Eight talented 2-year-old Thoroughbreds will face off in Sunday’s $300,000 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, a historic Grade 1 race with an impressive roster of recent winners.
The most accomplished entrant, #3 Booked, has enjoyed success at Saratoga this summer. He won a maiden special weight in comfortable fashion, then led all the way to dominate the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes by six lengths. But he regressed in his latest start, finishing a distant second in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes, and he must rebound to beat this promising Hopeful field.
In contrast, #5 Midnight Still is largely untested and unproven. The colt by two-time Horse of the Year Curlin has yet to compete in a stakes race, but the promise he’s shown so far suggests he’s an exciting prospect with a bright future.
Midnight Still debuted in a Churchill Downs maiden special weight sprinting five-eighths of a mile. He closed strongly from the back half of the pack to finish third, beaten by only two lengths while running his final eighth of a mile in a swift :11.78, according to the Equibase GPS result chart.
Midnight Still then tackled a maiden special weight race at 5 ½ furlongs at Saratoga. The result? An eye-catching victory. After relaxing as many as four lengths off the lead, Midnight Still took aim at pacesetter Decimation, who appeared to be traveling strongly at the top of the stretch. Decimation did have energy left, but Midnight Still had far more. Despite racing a bit greenly, Midnight Still unleashed a swift, decisive rally to surge past Decimation and triumph by 6 1/4 lengths.
Once again, Midnight Still finished well on the clock, running his final eighth of a mile in :12.73. As a son of Curlin, Midnight Still has the pedigree to relish racing seven-eighths of a mile in the Hopeful Stakes, so we recommend placing a win bet on Midnight Still.
Bettors should also consider playing Midnight Still on top of an exacta, which requires selecting the top-two finishers in order. For second place, use Saratoga debut winners #1 The Good Life and #6 Constant Force.
Constant Force will very likely be a longshot after winning a Saratoga maiden special weight in a modest time, but he stumbled badly at the start and closed a ton of ground to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Constant Force has upside for improvement with a clean start.
Wagering Strategy on a $10 Budget
$10 to win on #5 Midnight Still
What to say at the betting window: Saratoga, Race 10, $10 to win on 5
Wagering Strategy on a $30 Budget
$22 to win on #5 Midnight Still
What to say at the betting window: Saratoga, Race 10, $22 to win on 5
$4 exacta: 5 with 1,6 (total cost: $8)
What to say at the betting window: Saratoga, Race 10, $4 exacta 5 with 1,6
Good luck, and enjoy the race!
