Saratoga 2022: Play Friday's card with Pro Reports
Friday's 10-race card at Saratoga is highlighted by the Curlin Stakes, a restricted stakes for 3-year-old males. Horse Racing Nation Pro Reports are available for every track, every day and offer insight from a variety of handicapping angles.
In race 1, the Horses to Single Report identifies No. 5 Sidekick (9-5 morning line) as one to rely on in multi-race sequences. A half-brother to the Travers (G1) winner Code of Honor, Sidekick is making his third career start. He's hit the board in his first two races and should appreciate the extra ground, now going from 1 mile to 1 1/8th miles.
Another lightly raced horse who ranks third in the Power Picks is No. 8 Be Better (4-1). Since returning to the track as a 3-year-old, he's won both starts this year for trainer Todd Pletcher. Whenever Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher aren't favored in a race at Saratoga, it's time to take advantage of those prices.
According to the Post Position Bias Report, post 4 is the place to be and to bet in 5 1/2 furlong turf sprints. That's beneficial news for No. 4 Fauci (9-2) in race 8. In traffic in his last start, he's run well at this distance previously, including a second-place finish to Arrest Me Red at Saratoga last summer.
Gate 4 has a 20 percent win rate and a 16 percent win rate with a more recent focus. Horses breaking from post 4 have outrun their odds, resulting in a positive HRN Impact score of +63 percent.
As expected, fast paces are predicted in both turf sprints on the card. According to the Pace Report, the fastest early fractions on dirt for the day will be in race 9. The expected early leader is No. 1 Motion to Strike (8-1), part of a coupled entry with 1A Nicholas James.
Things could heat up early, with potential speed from No. 7 Dark Timber (12-1) and No. 2 Vikram (12-1). If all the speed in the race cancels each other out, some closers to look for would be No. 4 Quick To Blame (6-1) and No. 5 On the Hill (9-2). Favored No. 9 Baltasar (5-2) is likely to get a good stalking trip as well.