Take Inglorious to Win Loaded Alabama
- Who: Thoroughbreds – Royal Delta, Plum Pretty, It’s Tricky, St. John’s River, Inglorious
- What: Horse Racing Betting Tips – The Alabama
- Where: Saratoga
- When: Saturday, August 20th
The 3YO Filly Division is loaded this year, and it looks like most of its heavy hitters will duke it out in Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga. The compact field of six sports a combined record of 38-21-7-5, with earnings of $3,393,825. That works out to $89,311 per start! The winner of this prestigious event will no doubt vault to the head of the class. I’m betting it will be Inglorious. Let’s look at the field:
#1-Royal Delta (6-1): Mott trainee looked superb in winning The Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico, but she turned in a rather spotty effort in The Coaching Club American Oaks last out, finishing a well-beaten third. She was steadied several times in the early going and failed to maintain a straight course through the lane. Perhaps the fact that her training was compromised by a foot bruise contributed to the sub-par effort. I also find it curious that Mott chose to work her on grass on August 8th. Is she still having problems with her foot? She should love the 1¼ miles of The Alabama, and I’m expecting an improved performance, but am leaning toward the outside horse.
#2-Pinch Pie (15-1): She’s coming off a pair of grass wins, including a minor stakes last out at Monmouth Park. Still, she appears to be in over her head in this spot, and some have suggested she’ll be scratched. Pass if she goes here.
#3-Plum Pretty (2-1): Kentucky Oaks victress is one tough customer…she fires every time and has rattled off four consecutive Beyer Speed Figures in the mid-to-high 90’s. With three sharp local works under her belt since the CCA Oaks, she figures tough right back. I’m not sure about the distance, though, as St. John’s River was getting to her in The Kentucky Oaks, and she was passed late by It’s Tricky last out. Minor award this time?
#4-It’s Tricky (9-5): She figures to work out the same stalking trip that proved successful in The CCA Oaks. A win here would give her one heck of a Grade 1 triple, but the closers will be much more formidable this time. I’m expecting her to move with Plum Pretty turning for home, but I don’t think either filly will hang on for the top prize. You also have to wonder how much that prolonged stretch duel in The CCA Oaks took out of them. Using underneath in the exotics.
#5-St. John’s River (5-1): She just missed in The Kentucky Oaks, so you know this miss has quality. She finally got her graded win last out in The Delaware Oaks (Grade 2), but was all-out to get there in rather pedestrian time, earning a middling Beyer figure of 86. You would think that this deep closer would appreciate the mile-and-a-quarter, but you never know until they do it. She should be a late threat, but might have too much ground to make up. Another who I’ll use underneath in the gimmicks.
#6-Inglorious (6-1): This filly beat the boys in The Queen’s Plate at Woodbine last out, topping a field of 17 runners going 1 ¼ miles…and she did it easily! What I like about this long-striding filly is that while she is a closer, she manages to be right in the thick of it at the top of the stretch…then pulls away. I think she’ll get the jump on St. John’s River, and that could be the difference. Granted, she hasn’t won yet on dirt, but she’s certainly bred for it, and you’ll note her figures on that surface were comparable to her synthetic figures until her break-out performance in The Queen’s Plate. Inglorious grabs the glory here at a juicy price. I’ll use her strictly on top in the exotics, with all but Pinch Pie underneath.
Those are my horse racing betting tips for Saturday’s Alabama at Saratoga. Best of luck and happy gambling!
