Saratoga Special 2023: Odds and analysis for 6-horse field

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The 117th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special is the second graded-stakes race of the track's summer meeting for 2-year-old males. A field of six was drawn for the 6 1/2-furlong sprint led by the Norm Casse trainee Rhyme Schemes, who has the highest speed figure of the year for any 2-year-old.

The series of races for juvenile males began opening week with the six-furlong Sanford (G3), followed by the Saratoga Special, and ends with the seven-furlong Hopeful, which is the meeting’s final Grade 1.

Here is a full-field analysis for the Schylerville with the morning line from the Horse Racing Nation staff.

1. Lasso, 10-1. Brethren – Juan Alvarado / Edgard Zayas – 1: 1-0-0 - $43,000. Lasso used a late rally to break his maiden at first asking and circled the field to win at odds of 9-5 on a sloppy and sealed track at Gulfstream Park. The third-place finisher came back to win his next start in a maiden special weight at the Florida track. Use underneath.

2. Market Street, 12-1. Street Sense – D. Wayne Lukas / Jaime Torres – 2: 1-0-0 - $70,913. Market Street was a rare first-time starter to win for the Coach, and that happened at Ellis Park at the end of June on a sloppy track. He tried the Sanford Stakes (G3), where he stumbled at the break and still managed to set the pace but faded down the stretch. Lukas won the Special three times, most recently in 2001. Use underneath.

3. Woodcourt, 10-1. Ransom the Moon – Brendan Walsh / Jose Ortiz – 2: 1-0-0 - $70,600. Woodcourt broke his maiden in his second start at Ellis Park, beating a field of seven by more than a length. In his debut at Keeneland in April he pressed the pace and faded to seventh. Toss.

4. Haul, 8-5. Army Mule –Todd Pletcher / Irad Ortiz Jr. – 1: 1-0-0 - $49,500. Haul was purchased in March at Ocala for $260,000 and needed only four months to prepare for his debut. He won that race at Belmont Park a month ago by three lengths after pressing the pace as the 1.25-1 favorite in an eight-horse field. Surprisingly Pletcher has only one victory in the Special, in 2013 with Corfu. Use underneath.

5. Edified, 3-1. Tapit – Steve Asmussen / Joel Rosario – 1: 1-0-0 - $69,600. Edified, who was a $650,000 yearling purchase, won at first asking at Ellis Park by more than three lengths with a stalking trip against a nine-horse field for Steve Asmussen. The odds of 9.85-1 were higher than expected for a debut winner from that barn, indicating that there probably were highly regarded horses in the field. Asmussen has five Special victories, most recently with Jackie’s Warrior in 2020. Win contender.

6. Rhyme Schemes, 9-5. Ghostzapper – Norm Casse / Ricardo Santana Jr. – 2: 1-0-0 - $70,950. Rhyme Schemes put blinkers on in his second start, which helped him to beat a 10-horse field by more than nine lengths at Ellis Park in June. He was sixth in his debut at Churchill Downs and was 8.16-1 when he won. Rhyme Schemes earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, the fastest for any 2-year-old this year. Top choice.

Summary: It is harder than ever to handicap 2-year-old races during the summer because in today’s world many top horses go directly from their maiden special weight victory to a graded-stakes race. For Saturday’s Saratoga Special that is true of all the runners except Market Street, who ran in the Sanford after his maiden breaker. The fact that horses come to the Special from four tracks also makes the decision-making process difficult.

Rhyme Schemes leads this field with two races of experience and a fast maiden victory of 9 1/2 lengths at Ellis Park and that makes him the top choice.

Edified will be the second choice based on his impressive maiden victory, his high auction price and trainer Steve Asmussen’s outstanding performance in this race.