Sea Foam Faces Tough Saratoga Title Defense | 2022 Evan Shipman Handicap Preview & FREE Picks

Aaron previews the 2022 Evan Shipman Handicap at Saratoga, then gives his top picks and longshots in the feature race on a Friday card starring all New York-bred horses. Last year’s winner Sea Foam faces a tough field for his title defense; can he get the job done off the bench? Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section!

SMASH the *Thumbs Up* ~ HIT *Subscribe* ~ RING the *Notification* bell

The track press release:

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing’s Bankit and Ten Strike Racing, Four Corners Racing Stable, Broadview Stables and Cory Moelis Racing’s Sea Foam, who are both finalists for NYTB Champion Older Dirt Male, square off in the $125,000 Evan Shipman [Race 8, 5:05 p.m. Eastern] to be contested at one-mile out of the Wilson Chute.

Bankit [post 1, Joel Rosario, 124 pounds], trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, boasts a record of 33-6-10-5 for purse earnings in excess of $1 million. The 6-year-old Central Banker bay, bred in the Empire State by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, will make his first appearance since a sixth-place finish in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on March 26 at Meydan. Last year, he bested fellow state-breds in the Commentator at Belmont and defeated open-company in the John B. Campbell at Laurel Park.

The Michelle Giangiulio-trained Sea Foam [post 7, Kendrick Carmouche, 122 pounds] won this event last year and added the Alex M. Robb to his ledger on New Year’s Eve at the Big A to close out his campaign. Bred by Waterville Lake Stables, the 7-year-old Medaglia d’Oro bay will look to make his seasonal debut a winning one.

The talented field includes Brooklyn Strong [post 2, Flavien Prat, 118 pounds], Three Jokers [post 3, John Velazquez, 118 pounds], Therisastormbrewin [post 4, Luis Saez, 118 pounds], Tiergan [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 119 pounds] and Market Alert [post 6, Jose Ortiz, 122 pounds].

First post on Friday’s 10-race card is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.