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The Tale of the Cat is carded as Race 9 on Friday’s 10-race program at Saratoga Race Course. The first post is 1:05 p.m. EDT.
Race Information:
- Track: Saratoga Race Course (Saratoga Springs, New York)
- Event Grade: Stakes
- Race: 9
- Post Time: 5:39 PM ET
- Length: 6 Furlongs
- Purse: $120,000
- Division: Open | 4 Years Old & Up (Which have not won a Grade Stakes Race in 2021)
- Surface: Dirt
- Wagers: Exacta, Trifecta (.50), Super (.10), Double Wagers
Field:
- My Boy Tate (Manuel Franco), 5-1
- Shashashakemeup (Ricardo Santana Jr.), 8-1
- Bon Raison (Jorge Vegas), 8-1
- Wind of Change (Irad Ortiz Jr.), 2-1
- Wondrwherecraigis (Sheldon Russell), 9-5
- Foolish Ghost (Joel Rosario), 4-1
Horse Preview:
MY BOY TATE finished second to fellow entrant FOOLISH GHOST his last time out in the John Morrissey Handicap. He’s ran well in similar races this year and will have Manuel Franco aboard, who he’s had success with. MY BOY TATE seems to be running better as of late with the outlier coming in the race two prior. He’s also the oldest horse in this race (7 years old) and took second in the Tale of the Cat Stakes last year. MY BOY TATE has raced at the Spa five times in his career and has been in the money four of them, so he seems to enjoy this track. He’ll seek his sixth stakes victory in this race.
SHASHASHAKEMEUP ran one of his best races of the year in an $80k AOC last out. Ricardo Santana Jr. will get the mount, on a horse he hasn’t ridden before. He’s tried his hand at some larger purse races but hasn’t had much success. His last race was encouraging so we’ll see if he can build some momentum off that. He’s one of the youngest horses in this field and will look to capture his first stakes victory. Earlier this year he ran his best race yet, to finish second in the (G3) Palos Verdes Stakes running a 110 speed figure. If he wants to have a chance in this race, he’ll need a similar performance.
BON RAISON has raced only once this year and that was in July coming off a seven month layoff, where he ran 5th in a $100k AOC. He is a multiple time stakes winner and will look for a non consecutive victory in the Tale of the Cat Stakes winning back in 2019. BON RAISON has the most experience out of any of these horses, and will need to rely upon it in this race. He raced in the (G1) Breeders Cup Sprint back in 2020 but, ended up finishing tenth. This horse has raced in some pretty big races but, every time he drops down in class, he seems to be just outside the winners circle.
WIND OF CHANGE won the Mr. Prospector Stakes his last time out back in May of this year, running a 114 speed figure. This Brazilian bred horse has some speed and should push the pace along with front runners, WONDRWHERECRAIGIS and FOOLSIH GHOST. He was shipped over from Brazil back in 2019 and just finally seems to be settling in given his past two races. Throughout 2020 and 2021 he’s raced in a few Grade 2 and 3 Stakes but, has failed to place in the money out of those four races. Given his recent speed figures and form, he should have a shot here.
WONDRWHERECRAIGIS takes on the Tale of the Cat Stakes where he’ll look to secure his first stakes victory. He returns to stakes company, after being disqualified from second to third in the Gold Fever Stakes. After that incident, he tried his luck again in the (G2) Amsterdam Stakes where he would finish fourth. He’s had success recently running in AOC races but, will face some more competitive horses here. This horse certainly has the speed to compete and will be tested early with the other front runners in this race. Most recently he ran his best speed figure of 118 to win a $50k AOC at Pimlico last month.
FOOLSIH GHOST could be the horse to beat in this race, coming off a victory in the John Morrissey Handicap his last trip out. Joel Rosario who was aboard him last race will get the mount again. He’s raced the most out of any horses in the field this year with seven starts, taking home three wins, and two second place finishes. This horse has historically run in Allowance races but, given the success he had last time out, will stick with the bump in class. We’ll see if he can have repeat performances and hold off MY BOY TATE again.
Race Preview:
Front Runner: Wind of Change, Wondrwherecraigis, Foolish Ghost
Stalk/ Off the Pace: My Boy Tate
Closer: Shashashakemeup, Bon Raison
Picks:
WIN: (1) MY BOY TATE
EXACTA BOX: 1, 5, 6
It was a battle between the (1) MY BOY TATE and the (5) WIND OF CHANGE for my pick in this race. I think both horses are severely undervalued and have a great chance to win this race. The reason I chose MY BOY TATE was because of his consistency. I believe WONDERWHERECRAIGIS last race is over valued and hasn’t seen the class of horses that will be in this race as of late. I understand he has raced well in Stakes races prior but, I think MY BOY TATE get’s it done on the fast conditions.
