There is a stacked card of races taking place at Saratoga this weekend, with three Grades 1s on the agenda. The featured race will be the Whitney, but competitive fields are also set to go to post for the Saratoga Derby and the Test Stakes. Find the best tips to make with the leading horse racing sites right here.
Saratoga Derby (Grade 1)
We will start with the featured turf race of the day at Saratoga, as a field of three-year-olds will go to post for the Saratoga Derby. This Grade 1 is the second leg of the turf series, and will see competitors compete over 1 3/16 miles. It was re-established back in 2019, with Domestic Spending winning the race 12 months ago.
Bolshoi Ballet, for Aidan O’Brien, will be the horse at the top of the betting for the race, as he looks to emulate his win in the first leg of the turf series. That was a very impressive showing in the Belmont Derby on his American debut. However, it will be fascinating to see him return, and this could be a trickier test.
The European style of racing could have a big say on the winning horse in this race, and we like the chances of Jessie Harrington-trained Cadillac. The three-year-old is two from five, and won on his return to the track in the Grade 3 International Stakes over on 1 ¼ miles.
Pick: Cadillac
Whitney Stakes (Grade 1)
Grade 1 action comes thick and fast at Saratoga on Saturday, as the leading three-year-olds on the dirt will be in action in the Whitney Stakes. The winning horse in this race will get entry to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and there are no shortage of Grade 1 winners expected to go to post.
Knicks Go carries the highest speed figure record, and could be leading contender to Maxfield. His running style could be the decisive factor, as he was impressive when winning wire-to-wire in the G3 Cornhusker last time out. He was slightly disappointing before then in the Metropolitan and Saudi Cup, but Knicks Go looked back to his very best on his last start.
Swiss Skydiver would be our pick, as she looks to join elite company of fillies and mares that have won this race in the past. She was very impressive when winning the Beholder earlier in the season, and has won or placed on 12 of her career starts. Irad Ortiz will be on onboard, and has won this three times in the past. Furthermore, Swiss Skydiver is unbeaten in three career starts at Saratoga.
Pick: Swiss Skydiver
Longines Test Stakes (Grade 1)
The final Grade 1 that we will have a look at this weekend is the Test Stakes. This is a sprint over seven furlongs, and fillies aged three will be involved in the race. Bob Baffert won this race 12 months ago, and he will saddle Illumination in the race this year.
Always Carina and Search Results could be among the main chances. The latter won the G1 Acorn last time very impressively, with her only career defeat coming in the Kentucky Oaks, where she was beaten by Malathaat. However, we would be keen to take a chance on a bigger-priced selection.
Make Mischief has performed well at Saratoga in the past, finishing second on all occasions. Her experience here could be a big factor, and comes into the race after finishing fourth in the Mother Goose, and was also third in the Acorn earlier in the season.
Pick: Make Mischief
