Saturday at Saratoga in Song

Race 10 - Coaching Club American Oaks - It's Tricky ($10.60)



I'm sure there were some winning bettors boasting about how easy this one was. "Best Beyer in the field, and she's 4-1, are you kidding me?" Of course, us really smart guys knew that that number came in the one-turn Acorn on a muddy track, and discounted it. Godolphin's filly is now four-for-five lifetime, making the leap from the inner track in the dead of winter to the division lead.

Race 7 - R King of the Road ($11.40)



The Toddster off to a good start with two winners in the first two days. This three-year old gelded son of Trippi disappointed as part of an even money entry of first-timers at Gulfstream in January, added blinkers in his return here, and was long gone after a blazing opening half-mile. R King of the Road hails from the direct female family of Raise A Native; his 5th dam is Raise You, the dam of that ubiquitous presence in American pedigrees.

Race 4 - Wishingonastar ($24.60)



Winner here for David Jacobson, who does not exactly thrive up at Saratoga, with a winning percentage of only 8%, as opposed to 18% overall over the last five years. Still, he's having a great year (21%) and it would be foolish to count him out as the bettors did here, especially in the claiming game in which he makes his living. He took this one for 16K in his debut, tried him unsuccessfully in a state-bred stakes, but gets the money here dropping him in for 15K. Favored Houston Harbor was awful at 7-5 on the big dropdown for Asmussen, and Linda Rice helpfully took him off his hands; good luck with that one.

Race 2 - Laurie's Rocket ($16.20)



This $300,000 yearling purchase was 47-1 in his debut at Churchill; that's usually enough to get me to discount a horse's chances next time, unless he was particularly extraordinary. Was a wide second that day; gets the job done here for Dallas Stewart. This barn is a rare presence at the downstate NYRA tracks, but a regular at Saratoga, even though it has only won at 8% over the last five years. Guess he must just like it here. Laurie's Rocket is a son of Bluegrass Cat out of an American Chance mare, and a half-brother to the stakes-winner (on grass) Greeley's Rocket. The dam is a half to the G1 winner Adieu, who won the Spinaway over this track. First-timer How Do I Win (Corinthian) was bet down to 4-5 in his debut for Pletcher, and is still asking that question (as is his stallion, still looking for his first win).