Saratoga is one of the best meets in the world. Believe it or not, I have handicapped every race at Saratoga this year. While it is a daunting task, it has increased my handicapping abilities and helped to learn new things about racing. Sometimes there is more to things than meets the eyes.

A good example of this is a horse called Angliana earlier in the meet. He is an old stakes horse who dropped into a claimer after missing months of action. He caught plenty of action and was bet somewhere around 3-1. I knew this was too good to be true, and stayed away. All too many times stakes horses will miss time on the track and drop into claimers; rarely are they the same as they were in the past. With that said, let’s take a look at two races at Saratoga on Sunday.

Race 5) This maiden race isn’t the toughest I’ve seen, but my pick surely isn’t a “lock”. I like #3 D’bigcat. His sire, D’wildcat has proved to be strong at this meet so far. D’funnybone, a son of D’wildcat, took the Grade 2 Saratoga Special last week. D’bigcat has only one race, a maiden special weight event where he set the pace. He hung in there until the stretch and faded. Dropping into the maiden claiming ranks should give him a good shot at winning second time out.

Race 10) #2 Silver City Dreams is an interesting entry in this maiden special weight race. The three-year-old daughter of Wiseman’s Ferry broke in the air and closed from 31 lengths back to finish a strong fourth in which she was beat for second by only a length. She did it willingly. I have to think she will run better here with a clean break. Even if she doesn’t win, she could help the exotics pay well at odds of 10-1. #4 Out Nice Them is another interesting prospect. She ran fifth by a length last out after setting the pace. The second place finisher returned to win, and the winner came back to run a strong second. I’d also use her at odds of 4-1.

Any hot tips at Saratoga today? Leave a comment and share them with our readers!

EDIT: This race is on the turf. Ignore all comments about the main track.

The big one is in the books. The coveted American Oaks is behind us, but that doesn’t make the Del Mar Oaks any less important. Well Monied was second best in the American Oaks and looks to be the one to beat in this race. The Howard Zucker trainee has an astonishing turn of foot, and will be moving best late.

Her best win came two back in the Grade 2 Hooneymoon Handicap under Joel Rosario. She closed from seventh to take that race by one and a quarter lengths. She is from the sire Maria’s Mon and out of a Quiet American mare. It looks like she is improving and this will be her race to lose. Trying the synthetic dirt hasn’t worked in the past, but she isn’t the same filly that she was the last time she raced on the surface. I don’t expect it to hurt her chances.

Lexlanos appears to be Well Monied’s best competition despite losing to her in their last two meetings. Sent off at odds of 63-1 in the American Oaks, Lexlanos rallied to finish third beaten for second by only a half of a length. That was easily her best performance to date for trainer Patrick Gallagher and jockey Alex Solis. Lexlanos won twice on synthetic surfaces in Great Britain. The daughter of Inditab appears to be improving just like her rival Well Monied. The filly that improves the most will likely win this event.

If Strawberry Tart can get the distance, she will make her presence known in this event. The daughter of Atticus has never raced past one mile. She finished second beaten a nose by Starlarks in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap. Starlarks will also be racing in the Del Mar Oaks. Martin Garcia may be smart to put Strawberry Tart on the lead, as their appears to be little to no pace. That is bad for Starlarks, because she is a deep closer. The surface switch shouldn’t hurt Strawberry Tart. We have no way of knowing how Starlarks will handle the surface switch, but my instincts tell me it wont be a problem.

Danny Sorenson is winless at the Del Mart meet, but has a live mount in this one. Hameildaeme finished third last out in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap. Prior to that she found the winners circle in an optional claimer at Hollywood Park. She has never raced past one mile, and the extra ground could be what the doctor ordered. Her works have been sub par over the main track, so I’m a bit concerned about how she will handle the surface switch.

Hermoione’s Magic broke her maiden first out over a synthetic surface in Great Britain. The Kathy Walsh trainee has raced only three times. She won her first start in the United States, an optional claimer going one mile at Del Mar. She smoked the time at 1:34 3/5. Hall of fame jockey Mike Smith will ride the closing daughter of Systematic.

I like Well Monied to win this one. As far as I can tell, she is only getting better. Who do you like? Leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

Careless Jewel enters the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes holding a very strong hand. The three-year-old daughter of Tapit has won 3 of her last 4, including the Delaware Oaks by 7 lengths. She earned a massive 110 BRIS figure for that effort. The front running filly scorched the time in that race, stopping the clock in 1:42 4/5 seconds for the 8.5 furlongs distance. That race was her first start over conventional dirt. If she keeps improving at this rate it is scary to think how good she will be in just a few starts. She is the morning line favorite for horse betting at 5/2.

Perhaps the best competition for Careless Jewel comes in the closing filly Funny Moon. She won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks in her last start,  narrowly getting up for the win by a head. The daughter of Malibu Moon was very wide in that race. It was her first start and win at 10 furlongs, and her 4th win in her last 5 races. A fast pace would work to her benefit.

Don’t Forget Gil didn’t have the clearest of sailing last out when finishing second behind Funny Moon.We will get a better idea of how much the stalking daughter of Kafwain has improved in this race if she is able to have a clean trip. She has some good works entering the race, and I have a feeling she was the best horse last out. Rajiv Maragh will have to hope for a speed duel and cross his fingers that he will be able to get first jump.

Canadian invader Milwaukee Appeal will seek her first graded stakes win after finishing third in the $1 million Queens Plate, and then 2nd by a nose in the $500k Prince of Wales Stakes. She faced the boys in both of those races. Prior to those races she won the $500k Woodbine Oaks. She has an advantage over many of these in that she has raced well at ten furlongs. With her best race she could be in the thick of things, but I have a feeling she is looking at a minor award here.

Careless Jewel looks like she could be a phenom in the future. This could be her coming out party. The price is right at 5/2. Win or lose, the Alabama Stakes looks to be an exciting race!

Race 3) #6 QUISOM has good early speed and should make horse betting in this race interesting. The four-year-old daughter of Gone West will have to take her speed an extra furlong, but I don’t think that will be a problem. She might be a nice horse to single on the Pick 4. Trainer Robert Ribaudo isn’t well known but is doing well at Saratoga with a 6-2-1-0 record thus far. Sebastian Morales will ride.

#4 MULTIPASS will be my top pick’s best competition. She won two in a row before finishing sixth last out. I’m a bit concerned that those two wins came over off tracks, but she appears to have the skills to win this one. Julien Leparoux will ride for Eddie Kenneally. While he is an excellent trainer, and I would never hesitate to bet him, Kenneally is in a bit of a slump. Maybe this filly will end that.

Race 4) This is a very interesting event. #4 HAMAZING DESTINY was purchased for a large sum after breaking his maiden by an easy 10 lengths at Oaklawn Park. The time of 1:10 2/5 for six furlongs was smoking fast for Oaklawn. He was then turned over to D. Wayne Lukas and has turned in two sub par performances at route distances. Shortening up could be his calling, but he faces some tough horses here. Also there is no telling how he will respond to the turf.

While I will be using Hamazing Destiny, my top pick is #8 AFFIRMATIF. Many people thought he would be the next coming in turf routes, but he turned in a bad race in the Virginia Derby. He is definitely a graded stakes quality horse, but we don’t know how he will do shortening up. I’ll take a gamble and hope he likes it at 3-1. Another horse to use underneath is #5 PERFECT OFFICER at 5/2. He ran 4th to a nice horse called Awakino Cat who returned to win next out.

There is a large Pick 6 carryover at Saratoga today. Don’t forget to play that and have your chance at the “big one”. Good luck!