July 18, 2024
NEW YORK — By Ed DeRosa
The New York Stallion Series today at Saratoga is a fitting start to the stakes slate this week, as Saturday features a pair of prep races for the King’s Plate.
Both the New York Stallion Series and King’s Plate are restricted races in that where a foal was born and/or where it was bred affects their eligibility for certain races.
In the King’s Plate’s case (and the prep races this Saturday at Woodbine: the Plate Trial and Woodbine Oaks), the races are restricted to three-year-olds born in Canada. In the New York Stallion Series case, horses are eligible based on being by (i.e. fathered) stallions nominated to the Series program.
Today’s race is for three-year-old males going a mile on turf, which sometimes can be attractive for three-year-olds to try grass for the first time, but all seven of today’s expected runners (no scratches as of 10:15 a.m.) have tried the sod before.
The Big Torpedo (not to be confused with Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna, who is running Saturday at Saratoga in the Coaching Club American Oaks) is the overwhelming morning line favorite, but I am looking to beg against him.
The price is just too short on a colt whose lone two-turn try on turf saw him give up the lead late. Plus, as a stakes winner (he won the turf sprint division of the Stallion Series 4 ½ weeks ago at Aqueduct), he carries high weight of 124 pounds.
#4 Fidelightcayut is my alternative. He chased The Big Torpedo last out sprinting, but trainer Juan Avila freshened his colt for this and attracted Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride. No disrespect to previous riders, but I love this move on a colt stretching back out considering his best race was two turns. Plus, we’re getting six pounds from the favorite.
The Bet:
The path is clear, making my only bet in this race as #4 to win.