Whitney Day Pick Six Horse-By-Horse Preview
By PTF
As a special treat to you ITM Plus subscribers, PTF is here with written thoughts on almost every horse involved in the Pick Six tomorrow at Saratoga. Four of them are provided here on ITM Plus and you can find below the big race - the Whitney - with attheraces.com. You can additionally take a look at the other G1’s on the card, the Test and the Saratoga Derby, there as well. If they offered a Pick Seven, PTF would have you prepared! Enjoy.
Attheraces.com Horse-By-Horse Guide
Saratoga Derby - Race 7
Test - Race 8 (First Leg of Pick Six)
Whitney - Race 11
Race 9 - Lure Stakes
#1 KUBRICK probably ran better than it appears in the Poker as he was very much against the flow. Two back in the Poker he was sent forward, tactics that didn’t agree with him. The US debut showed promise and he looks about as good as a horse can look who just finished second-to-last and last in his last two – that still leaves him something to find but he’s not out of it at a price. Hunch play for Dr. Strangelove fans. (91)
#2 FOREVER SOUPER comes here off a career best at the listed level at Laurel where he wired a field when left completely alone on the lead. There is other pace signed on today making a repeat of that scenario unlikely. He has stalked and pounced successfully before though and can be left in the mix, at least for under. (93)
#3 SWIFTSURE makes his turf debut here and while his sire, Uncle Mo, does well in turf routes, I’m not convinced he’ll find the necessary improvement to compete against these. Could be a pace factor. (90?? Surface)
#4 IRISH ACES has recently run third twice the last two times and runs competitive figures for this level. I’m slightly troubled that she didn’t get the job done last time with a good setup against lesser. That said, he has a race over the track and fits these conditions to a tee. (93)
#5 BIG EVEREST looks likely to be the best speed and he’s in good form having just wired an allowance race that came back to produce a Saratoga winner in Major Dude. He’ll be tested for class but the presence of Rosario, a good front end rider who has been unlucky at the meet, could be a positive. (96 pace)
#6 JOHNY’S FIREEBALL has one line in his PPs that suggests he can win this, the Grade 3 win at Fair Grounds back in February. That came with plenty of cut in the ground as the turf was listed as soft that day. I’ll take an extra look and include if the going is off on Saturday – which looks a possibility. (89, wet move up)
#7 PIONEERING SPIRIT had his career highlight at the Spa last summer, winning the listed Baruch stakes in fantastic time, but he has been winless on turf in seven tries since and seems off form. He’s had setups and just hasn’t been able to deliver that same late kick. He had some trip issues last time and can be considered as a deep backup at a price. (91+)
#8 SMOKIN’ T took a bump early last time at Churchill and didn’t do any running thereafter. He won this race last year over soft going and has recent races that suggest he could be in the money once again. Looks a contender around the 6-1 range whose chance go up if it ends up soft. (93)
#9 MORE THAN LOOKS hasn’t been out since the Breeders’ Cup Mile where he stuck on late to be beaten less than two. He was one of the talking horses that week in terms of the tremendous physical appearance he made. That figure in the Mile matched his previous effort in the Jefferson Cup and there’s little doubt that his A-game will put him in the winners’ circle. He appears to be working well for his return to the races as well for an excellent trainer in Cherie DeVaux who is flying at the meet. The layoff is a question and the post isn’t the one you’d have chosen, but those things might mean you get a backable price on the fastest horse in the race. (100)
VERDICT: I’m going to key around the favorite, #9 MORE THAN LOOKS, but there are some potentially interesting prices to play around with including #1 Kubrick and #7 Pioneering Spirit
Race 10
A: #6 Cogburn
B: #1 Mischief Magic
C: #7 Big Invasion