Ricky’s Rockets 🚀: Del Mar, Gulfstream Park and Saratoga Picks for August 1, 2021

Ricky’s Rockets 🚀 sure enjoyed another big day of racing on Saturday afternoon! Saratoga had three graded-stakes races, and all of them brought excitement. Every day at Saratoga feels like a holiday, but this one was even more special. We may look back at this weekend, as one of the defining ones as we progress throughout the summer in the Breeders’ Cup!

Also included below: my 10-race preview of Del Mar, 11-race preview of Gulfstream Park, 10-race preview of Saratoga!

Saratoga August 1, 2021

Race 7: $80,000 Allowance Optional Claiming for 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the dirt

#3 Town Classic has made 52 starts in his career, but has finished second or third in 31 of them. He’s extremely talented but sometimes hard to trust. #5 Mr Phil comes into this one having won 3/4 and two in a row for Jimmy Ryerson. Jose Lezcano is more than capable of leading this one to a victory.

Race 8: $40,000 Claiming for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on the dirt OFF TURF

TURF RUNNERS SCRATCHED! USING #14 Bayshore Foxes and #15 Easter Chocolate!

Race 9: Amsterdam (G2) for 3-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt

#2 Drain the Clock and #3 Jackie’s Warrior threw it down when they ran in the Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont a couple of months ago. This is the rematch that everyone has been looking forward to, and I’m not sure how to separate these two. The best thing to do would be to use both and move on.

Race 10: $25,000 Maiden Claiming for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the dirt

#1 Esotica made her debut at this level last time out, and ran one of her better races back in May. The winner of that race Cazilda Fortytales looked solid at Saratoga earlier this meet. #10 Not a Trace drops in class once again, after running at the $40,000 level last time out. If there’s any moisture in the track, she becomes even tougher on paper.

THE TICKET

$3 Pick 4 (Races 7-10) 3,5 / 14,15 / 2,3 / 1,10 – $48

50¢ Pick 4 (Races 7-10) 3,4,5 / 7,11,14,15 / 2,3 / 1,7,8,10  – $48

My product is now on the Handicapping Products Page! To purchase, click one of the links below to go to the products page. My product includes full card plays, featuring race-by-race analysis, my top four picks for each race, and full-card multi-race wagers. Check it out below:

Ricky’s Rockets: Del Mar

Ricky’s Rockets: Gulfstream Park

Ricky’s Rockets: Saratoga