Sunday’s Picks from Saratoga and Woodbine

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

The Canadian Triple Crown gets underway this afternoon at Woodbine with a field of 13 going in the $1 million Queen’s Plate.

The Triple Crown north of the border is quite different than the Triple Crown here in the U.S. The Queen’s Plate is contested at 1 ¼ miles on the synthetic Tapeta surface.

The second jewel is the Prince of Wales Stakes at For Eire on dirt at 1 3/16 miles. The final leg is the 1½ mile Breeders' Stakes in August which is run on turf.

The last to win the Triple Crown was Wando in 2003 who was trained by Mike Keogh.

The Queen’s Plate has been won by fillies in four of the last 10 years and this year the Kevin Attard trained Munnyfor Ro could make it five. The filly is coming off a victory in the Woodbine Oaks in her last outing.

I have four of the stakes from Woodbine in today’s Best Plays Report.

The feature at Saratoga today is the $120,000 Summer Colony, a 1 1/8-mile test on the main track that drew a field of six fillies and mares. Horologist is the 2-1 morning line favorite and Dunbar Road, who won the 2019 Alabama (G1) over the Spa main track appears to be her main rival.

My Best Plays Report for Sunday includes my eight strongest plays from Woodbine and Saratoga.

“Saratoga Live” is on FS2 (and streaming on YouTube) from 1:00 to 4:00 ET and from 4:00 to 6:00 on FS1. Looking to play the ponies? TVG is offering new players  up to a $300 Risk Free wager.  In addition, AmWager is offering up to a $500 bonus for new horseplayers.

To purchase my Saratoga and Best Plays Reports for Sunday click here .

Here is the opener from Saratoga to get the day off to a good start:

SARATOGA 1 ANALYSIS (1:05 P.M. ET)

 SAR Race 1 Md Sp Wt

• #6 Goddess of Fire 3-1
• #3 Time for Cupid 2-1
• #4 Dover Dreams 9-2
• #5 Four Dawn 4-1

Analysis: Goddess of Fire makes her debut for the Pletcher barn that sent out an impressive juvie winner here yesterday and is 17% winners overall with first timers. The filly is by Mineshaft out of the stakes winner Feel That Fire ($347,280) who has dropped five foals to race with four winners, top earner multiple stakes winner Mind Control ($1.2 million). This filly sports a quick morning work tab and looks ready to break her maiden at first asking.

Time for Cupid crossed the wire 4 1/2 lengths in front in her debut at Lone Star but was DQ'd for interference in the stretch when she drifted in on a foe. Only one runner has come out of that maiden race to run back and it was the fourth-place finisher Texas Bluebonnet who came back to graduate in her next start at Remington Park on Aug. 20. The barn hits at a 21% clip with second out maidens and has been sending out live juvies here at the meeting. She is out of an Elusive Quality mare that has dropped three other foals to race with a pair of winners. She should move forward with a race under her belt and gets a jock upgrade to Santana.

WOODBINE 6 ANALYSIS (3:03 P.M. ET)

WO Race 6 The Ontario Colleen G3

• #2 Our Flash Drive 5-2
• #6 Seasons 8-1
• #8 Misspell 2-1
• #1 Sweet Souper Sweet 15-1

Analysis: Our Flash Drive prompted the early pace and drew clear in the stretch to sharp win in the Selene (G3) last out on Tapeta in her first start against winners. She broke her maiden two back off the bench in her third career start. She should take to turf, she is out of a Dynaformer mare that ash dropped one other foal tor ace, a turf winner. The mile looks like it will suit her and she looks capable of moving forward as she makes her third start off the layoff for the Casse barn.

Seasons pressed the early pace and weakened to finish third last out at Monmouth Park in the Boiling Springs in her second start off the bench. She regressed off a game effort tow back in the Hilltop at Pimlico off an eight-month layoff where she was beaten just a neck after coming with a good late rally after being 20+ lengths back of the leader. She was third in the Natalma (G1) over the turf here last September in her second career start. She is better than her last and the 8-1 morning line looks more than fair.

SARATOGA 8 ANALYSIS (5:05 P.M. ET)

SAR Race 8 Clm $35,000N3L

• #2 Lyrical Poet 9-2
• #3 Ahead of Plan 4-1
• #1 Kasim 9-2
• #7 Qian B C 8-1

Analysis: Lyrical Poet took the field gate to wire to beat $40,000 non-winners of two last out off a three- month break for the Ward barn. Two back in his first start against winners after breaking his maiden on the fake stuff at Turfway Park he ran a good second behind repeat winner Our Destiny who came back to beat $20,000 foes at Monmouth Park and the third-place finisher Scocciatore ha won twice since. beating state bred Alw-2 optional claimers here on Friday. The gelding owns solid early and mid pace number and Rosario picks up the call from Irad. He is quick and looks like he still has some upside.

Ahead of Plan makes his third start off the bench here for the Brown barn. Last out for this tag the gelding came with a good late rally to finish a game second, beaten 3/4 of a length for the top spot. The winner Much Better came back to beat Alw-2 optional claimers in his next start at Monmouth Park by 6 1/4 lengths on July 24. He should get a good trip sitting just off the pace and looks to be sitting on a good one third off the bench for Brown. He has handled ground with some give to it.

LIVE LONGSHOTS

These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their Pick 4 and Pick 5 wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win wager. 

Saratoga

• R2: #10 Five Prizes 10-1
• R4: #1 Corey Scores 8-1
• R5: #7 Thief of Hearts 8-1
• R8: #7 Qian B C 8-1
• R9: #1 So Darn Hot 12-1

Good luck today!

VegasInsider Staff

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