Saratoga: Notes and horses to watch from Week 2

Although hot weather threatened to spoil the weekend racing action at Saratoga, Week 2 of the prestigious summer meet ultimately went off with minimal interruption.

The Saturday card was postponed until Sunday because of the heat, but the 24-hour delay didn’t seem to affect the racing performances, as we witnessed strong runs from a handful of promising horses.

Let’s look back at some of the memorable moments from Week 2 at Saratoga and take note of horses to keep an eye on down the road.

Mark it down—Point of Honor will win the Alabama

The star of the week was the undefeated 3-year-old filly Guarana, who brought her record to a perfect 3-for-3 with a victory in the 1 1/8-mile Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). But although she ran well, it’s worth noting she received a picture-perfect trip and set slow fractions of :24.27, :49.49 and 1:13.58. Considering the advantage she enjoyed, I was a little disappointed to see her duck out under pressure in the homestretch and ultimately prevail by just a length.

In contrast, I was highly impressed by runner-up Point of Honor. The winner of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico, Point of Honor trailed the Coaching Club American Oaks field early on and was compromised by the race shape, which saw the final three furlongs elapse in just :36.07. But despite this disadvantage, Point of Honor rallied resolutely down the lane, and I have to think she’ll be a beast in the 1 1/4-mile Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga next month. With another furlong to work with and another four weeks to mature, this well-bred daughter of Curlin won’t be beaten in the Alabama.

Chad Brown’s turf domination knows few boundaries

The three-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown took his domination of turf racing to a new level in the Lake George Stakes (G3). Following three scratches, Brown was the only trainer to contest the one-mile turf test, sending out Regal Glory, Blowout and Dogtag to run 1-2-3. The victorious Regal Glory was technically the longest shot in the field, though her late-running, half-length victory returned just $6.60 for every $2 win bet.

Juveniles catch the eye Sunday

Basin, the narrow runner-up behind eventual Sanford Stakes (G3) winner By Your Side in a maiden race at Churchill Downs, was the speedy winner of a six-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga on Sunday. From the first crop of promising stallion Liam’s Map, Basin dueled for the lead before he kicked clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:09.77, good for an 86 Beyer speed figure. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Basin should be bound for stakes company next time out.

Earlier on the Sunday card, Sharing—a daughter of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) winner Shared Account—produced a big rally through traffic to finish third by a neck in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden sprint for juvenile fillies. Although she was beaten on the day, I don’t expect this Graham Motion-trained filly to remain a maiden for long.

Main track, both turf courses playing fairly

All three racing surfaces at Saratoga seem to be playing fairly. The main track is on the quick side and might be playing a little kind to speed horses, but that’s pretty typical of dirt racing across the board. The two turf courses, per the norm for grass racing, are favoring late runners, but this is not unexpected and we’ve seen a few frontrunners perform well.

Perhaps the biggest news is that the turf courses aren’t producing fast times this summer. They’re actually playing on the slow side, making them a wild contrast to the blazing fast courses at Belmont Park. A final quarter-mile in :23 and change would be unremarkable in a route race at Belmont, but it’s a sign of a strong finish at Saratoga, so recalibrate your expectations accordingly.

Looking ahead to Week 3

Three-year-old colts and geldings will take the spotlight during Week 3. The big names in action will be Preakness Stakes (G1) winner War of Will and Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up Tacitus in the July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), but the July 26 Curlin Stakes also features an intriguing field of up-and-comers with the potential to make some noise during the second half of the season.

Sprinters will also shine during Week 3. Two-time grade 1 winner Mitole will cut back to six furlongs for the July 27 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1), while the Humana Distaff (G1) winner Mia Mischief will attempt to win her third straight stakes races in the July 24 Honorable Miss Stakes (G2). Good luck with your bets!