Saratoga Day 13: Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes; Late Pick-4 Selections

By Matt Pappis
TSV Staff Writer —-

Race 7) CLAIMING. 6 1/2 Furlongs Dirt. Purse $50,000. FOR THREE YEAR OLDS Post Time 4:24 EDT

My Friend (4): Has been running in much deeper waters than he will face today over the winter; should sit in right behind the speed and kick away when they turn for home.

Italian Syndicate (5): The Gargan barn hit at a 60% clip over the first 10 days of the meet and it’s very hard to move a horse up from the Rudy Rod barn; this one still looks like a must use in a wide open race.

Lifelong Dreamer (8): His races two and three back make him a likely winner here but his last race was so bad I can not take a short price on him; trainer Gary Gullo is 32% first off the claim and this one is a must use on all pick 4s.

Race 8) ALLOWANCE. 7 Furlongs Dirt. Purse $85,000

Cavil (2): As usual, the McLaughlin barn has started off this meet white hot hitting at a 36% clip from 15 starters. Cavil was highly regarded as a 2-year-old and will be well meant making his 3 year old debut.

Petrov (4): I would be lying if I didn’t say this was the horse to beat here based on the turnback. He has always struck me as a 1 turn horse and there is enough speed in here for him to come running down the lane and pick them all off.

Lenstar (11): This is my sleeper in another wide-open race. In his last four races since breaking his maiden he has run to rising numbers and now takes the blinkers off on the turn back with plenty of speed to run after if Saez is able to pull him back off the pace.

Race 9) Grade II Hall of Fame 1 1/16 Miles Turf. Purse $200,000. FOR THREE YEAR OLDS

Yoshida (4): His race on the Pilmico undercard right now is the performance of the year for a 3-year-old colt on the turf. In the Belmont Derby he ran into Oscar Performance on a day where you needed to be on or near the lead. He still ran a very game race to finish 4th while chasing the pace throughout. It looks to me as though he is the most likely single in a difficult pick 4 sequence for smaller players.

Arklow (10): Since switching to the turf he has been a completely different animal. Something went wrong in the Belmont Derby when he essentially did not finish the race and I am willing to give him another shot.

Big Handsome (2): While I am against horses coming out of the Manila stakes, he was a very unlucky loser. He will be stretching out to 1 1/16 and going two turns now.

Race 10) MAIDEN CLAIMING. 1 1/16 Miles Inner turf.

Calculated Risker (6): Was beaten only 2 lengths at the MSW level when going the same distance at Aqueduct this winter; he will be stretching out second off the layoff and looks to be tough in here.

There He Goes (3): Comes in second off an extended layoff for a barn hitting at 60% entering day 10. This barn hits at about 40% when going from MSW to MCL and 33%; Gargan attracts the meets leading rider, Jose Ortiz.

Kierland (2): He was beaten a neck at this level last out downstate while encountering a brutal trip and is one of few players here.

Suggested Pick 4
3,4,5,8/ 1,4,10,11/ 4,10 / 2,3,6 = $48

Budget Players Pick 4
3,4,5,8/ 1,4,10,11/ 4 / 2,3,6 = $24