by Jeremy Plonk
August 22, 2024
Hop in the express lane for this trip across America, where 17 stakes races will held on Saturday.
Here goes (in chronological order):
1. Parx 3, 1:40 pm ET | Rail-drawn 1-Buccherino has been facing tougher than he’ll face in the Salvatore Debunda Sprint and has the home-court edge on unbeaten likely chalk 6-Sunny Breeze.
2. Parx 4, 2:10 pm ET | While 7-Grooms All Bizness has won 4 of his last 5, it’s local Turf Monster winner 5-That’s Right to beat in the Parx Dash under turf sprint ace rider Paco Lopez.
3. Parx 6, 3:15 pm ET | 4-Tuskegee Airmen looked like a future star in 2022 at 2 and respected Parx trainer John Servis goes old school – sprint-to-route while second off the layoff – in the Mayor’s Mile.
4. Saratoga 9, 3:44 pm ET | It’s literally a Charlie Appleby coin-flip in the Sword Dancer, where the 12-furlong trip may suit 4-Silver Knott over stablemate 2-Measured Time.
5. Parx 7, 3:45 pm ET | 5-Recruiter was eye-catching early in his career and his allowance win recently at Monmouth looks like he’s back on the beam for a stakes re-rise into the State Representative’s Sprint.
6. Timonium 8, 4:02 pm ET | The 6-furlong oval at the Maryland State Fair was a haven last year for jockey Xavier Perez (2-Yesternight), while big respect for the bullring Charles Town Oaks effort last year from 8-Late Frost takes top choice in the Shine Again.
7. Parx 8, 4:15 pm ET | 6-Impel and 1-Gun Song have faced tougher, but the Cathryn Sophia is a prep for the Grade 1 Cotillion and 7-Just Be Quiet will offer value in a race that looks like a destination for her and not a tune-up.
8. Saratoga 10, 4:20 pm ET | The Ballerina could incinerate with need-the-lead 4-Society and 8-Munny’s Gold dueling, setting the table for my longshot best bet of the day 2-Chi Town Lady, who boasts ridiculous BRIS late pace figures.
9. Monmouth 9, 4:37 pm ET | Juveniles stretching out for the first time are about projection, and Monmouth’s 1-mile Sorority may better-suit the pedigree and style of 1-Vino Limone than likely heavy favorite 7-Social Fortress, whose mama sprinted.
10. Parx 9, 4:45 pm ET | The Smarty Jones Is the local Pennsylvania Derby prep, where 3-Gould’s Gold should secure a comfy trip near a very modest pace and get the jump on 4-Uncle Heavy, 1-Mugatu et al.
11. Saratoga 11, 4:55 pm ET | The Forego pace looks manageable for a 7-furlong Grade 1, which is good news for red-hot 6-Mullikin to notch his fourth straight win.
12. Saratoga 12, 5:30 pm ET | So many good options in the 7-furlong Jerkens Memorial, but medium-priced 1-World Record removes a lot of the variables with rail speed and a fantastic win sprinting over the track since adding blinkers.
13. Saratoga 13, 6:10 pm ET | Absolutely no confidence in the Travers, where 5 of the 8 are win contenders (all but 4,5,6) so I’d only get involved in the win pool if an outlier price looked too juicy to pass on a key contender.
14. Gulfstream 10, 6:33 pm ET | 6-Comedy Town beat better in the Smile Sprint last out and should make it 3 in a row in the Benny the Bull over a furlong farther, given his new-found ability to stalk.
15. Del Mar 9, 9:00 pm ET | The Pat O'Brien figures to be an encore for the unstoppable 6-The Chosen Vron, who was as good as he's ever looked in winning last month's Bing Crosby.
16. Prairie Meadows 9, 10:26 pm ET | 7-Long Neck Paula and 5-Aoraki exit Saratoga’s Schuylerville for A-list trainers Wesley Ward and Steve Asmussen, while the early foot of the latter should play stronger in the Prairie Meadows Freshman over a speed-friendly track.
17. FD Racing 6, 10:50 pm ET | 2-EJ Won the Cup should absolutely outclass the St. Louis Derby competition and the 2-1 morning line projection would be a late-night snack.