Brian Hernandez Jr. rides Thorpedo Anna, left, to win the 150th running of Kentucky Oaks last month at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
SARATOGA SPRINGS – The final leg of this year’s Triple Crown series will be run at historic Saratoga Race Course on Saturday afternoon as part of a four-day racing festival that commenced Thursday.
Friday afternoon’s racing card features four straight stakes races to wrap up the day.
The Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna will run in the $500,000 Grade 1 Acorn, the final race of the afternoon.
FS2 will have undercard television coverage from 12 to 6 p.m. FS1 will take over live coverage from Saratoga for the final hour starting at 6 p.m., to show the final two stakes races on the card.
Let’s take a look at the four stakes races on Friday’s race card:
Race 9 – Grade 2 Intercontinental S. (Post Time: 4:55 p.m.)
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The $200,000 Intercontinental drew a field of 10 sprinting 5½ furlongs on the Widener turf course. 6-Roses for Debra (6-5) was assigned the morning line favorite by track handicapper David Aragona. The daughter of Liam’s Map is coming off a Grade 3 win in the Giant’s Causeway at Keeneland, where she defeated second choice 10-Love Reigns (3-1). Christophe Clement will have Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle aboard the favorite. Love Reigns will need to stay closer to the pace to utilize her late closing running style and also will have to work out a trip from the outside post. 8-Gal in a Rush (10-1) is intriguing as Clement’s other entry in the race with ace turf jockey Flavien Prat aboard. She has not missed the exacta in her last five races. For a longshot 3-Everyoneloveslinda (30-1) returns to the turf for Linda Rice and could catch a piece at a price.
Post Time selections: 1 – Roses for Debra; 2 – Love Reigns; 3 – Gal in a Rush; 4 – Everyoneloveslinda.
Race 10 – Grade 1 Just A Game S. (Post Time: 5:30 p.m.)
The first Grade 1 on the Friday card features a smaller field of seven fillies and mares running a mile on the Saratoga inner turf for a purse of $500,000. With two Chad Brown horses 2-Beaute Cachee (6-1) and 7-Whitebeam (5-2) likely setting the pace, another Brown starter 4-Coppice (3-1) should be able to lay back and make her move. She just missed beating 6-Chili Flag (4-1) in the Distaff Turf Mile on Derby day and has the credentials to beat this field. Brown also has 3-Gina Romantica (3-1) in the field looking to sweep the superfecta.
Post Time selections: 1 – Coppice; 2 – Whitebeam; 3 – Chili Flag; 4 – Beaute Cachee.
Race 11 – Grade 1 New York S. (Post Time: 6:05 p.m.)
The $500,000 turf route on the Saratoga Widener turf course over 1 3/16 miles drew a large field of 13 fillies and mares. Frankie Dettori will be on the saddle of European shipper 5-American Sonja (10-1) looking to steal the cash for trainer Joseph O’Brien. The 4-year-old filly has impressed oversees in France and Ireland. 10-War Like Goddess (4-1) will be the fan favorite and returns to run against females in her 2024 debut. Morning line favorite 2-English Rose (3-1) is a win threat for Charles Appleby, finishing second in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley in April. The 4-year-old chestnut daughter of Frankel comes into the race fresh and has never finished worse than second in five career races. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sends out 13-Suprisingly (15-1) who drew the far outside post. She should thrive with the longer distance and can set back early before making her run.
Post Time selections: 1 – American Sonja; 2 – War Like Goddess; 3 – English Rose; 4 – Surprisingly.
Race 12 – Grade 1 Acorn S. (Post Time: 6:40 p.m.)
This year’s edition of the $500,000 Acorn drew a competitive group of horses with nine entries. The highly regarded 9-Thorpedo Anna (8-5) is the heavy favorite after winning the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. She will have a rematch with runner-up 4-Just F Y I (5-2) who broke her maiden last summer over the Saratoga oval. Eight Belles winner 5-My Mane Squeeze (12-1) stretches out to nine furlongs after winning on Oaks day at Churchill for trainer Mike Maker. If you can draw a line through 3-Leslie’s Rose (5-1) Kentucky Oaks race, she could be useful underneath at a price.
Post Time selections: 1 – Thorpedo Anna; 2 – Just F Y I; 3 – My Mane Squeeze; 4 – Gun Song.
Gene Kershner, a Buffalo-based turf writer, is a member of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association, and tweets @EquiSpace.
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