The Spa, need a say more?

I'm not talking about relaxation, I'm talking about Saratoga Race Track in Saratoga Springs, NY whose nickname is The Spa City. Saratoga is starts it's meet on Friday with 2 stakes races, a graded stakes for 2yo fillies and an ungraded stakes that is loaded with talent. Lets take a look at both of these stakes.

8th (4:55)
James Marvin S.
7 Furlongs | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $75,000
Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 You and I Forever Lezcano J Bush Thomas M 123 L 20-1
2 2 Cool Coal Man Velazquez J R Zito Nicholas P 123 L 6-1
3 3 Half Metal Jacket Dominguez R A Dutrow Sydney 121 L 10-1
4 4 Vineyard Haven Garcia Alan bin Suroor Saeed 121 L 3-5
5 5 Discreet Treasure Velasquez C Brown Bruce R 121 L 12-1
6 6 Friesan Fire Bridgmohan S X Asmussen Steven M 121 L 12-1
7 7 Le Grand Cru Gomez G K Pletcher Todd A 123 L 12-1
8 8 Flat Bold Maragh R Albertrani Thomas 119 L 12-1
9 9 Atoned Albarado R J Howard Neil J 121 L 30-1
10 10 Silver Edition Borel C H Lukas D Wayne 121 L 30-1

What a fantastic lineup! CCM (Cool Coal Man) is coming out of a key race, the Skip Away at Monmouth. Sir Whimsey and Gone Astray who where 2nd and 3rd behind him came back to win stakes the next time out. He's had success at Saratoga before winning the Albert the Great last season, but well his last race at the Spa wasn't so pleasant. He finished second to last in Rachel Alexandra's Woodward win. Outside of Rachel, he's the only one from last year's Woodward who has won since (Macho Again, It's a Bird (who was eventually DQ'ed from his Oaklawn Handicap win) and Astatic Boy have been retired without winning another race, Da' Tara is probley done as well as he has yet to race this year). You and I Forever has come on this year and has delayed his retirement (he was supposed to go to India to stand at stud). If Vineyard Haven can stay straight, he wins. This is his most successful track. I say this is a must win for Friesan Fire, last year's star 3yo's (except for Mine That Bird) have won as four year olds. He's behind the eight ball now, and a loss pretty much will tell me that he was a 3 race wonder. My Pick: CCM with Vineyard Haven second and Atoned third. If CCM doesn't win, I'm going to say You and I Forever does.

9th (5:30)
Schuylerville S. (G3)
6 Furlongs | Fillies | 2 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $100,000
Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 4 Spa Sunrise Coa E M Ward Wesley A 119 L 2-1
1A 7 Final Mesa Coa E M Ward Wesley A 121 L 2-1
2 1 Stopspendingmaria Velazquez J R Pletcher Todd A 119 L 7-2
3 2 Le Mi Geaux Lenclud F Dutrow, Jr. R E 119 L 6-1
4 3 Let's Get Fiscal Garcia Alan Violette, Jr. R A 119 L 7-2
5 5 Dos Lunas Court J K Glenney John 119 L 12-1
6 6 Show Me the Bling Leparoux J R Biancone Patrick L 119 L 3-1

With two year olds, you really don't know what you have until really October or November. Either way this is going to be an interesting race. Unfortanlly I don't know anything about any of these horses except for Final Mesa who is undefeated in three starts over 2 different surfaces (synth and dirt). However, she might scratch so my pick is her entrymate Spa Sunrise (if she does scratch). The big reason is for her name, I mean afterall it is Opening Day at the Spa get it Sunrise... Spa (joking around of course).

I hope everyone enjoys opening day of Saratoga!