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The Saratoga Dew Handicap is carded as Race 3 on Thursday’s 10-race program at Saratoga Race Course. The first post is 1:05 p.m. EDT.
This race is named after Saratoga Dew a New York bread Thoroughbred who won several Grade I Stakes Races in her career.
Race Information:
- Track: Saratoga Race Course (Saratoga Springs, New York)
- Event Grade: Handicap Stakes
- Race: 3
- Post Time: 2:15 PM ET
- Length: 1 1/8 Miles (9 Furlongs)
- Purse: $100,000
- Division: Fillies and Mares | 3 Years Old & Up (Foaled in New York & Approved by New York State Bread Registry)
- Surface: Dirt
- Wagers: Exacta, Trifecta (.50), Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (3-5), Double Wagers
Field:
- Dancing Kiki (Jose Ortiz), 8-1
- Simply Ravishing (Luis Saez), 7-1
- Maiden Beauty (Joel Rosario), 4-1
- Espresso Shot (John Velazquez), 5-2
- Mrs. Orb (Dylan Davis), 6-5
Horse Preview:
DANCING KIKI is coming off a win in a $35k Claimer, where she was claimed by Cammarota Racing. She ran her best race of the year finishing with an 81 Equibase speed figure. She’s raced eight times this year, mostly in allowance and claiming races, with one outlier in the Critical Eye Handicap. In that race she faced off against fellow entrant MRS. ORB who ran third while DANCING KIKI finished fifth. She seems to prefer the dirt in fast conditions and if the weather stays as predicted, she may have a shot.
SIMPLY RAVISHING has only raced once this year and enters this race coming off a four month layoff. She finished sixth (last) in the G1 Ashland Stakes back in April and faced some pretty steep competition. In the G1 Ashland she set the pace early but, gave way down the stretch. She was retired after the Ashland due to a breathing problem but, Trainer Kenny McPeak tweeted out that her breathing issue has been resolved. In 2020, she won the G1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes and finished fourth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She’s won a similar race at the Spa before back in 2020 running 7f in a 100k Stakes with Saez aboard. She’ll also be taking a step down in class here but, we’ll see if the layoff affects her at all.
MAIDEN BEAUTY has has five starts this year and has finished in the money every race (5-2-2-1). She cut back in distance her last race to finish second but, has been running at a mile in her previous races this year. They move her back to her normal distance (1 Mile) and has performed well on the dirt in fast conditions, where she picked up both her wins. She’s only ever run in Allowance/ Claiming races, so this will be her first test in a Stakes race with some tougher competition.
ESPRESSO SHOT will get lengthened out here to a 1 1/8 Mile, a distance that I think she could excel at. She won a $100k Stakes race earlier this year at a Mile on the dirt. She’s faced MRS. ORB twice this year and has failed to beat her but, both were under muddy conditions. If the weather stays as predicted (91 F and Sunny), I think this will be the best horse to challenge the 6-5 favorite.
MRS. ORB is the 6-5 morning line favorite and deservedly so. She’s the oldest horse in the race but, doesn’t seem to be slowing down. In her three starts this year, she’s won two and finished third in the other. She won a similar race her last time out and ran her best speed figure of the year with a 93.
Race Preview:
Front Runner: Maiden Beauty, Simply Ravishing
Stalk/ Off the Pace: Espresso Shot, Dancing Kiki
Closer: Mrs. Orb
Picks:
WIN: (4) ESPRESSO SHOT
EXACTA: 2, 4/ 5
EXPRESSO SHOT has seen MRS. ORB in the past and knows what she can do. Given the fast conditions, I think this will be her best shot at defeating her. She’ll hang back off the pace, which I don’t think will be too fast. This should allow her to have enough left to close down the stretch when Mrs. Orb makes a push. She’s also coming off her best race of the year and will increase in distance which should benefit her as well.
SIMPLY RAVISHING could also win this race, given her success in the past. We’ll see if the breathing issue has truly been resolved but, based on her workouts, I’d say it is. She’s also the youngest horse in this race.
Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting.
