Saratoga Horse Racing Picks for Saturday 8/6/22

Starting at 12:35 p.m. ET, we have 12 races Saturday at Saratoga. Using 
numberFire’s projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing.

As always, check the program at "The Spa" for scratches and changes, and monitor the weather and track conditions.

(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

According to numberFire Racing's projections, these are the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today.

1. Matareya, Race 9

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

Race 9 is the $500,000 Grade 1 Longines Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs. Top Race Reports notes that this 7/8 mile distance is better for those runners with the ability to show ‘speed and stick,’ racing close up while staying on with some tenacity.

The numberFire data picks the heavy favorite Matareya (2/5), who towers over this field. She won't be racing up front or pressing, but has proven ability to finish strong. She's won three straight graded stakes and four overall in mostly dominant fashion this year. Low payoff potential race, but Matareya is a single on top of the Late Pick 3 and Pick 4 with Hot Peppers (5/1) running along the lead and finishing in-the-money according to numberFire data.

If you add a horse for a payoff, Elm Drive (8/1) will be applying pressure behind the front runners and she's shipping in from the West with a graded stakes win last summer and a minor stakes win three months ago.

2. Olympiad and Americanrevolution, Race 10

FanDuel Racing Odds: 2/1 and 5/1
Bet Now at TVG | Bet Now at FanDuel

Race 10 is the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles. All but one of the seven runners fits well with solid stakes wins, and Horse Racing Nation's Super Screener and TVG pick Olympiad (2/1) to win with Americanrevolution (5/1) a win contender with better value.

Olympiad is 5-for-5 this year including a Grade 2 win last month holding off runner-up Americanrevolution, who won at this distance last year and also won a Grade 1 race.

Life is Good (6/5) is the preferred pick of numberFire projections to edge Olympiad, and Life is Good will be pressured by Hot Rod Charlie (9/2) up front.

3. Nations Pride and Stone Age, Race 11

FanDuel Racing Odds: 7/2 and 9/2
Bet Now at TVG | Bet Now at FanDuel

Race 11 is the $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16 miles on the turf. Review last months Belmont Derby and you'll see seven horses from that race running back in this fourth edition of the Saratoga Derby.

The top 3 finishers last out were Classic Causeway (8/1), Nations Pride (7/2) and Stone Age (9/2). Don't expect Classic Causeway to pull off the upset again over those two, who were favorites last race. The numberFire data picks Nations Pride to edge Stone Age for the win..

Annapolis (5/2) has finished first and second in a pair of graded stakes and is a contender to the top two. Royal Patronage (10/1) is a European runner like the top two who also makes this a competitive field.