Saratoga Horse Racing Picks and Graded Stakes for Saturday 7/15/23

It's opening weekend at Saratoga Race Course and the summer meet runs through Labor Day, Sept. 4. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) set up a summer schedule that includes 40 racing days and 71 stakes worth a total of $20.8 million in purses. A total of 19 Grade 1 races is highlighted by the 95th running of the Whitney on Aug. 5 and the 154th Travers on Aug. 26.

Saturday has 11 races including three graded stakes. Post time is 1:10 p.m. ET from Saratoga Springs. Get in the game with mobile betting on FanDuel Sportsbook.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, monitor the weather, and track conditions with potential rain in the forecast.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions).

Saratoga Betting Picks

According to numberFire horse racing projections and Guaranteed Tip Sheet (GTS), these are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing on July 15.

1. Sals Dream Girl and Kosuke, Race 6

FanDuel Racing Odds: 6/1 and 8/1
Bet Now at TVG | Bet Now at FanDuel

Race 6 is an Allowance Race for state-bred fillies and mares at 1 mile on the inner turf. After In Italian (2/5) wins the Grade 1 Diana Stakes in Race 4 with little payoff, turn your attention to this full field. Sals Dream Girl (6/1) and jockey Luis Saez can pay off for the win, according to Guaranteed Tip Sheet. And the numberFire top pick Solib (4/1) with Irad Ortiz, Jr. riding is a top win contender. Kosuke (8/1) cuts back in distance after coming home in less than 30 seconds in her last race and a front-end win or in-the-money finish is worth the risk/reward payoff.

2. Annapolis and Casa Creed, Race 9

FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/5 and 5/2
Bet Now at TVG | Bet Now at FanDuel

Race 9 is the $175,000 Grade 3 Kelso Stakes for older horses going 1 mile on the inner turf. The numberFire and GTS top picks are Grade 1 winners Casa Creed (5/2) with Luis Saez riding and Annapolis (8/5) for top jockey/trainer combo Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Todd Pletcher. Casa Creed posted the top last race speed figure when coming from off the pace to finish a close 3rd off a layoff. He won a Grade 1 race here last summer. Annapolis has two wins and a 2nd finish in three starts at Saratoga. Big Everest (5/1) on the front end is one to include for a bigger exacta or trifecta payoff with strong stretch rider Joel Rosario up.

3. Gold Sweep and Dickens, Race 10

FanDuel Racing Odds: 3/5 and 8/1
Bet Now at TVG | Bet Now at FanDuel

Race 10 drew 10 baby 2-year-olds spriting 6 furlongs in the $175,000 Grade 3 Sanford Stakes. The top pick of numberFire and GTS is the heavy favorite Gold Sweep (3/5) with Jose Ortiz riding for trainer Steve Asmussen. Gold Sweep has really nice action and movement on the track. He broke his maiden last month at Belmont and should move forward again vs a number of invaders including Dickens (8/1), who also won his debut last month at Gulfstream along with a debut win by Market Street (12/1) for trainer D. Wayne Lukas at Ellis Park.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.