Saratoga Notes

In the second at Saratoga on Friday, She's a Ketch (8-1) makes her debut, on the grass, for trainer Chad Brown. This barn sent out Zodiac Girl ($16) to win her debut on the lawn on Wednesday (a 75K maiden claimer). Brown has sent out two other debut runners on the grass at the Spa; War Hoot was third by two lengths after a troubled start at 12-1, and Eto'o was third by seven at 23-1. (And one of the trainer's other three winners at the meet was first timer Kid Kate [$11.20]).

She's a Ketch is a three-year old daughter of Silver Clipper, a Silver Deputy mare whose only win in 16 starts came on the grass and whose half-sister May Night (Gulch) won the PG Johnson Stakes on the grass here at two. Some awesome workouts and Lezcano wins at 30% for this outfit.

Upper Gulch (4-1) goes for trainer Pat Kelly, looking for his first winner of the meeting (from 16 starters). But the last three horses that he's sent out were Pynaformer, a troubled, wide third by 2 1/2 at 14-1; Lyrical Bobcat, a fast closing second by 1 1/4 at 9-1; and Joey's Chance, second by a neck at 11-1 to City Sneakers ($11.40) from the unconscious Linda Rice (14 for 36, 39%). Kelly always seems to pop a winner or two at the meet; he's never been shut out going back to at least 2004, and his median payoff is $18.20. So I'd look for him to maybe pop one or two before we're done here....but not with this one (an 0-for-14 maiden).

Ostensibly (15-1) makes her debut for Roy Lerman, two for four on the meet (three for 34 with first-timers over the last five years). She's by grass champion Cozzene, out of Supposedly (Polish Numbers), who earned over $100K on the turf (13-4-5-1). This is the direct distaff family of the two-time Arc winner Alleged (Princess Pout, the dam of Alleged is the third dam of Ostensibly).

Shine Softly (3-1) is, at least to me, an inexplicable morning line favorite making her first start since running third on the dirt at Saratoga last year.

- Another horrible well-bet juvenile first-timer for McLaughlin, as Cableknit, a $1.7 million daughter of Unbridled's Song, was a futile 5th on Thursday at 6-5! His debut babies are worse value than dinner at [fill in your favorite overpriced Saratoga restaurant]. J Z's Revenge ($17.40), a $6,000 daughter of Act of Duty (Mr. Prospector), won for Zayat and Steve Asmussen.

Another long-priced winner for Jimmy Ferraro with Straight Romance ($32.40); and his first-timer S.Z. Madison was giant to rally for second after a horrible start at odds of 18-1.