Saratoga Opening Weekend Preview & Picks – July 16th, 2022

It’s Opening Weekend at Saratoga Race Course! We have two graded Stakes races today including the G1 Diana and G3 Sanford.

Race Information:

• Name: Diana Stakes
• Track: Saratoga Race Course (Saratoga Springs, NY, USA)
• Event Grade: Grade I
• Race: 8
• Post Time: 5:03 PM ET
• Length: 1 1/8 Miles (9 Furlongs)
• Purse: $500,000
• Division: Open | Four Years Old And Upward
• Surface: Turf
• Wagers: Exacta, Trifecta (.50), Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (8-10) Pick 4 (.50) Races (8-11), Double Wagers

Weather:

• Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 87F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. It should be perfect racing conditions.

TV Schedule:

• FS2 – “Saratoga Live”: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Field:

Horse Preview:

Technical Analysis

• Owner: Klaravich Stables Inc.
• Trainer: Chad C Brown
• Jockey: Jose L Ortiz
• Career Statistics: (9) 5-2-1
• 2022 Statistics: (2) 1-1-0
• Saratoga Statistics: (2) 2-0-0

Technical Analysis enters this race off a wire-to-wire win in the G3 Gallorette Stakes. She set the pace along the rail and held on down the stretch winning by over three lengths. A month before that, she was the runner up in the Plenty of Grace Stakes. In that four horse field she led into the final sixteenth but was beaten by a head. In her last race of 2021 she was the runner up again in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes. She’s raced twice at Saratoga before winning both including the G2 Lake Placid Stakes and G3 Lake George Stakes.

Creative Flair

• Owner: Godolphin, LLC
• Trainer: Charles Appleby
• Jockey: Jamie P. Spencer
• Career Statistics: (9) 4-1-2
• 2022 Statistics: (1) 1-0-0
• Saratoga Statistics: (1) 0-0-1

Creative Fair returns from Dubai where she won the G2 Balanchine. She’s started her career across the pond but has raced the States twice before. Last year she ran 3rd in the G3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes. She came off the pace but was unable to run down the winner. In her lone other U.S. race, she ran 4th in the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at Belmont. Her last race was really encouraging as she stepped up in class and was able to handle the competition. This will be her first Grade 1 Stakes that she’s entered so she’ll need to rise to the occasion again.

Bleecker Street

• Owner: Peter M. Brant
• Trainer: Chad C Brown
• Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
• Career Statistics: (7) 7-0-0
• 2022 Statistics: (5) 5-0-0
• Saratoga Statistics: (0) 0-0-0

Bleecker Street’s the morning line favorite and deservedly so as she enters the Diana unbeaten. In her last start, she won the G1 New York States at Belmont Park. She was in dead last and rallied coming down the stretch to win by half a length. Before that, she won the G3 Modesty Stakes, G2 Hillsborough Stakes, and G3 Endeavour Stakes. In her last three races she’s put up some impressive speed figures. She’s never raced at Saratoga before so this will be her first trip at the Spa.

Rougir

• Owner: Peter M Brant and Michael B Tabor
• Trainer: Chad C Brown
• Jockey: Flavien Prat
• Career Statistics: (16) 5-1-3
• 2022 Statistics: (2) 1-0-0
• Saratoga Statistics: (0) 0-0-0

Rougir finished 5th in her last start, losing to fellow entrant Bleecker Street in the G1 New York Stakes. She was middle of the pack the whole race and was outkicked coming down the stretch. In the race prior, she won the G3 Beaugay Stakes angling five wide into the upper stretch taking command inside the eighth pole. She made her state side debut in the G1 Breeder’s Cup Filly and Mare Turf where she finished 7th. Over sea’s she raced in five other G1 stakes finishing 3/8/5/4/1. Given her last race against the favorite, I don’t see her winning this but given her past performances she does have a shot at finding the money.

Dalika

• Owner: Bal Mar Equine, LLC
• Trainer: Albert M Stall Jr.
• Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
• Career Statistics: (26) 7-7-0
• 2022 Statistics: (1) 0-1-0
• Saratoga Statistics:

Dalika’s the oldest horse in the race and with that, the most race’s under her belt. She’s only had one start this year, finishing runner-up in the G3 Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes. In that race she led throughout but yielded in the late stages. Prior to that, she ran 9th in the G1 First Lady Stakes after a slow start. Her last win was in July of 2021 in the G3 Robert G Dick Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park. This is an interesting horse for sure as her speed figures have been good in her past three starts. However, I’m not sure she has the speed to win this race.

In Italian

• Owner: Peter M Brant
• Trainer: Chad C Brown
• Jockey: Joel Rosario
• Career Statistics: (6) 3-2-1
• 2022 Statistics: (4) 2-1-1
• Saratoga Statistics: (0) 0-0-0

In Italian has finished in the money in each of her four starts this year. In her last race, she ran 3rd in the G1 Just a Game Stakes. She led heading into the quarter pole but was out paced down the stretch. Prior to that, she was the runner-up in the G2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes and won the G3 Honey Fox Stakes. My concern with this horse is the additional distance.

Picks:

WIN: (3) BLEECKER STREET

Let’s not over complicate things here, Bleecker Street is the best horse in this race by far. There’s no real over powering speed that’ll be too much for her to run down. She’ll follow her usual path of hanging off the pace then pulling away down the stretch.

EXACTA PART WHEEL: 3/ 2, 6

Race Information:

• Name: Sanford Stakes
• Track: Saratoga Race Course (Saratoga Springs, NY, USA)
• Event Grade: Grade III
• Race: 10
• Post Time: 6:13 PM ET
• Length: 6 Furlongs
• Purse: $175,000
• Division: Open | Two Years Old
• Surface: Dirt
• Wagers: Exacta, Trifecta (.50), Super (.10), Double Wagers

Field:

Picks:

WIN: (2) MAJOR DUDE

Major dude broke his maiden at Monmouth Park a little under a month ago. While some may stay away from him due to where he won his first race, I don’t mind it. Pletcher has done this in the past by giving his horses an easier win in their first race to build confidence. The pace should be fast so it sets up nicely for this horse who closed nicely in his maiden.

EXACTA BOX: 2, 4, 9

Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting.