Betting with, and Against, Idiomatic in the Ogden Phipps

A total of six fillies and mares will travel 1 1/8 miles on the Saratoga main strip in Saturday’s $500,000 Ogden Phipps S. (G1). The race is led by champion #5 Idiomatic (3-5), who ran her win streak to six following a convincing score in the La Troienne S. (G1) at Churchill Downs in her seasonal debut. She really impressed me beneath the Twin Spires. 

Idiomatic – With

• $40 exacta 5 with 3 ($40)
• $12 exacta 5 with 4 ($12)

Idiomatic – Against

• $20 win and place #3 Pretty Mischievous ($40)
• $2 trifecta 3 with 4,5 with all ($16)

Trained by Brad Cox, the sturdy daughter of Curlin dons a lifetime mark of 13-10-1-2, which includes four Grade 1 wins in succession, and she is also 3-for-3 at the distance. The Juddmonte homebred has big early speed and her lone local appearance at The Spa resulted in a four-length romp in the Personal Ensign S. (G1) in the summer. The superb mare will have Florent Geroux in the controls. 

For those looking elsewhere, there are certainly a few viable alternatives. Champion #3 Pretty Mischievous (6-1) is likely to be overlooked to some extent in the affair for Brendan Walsh. The bay registered a trio of Grade 1 tallies in 2023, and she capped her season with a big second in the Cotillion (G1) at Parx. While I don’t believe that the Godolphin homebred is a genuine nine-furlong horse, I expect her to get a fine trip behind a swift and contested pace in the race. 

Alabama (G1) heroine #1 Randomized (6-1), Top Flight S. romper #2 Tizzy in the Sky (12-1), and Idiomatic will all be leaving with intent in the affair, and the tempo will be lively. Pretty Mischievous will benefit from it and move into contention turning for home. Regular pilot Tyler Gaffalione will be in the silks. 

#4 Soul of An Angel (8-1) ran out of her skin in her first showing since moving to Saffie Joseph, and a repeat of that fantastic effort will make her a contender with Irad inheriting the mount. The five-year-old had shown occasional glimpses of being very talented, especially when a clear second in the Royal Delta (G3) three back, but her most recent effort was on another level. She ran past Randomized with ease and earned a wicked 112 Brisnet Late Pace number in the process. While it’s difficult to fully trust her off of just one special performance, I can’t omit her after that showing, either.