Six Juveniles Clash in With Anticipation

Six promising two-year-olds will go postward Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course looking to add to their budding turf resumes with a victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 With Anticipation.

 

The 11^th edition of the 1 1/16-mile turf race, named in honor of the multiple Grade 1-winning gelding trained by Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard, will be run as race 3 as the final week of racing at the Spa gets underway.

 

The narrow favorite at 2-1 on the morning line is Site Read, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott. Overlooked at 21-1 in his July 25 debut at the Spa, the son of Tizdejavu put in a next-to-last-to-first run to score by 4 ½ lengths at the With Anticipation distance. Jose Lezcano will ride from post position 5.

 

Representing the Todd Pletcher barn as he tries for a fourth victory in the race will be Unbridled Daddy, who came from eight to break his maiden by three-quarters of a length in the fourth race on August 16, and Azar, who led throughout that race but succumbed in the final yards to his favored stablemate.

 

At 7-2 on the morning line, Unbridled Daddy will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., from post position 6, while Azar, 5-1, will have the services of Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. The pair will leave from post position 2.

 

Trainer Mark Casse goes in search of his third victory of the meet with Monster Bea, a gelded son of Hat Trick who broke his maiden at second asking on August 8, coming four wide to score by 1 ¼ lengths.

 

Luis Saez will ride from the rail.