Saturday At 'The Spa': Saratoga Race Course Picks For Coaching Club American Oaks, Lake George Stakes

It's Ladies Night at the Saratoga Race Course. The two biggest races at The Spa this weekend are between three-year-old fillies. We have the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes in Race 10 and the Coaching Club American Oaks in Race 11. The CCA Oaks is the second leg of the Triple Tiara for the best three-year-old fillies in New York. 

The first leg is the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park and the final is the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes back in Saratoga. Thorpedo Anna, the top betting choice in the American Oaks, and the biggest star at Saratoga Saturday, won the Acorn her last time out in June. It was the fastest race of Thorpedo Anna's career and her third straight Grade 1 victory.

After my first Saturday at Saratoga's 2024 summer meet, my bankroll is -$3.50. My pick to win the Diana Stakes finished last and the two other horses I had on my ticket failed to hit the board. I did hit the #8 horse, Mo Plex, in the Sanford Stakes. But, he ended up losing at a $1.85 price, so that win wasn't big enough to cover my earlier losses. Let's discuss the two graded stakes races at The Spa Saturday. 

Saratoga Race Course Best Bets: American Oaks Day 

Race 10: Grade 3 Lake George Stakes, 5:38 p.m. ET post time

A 10-horse, one-mile race on the inner turf for three-year-old fillies competing for a $175,000 purse. 

2- Oversubscribed (GB) 

• Morning Line (ML) odds: 5-2
• Record (Starts-Win-Place-Show): 3-2-1-0
• Jockey: Joel Rosario
• Trainer: Chad Brown
• Best Beyer Speed Figure (BSF): 91

This British chick is the fastest horse in the field. Her 91 BSF came in a 3.25-length win her last time out in the Wild Applause at Aqueduct last month. Brown is one of the best trainers in the sport, a Saratoga native who dominates his home course. Because of the price, I'll have NO WIN TICKETS but will be USING IN EXOTICS. 

3- Manama Gold 

• ML odds: 5-1
• Record: 4-3-1-0
• Jockey: John Velazquez
• Trainer: Todd Pletcher
• BSF: 84

Pletcher is switching this filly to the turf after she had overwhelming success on dirt. However, Manama Gold's pedigree says she is better for turf. Her mom, Charged Cotton, was a stakes winner on turf. Her full sister, Ova Charged, is a perfect 5-for-5 on turf. She has by far the fastest early pace. I could see Manama Gold getting out to an early lead and holding on to hit the board. USING IN EXOTICS. 

4- Vive Veuve

• ML odds: 8-1
• Record: 7-2-0-2
• Jockey: Ramon Vazquez
• Trainer: Jack Sisteron
• BSF: 85

Vive Veuve has hit the board, and progressively run faster, in all three starts (2-0-1) as a three-year-old. She peaked with an 85 BSF in a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Wonder Again her last time out at Aqueduct. That was a one-and-one-eighth-mile race. One of her two wins this year was on a mile-long turf course, so maybe the shorter distance helps. 

The #4 horse has looked sharp in her two works this month in Saratoga. Vive Veuve ran a 46-second four-furlong work Sunday and a 47-second four-furlong July 5. For context, 12 seconds per furlong is a fast fraction. Since I'm not in love with this field and Vive Veuve can take another step forward. USING IN EXOTICS with WIN & PLACE TICKETS. 

Pick(s): 

• $1 Trifecta Box: 2-3-4 for a $6 total bet.
• $2 Exacta Box: 2-3-4 for a $12 total bet.
• $5 Win & Place Bets on #4 Vive Veuve for a $10 total bet

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Race 11: Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, 6:17 p.m. ET post time

A five-horse, one-and-one-eighth-mile race on the dirt track for three-year-old fillies with a $500,000 purse. 

8- Intricate 

• ML odds: 8-1
• Record: 6-2-2-0
• Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
• Trainer: Brendan P. Walsh
• BSF: 87

This is Intricate's worst odds since winning the Grade 2 Golden Rod ($6.33-1) at Churchill Downs in November 2023, her final race as a two-year-old. Intricate beat the top three-year-old filly, #3 Thorpedo Anna, that day. It was her first, and only, career loss, and Intricate bested Thorpedo Anna by 5.25 lengths. 

The #8 horse has been unimpressive in her three-year-old season (0-2-0 in three starts), leading to the drop in price. However, Saratoga is called the Graveyard of Champions for a reason. Hell, Secretariat lost his only race at Saratoga in 1973, the year he won the Triple Crown. So, I'm taking a shot at a proven winner with a nice payout. 

Pick(s): 

• $5 Win & Place tickets on #8 Intricate for a $10 total bet.
• $5 Exacta Box: 3-5 for a $10 total bet.

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