt is still a maiden, running second in each of his first four starts including a second in the Armed Forces at Gulfstream Park last fall.
 
The meet’s leading trainer sends out the filly Fresco (5-2), who won a New York Stallion Series race on July 23 here at the Spa.
 
The other filly is longshot Stuy Town Baby (20-1) who will be saddled by trainer Mark Casse. She broke her maiden last out against state bred $40,000 maiden claimers in her eighth career start.
 
Rounding out the field are Zipalong (15-1), fourth versus $50,000 starter allowance foes., Turbo Drive (9-2) who beat state bred Alw-1 company and Dream Bigger (2-1) who was third in the state bred Mike Lee in his last start and makes his turf debut.
 
Do not forget we have a huge day coming up on Saturday. The $1 million Travers (G1) is the highlight at Saratoga, this year the race serving as a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race.
 
Tiz the Law headlines a field of six and was installed as the even money favorite. The second choice is the Bob Baffert trained Uncle Chuck at 5-2.
 
More on the Travers and the supporting stakes which include the $300,000 Ballerina (G1) and $300,000 test (G1) coming tomorrow.
 
To purchase my Saratoga Report for Thursday click here .
 
You can catch the action from Saratoga from 2:00 to 6:00 ET on FS2. In addition, you can stream the action on YouTube or by using the TVG App. The horse betting company based in the U.S. is offering a risk free bet up to $300 for new players. 
 
Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package. It gives you a month of Saratoga Reports daily and my Best Plays Report which will include all the major Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races.
 
Here is the opener from Saratoga to get the day off to a good start:

Saratoga Race 1 Analysis 8/5 (1:10 p.m. ET) 

SAR Race 1 Md $20,000 (1:10 ET)
#5 Warfront Fighter   4-1
#4 Macho Jack   8-5
#6 Cause I Said So   3-1
#8 Boss Life   7-2
 
Analysis: Warfront Fighter pressed the early pace and weakened inside the final furlong on a fourth place finish last out against t$30,000 foes at Belmont Park going 6 1/2 furlongs. The winner Fed Funds came back to beat $50,000 starter allowance foes in his next outing on July 30 here. The Gullo trainee makes his third start off the break here and owns a solid pace profile throughout. He drops in for $20,000 and catches a pretty soft spot.
 
Macho Jack makes his first start since last October at Keeneland where he was a game second in the slop against $50,000 maiden claimers. He now lands with the RRod barn that is 17% winners with runners coming back off a +180-day layoff. Decent works for his return and he drops into an easier spot here for his local debut. The $155,000 Ocala purchase is the first foal to race out of an Afleet Alex mare.
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:

Saratoga Race 8 Analysis 8/5 (5:14 p.m. ET) 

SAR Race 8 The New York Stallion Series (5:14 ET)
#6 Jolting Joe   9-5
#1 Fresco   5-2
#4 Turbo Drive   9-2
#5 Dream Bigger   6-1
 
Analysis: Jolting Joe is still a maiden after four starts but has landed second in each of the outings including the Armed Forces at Gulfstream Park going a mile in her second career start last November. Last out off the bench at Ellis Park she was beaten just a neck after setting the early fractions. The Maker barn has heated up at the meet and is 34% winners overall (with a +ROI) with runners making their second start off a +180-day layoff. Looks like a good spot as she faces restricted company.
 
Fresco stalked the early pace while saving ground and then came with a good four wide move to rally for the win in a NY Stallion Series race last out here on July 23. She wheels back quick here for the meet's leading barn and now take so the boys although there are just four of them and one other filly in this small group. She looks capable of winning right back here. 

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
R3: #6 A Saw It All   10-1
R4: #7 Mission Command   8-1
R6: #5 Intoxicologist   12-1
R7: #7 Tass   12-1
R9: #8 King’s Honor   15-1
 
Good luck today!