Tacitus a deserving favorite at Woodward Handicap

Tacitus winning the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). (Photo by SV Photography)

With Tacitus a heavy favorite at the Woodward Handicap (G1) at Saratoga, the challenge comes in narrowing down who to use with him. Here are the horses you should consider betting in your exotics for Saturday's race.

.@JuddmonteFarms's Tacitus tops Woodward (G1), Dr Post goes for Jim Dandy (G2) in Saturday action this week at #Saratoga https://t.co/NGko3aPSdF (@coglianesephoto) pic.twitter.com/s6r1ORJ1LI
— Brisnet.com (@Brisnet) September 2, 2020

Saratoga, Race 11: Woodward Handicap (1 1/4 miles, post time 5:30 p.m. ET, Saturday)

#2 Tacitus comes into the Woodward the one to beat. Although the field behind him in the Suburban (G2) on July 4 was not a tough Grade 2, he did it the right way, staying in range, taking complete command in the lane, and drawing off to win by eight and three quarters lengths over #3 Moretti.

He got the jump on Moretti that day and may work out a similar trip this time, with #4 Global Campaign likely to send to the lead, and Moretti not quick from the gate once again in the Birdstone last out.

The mile and a quarter is probably too short for Moretti's best, and probably too long for Global Campaign, whose half-siblings Bolt d'Oro and Sonic Mule were classy but had distance limitations.

#1 Math Wizard doesn't have much early speed and wheels back quickly from the Charles Town Classic. The speed-favoring track doomed him. Saffie Joseph does well with runners on short rest, but he's usually not shipping them across a few states in the meantime.

#5 Spinoff is the Pletcher "B" behind Moretti, and the more interesting of his pair. He has class questions to answer, since he didn't beat much in the Alydar last out. But, his tactical speed and rock-solid form over the Saratoga dirt give him upside.

Late-running #6 Prioritize has been a new horse since switching to dirt for his last four starts. He hasn't tried a mile and a quarter since moving to the main, but Tizway's progeny have done well when they've gotten the chance to stretch out to a mile and a quarter, and beyond. Dam Whey Sauce has a half-sibling who won at 2000 meters (about a mile and a quarter) in Japan.