How to bet the 2024 Rick Violette Stakes

Eight New York-bred sophomores are entered for the grass in Thursday’s $125,000 Rick Violette S. at Saratoga. Most of my focus will be on a pair of contenders in the event, which lacks a true standout. 

Rick Violette Wagers

• $20 win #4 Courtly Banker ($20)
• 50-cent trifecta 4,6 with 2,4,5,6 with all ($18)
• 50-cent superfecta 4,6 with 4,6 with 2,5 with all ($10)

#4 Courtly Banker (4-1) is a fairly generous price and will be a win bet for me at anything resembling his morning-line number. 

Trained by Barclay Tagg, the three-year-old remains a maiden after four tries, but he had the misfortune of running into The Big Torpedo in two straight and will be glad to avoid that colt here. By Central Banker, the gelding has good tactical speed and handled this lawn well last time when earning a lifetime best Brisnet Speed figure of 88. 

The $65,000 juvenile could very well inherit the lead in the race with a clean break. John Velazquez, who guided the top pick home in his latest appearance, will take the reins again. 

I’m not thrilled with the morning-line figure on #6 Russian Realm (3-1), but I’m still intrigued by this son of Constitution and will give him a big chance in his first try on the lawn. 

Conditioned by Danny Gargan, the colt has displayed a fine turn of foot in each of his three tries on the dirt in preparation for this run. The homebred also got in a pair of important moves on the Oklahoma green as of late. His dam was a stakes heroine on the sod, and having Flavien Prat accept the mount is a major positive. 

For the lower rungs of the gimmicks, I will dabble with both #2 Fidelightcayut (9-2) and #5 B D Saints (15-1), who finished third and fourth, respectively, in a recent stakes race on this course. 

The former is consistent and a logical inclusion for trainer Juan Avila. The latter has run a few big races and is a generous price for conditioner Mike Maker.