Nine Older New York Breds Battle it Out in the $100,000 ESR Saratoga Sensation Stakes

A filed of Nine Four Year Old’s and Upward enter the Big Apple starting gate in the $100,000 ESR Saratoga Sensation Stakes.  The race will be run at Seven Furlongs over the Dirt Course.

TWO SAWBUCKS – the first of two from the trotter1 stables, this 4-Year Old Brown Colt by Union Jackson has logged a lot of racing miles at the Graded Stakes level, seven to be exact, and although he’s never taken top honors, his three third place finishes certainly bolsters his credentials in this field of New York Breds…eight wins in eleven career starts at the Local level and career earnings in excess of $400k make this local favorite a major player in this week’s ESR feature…up to the task

TOUGH MUDDER – the francua trained 4-Year Old Chestnut Colt by Alpha has established an impressive career at the Local level, winning six of fourteen career starts over Local ovals and boasts an overall nine wins  of twenty-one lifetime starts with earnings of over $300k…if there is a knock against this colt, it’s that he’s never broken through at the Stakes level, but he’s quick from the gate, and rarely likes to give up the lead…if this local product can establish himself early, dictate the pace, he just might get that stakes monkey off his back…one to catch

FLAG THE GOLD – the second of the two from the trotter1 barn, this 4-Year Old Bay Colt by Laoban might even be a notch better than his running mate, however choosing between the two of them might be like splitting hairs…while his past performances may not have the bells and whistles as his barn mate, he does possess a third place finish in the G2 Stephen Woody, and when you examine his Local race record you will notice 10 wins in 15 career starts, nine of them coming at today’s distance…dangerous

NINE MISSIONS – the first of two from the kingab stables, this 4 Year Old Light Grey Gelding by Mission Impazible gets some class relief against these having started in nine consecutive Open Company Allowance races, while finishing ITM in all but one of those appearances since being Gelded in August of last year…getting the Jacques Who award for his eight second place finishes in his seventeen career starts, this Big Apple native might have turned a corner in his last start where he posted a career best 112-speed figure while drawing away from Open Company field of non-winners of three lifetime…learn more today

TRINNI – the 7-Year Old Brown Horse by Trinniberg is an old favorite among the ESR Community campaigning in eight ESR feature races taking home top honors in two of those appearances…the ace trainee, making his 33^rd start, might be getting a little long in the tooth, but you can’t tell him that after a gate to wire victory LTO while posting a 102-speed figure…I don’t know if he has enough to come away with a victory here on Saturday, but I do know at some point in this race he is going to be a thorn in somebody’s side…for old time’s sake

GHOST OF ALPHA – the second half of the kingab entry, this 5-Year Old Roan Gelding by Alpha has been established as your 8/5 Morning Line Favorite, and while the thought of an “underlay’” may cross your betting instincts, you might want to take a closer look at the fields top money earners last appearance, a second place finish in the Open Company Kris Noia Dirt Challenge…yes it was a second place finish, but that field was stacked, and the fields lone New York Bred finished ahead of three Graded winners, two of which were Grade One winners and multiple stakes winners, while posting a 116-speed figure for the Mile, a speed figure that he routinely runs in most his starts and is certainly fast enough to get the job done here on Saturday…one to beat

CASINO WARCRY – the first of two from the casino barns, this 4-Year Old Bay Colt by Alpha has compiled an impressive record at the Local Level winning seven of seventeen starts while earning more than $300k…no stranger to ESR features, the talented New Yorker came away with a victory in the ESR Hippie Movement Stakes in March of last year, but while his two and three year old campaign was nothing short of spectacular, his current form pales in comparison…a fifth place finish in a Local NW2y in his last start while posting his lowest speed figure, 97, in his last five start raises red flags…must show more

TOO SHY TO SCREAM – the sremel trained 5-Year Old Brown Horse by Hold Me Back is making his 32nd career start, but unlike TRINNI, his current form suggests his best racing days are behind him…off the board in his last nine starts dating back to September of last year, to his credit, the one-time promising Turf star has been taking on Open Company rivals and his last start in the Open Company Deliver The Win Dirt Sprint saw him finish ahead six other horses, two of which were stakes winners, but that may not be enough for the Local product, who’s looking to catch lightning in a bottle…not with these

PROFESSOR MALONEY – the second from the casino stables, and a particular favorite of mine, this 4-Year Old Brown Colt by Golden Missile kicked off his racing career by winning six of his first eight career starts, however, his 4yo campaign is trending in the opposite direction where he’s been winless throughout his 4yo campaign…looking to jump start his season, connections are employing a Turf to Dirt angle off a recent freshening for the one-time Local threat, a ploy, if successful, puts him right in the mix here on Saturday…proceed with caution

Handicapping the Field

On paper, GHOST OF ALPHA, TWO SAWBUCKS, and FLAG THE GOLD appear to have distanced themselves from the rest of the field.  Off his last race, GHOST OF ALPHA appears to be the horse to beat.  He’s been facing better, and running faster that his main rivals, but I’m not sure I am willing to take 8/5 on a horse that’s only won once in the last year.  TWO SAWBUCKS and FLAG THE GOLD appear equally as good and therein lies the dilemma, which one do you pick.  I hate those damned if you do, damned if you don’t, betting situations.

NINE MISSIONS comes in just a notch under the top three, and if he runs back to his last start he could prove much the best in this field, and that’s a big if for a horse that is content on finishing second.

TOUGH MUDDER will have to shake loose from this field, a tough task to achieve when taking a rise in class. CASINO WARCRY has the ability, but his last start suggests he’s not in top form.  TOO SHY TO SCREAM might be in over his head with these.

TRINNI and PROFESSOR MALONEY are sentimental favorites, and both capable on their best day.  The question is are their best days behind them.

The Picks

FLAG THE GOLD – Seven Furlong specialist might be hard to beat

GHOST OF ALPHA – lot of hidden form here, last a monster start, but can’t get past 8/5 and the one win in a year

TWO SAWBUCKS – never off the board at the Local level, why should this be any different