The Daily Racing Blog was going to take a closer look at Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 dollar Vanderbilt Stakes at Saratoga, but frankly with a short field of five horses it offers little betting Value. The Morning Line favorite VOLATILE seems to be head and shoulders above the rest in this one.
Next Saturday is the Whitney Stakes which will certainly have a larger, more competitive field, giving us a better chance for bigger R.O.I.
For today then, we’ll take a look at which jockeys and trainers are performing admirably after the opening weekend at The Spa.
Saratoga Jockey Standings
| # | NAME | STS | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | EARNINGS | WIN % |
TOP 3 %
|
| 1 | Joel Rosario | 31 | 8 | 3 | 2 | $472,592 | 26% | 42% |
| 1 | Jose L. Ortiz | 35 | 8 | 6 | 5 | $420,931 | 23% | 54% |
| 3 | Manuel Franco | 32 | 5 | 3 | 3 | $283,174 | 16% | 34% |
| 4 | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 30 | 4 | 7 | 5 | $369,059 | 13% | 53% |
| 4 | Tyler Gaffalione | 23 | 4 | 0 | 4 | $363,267 | 17% | 35% |
| 6 | Javier Castellano | 23 | 3 | 4 | 3 | $298,910 | 13% | 43% |
| 6 | John R. Velazquez | 18 | 3 | 4 | 2 | $228,796 | 17% | 50% |
| 8 | Junior Alvarado | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | $143,109 | 13% | 38% |
| 8 | Jose Lezcano | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | $125,668 | 13% | 38% |
| 10 | Dylan Davis | 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | $88,346 | 7% | 33% |
| 10 | Luis Cardenas | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | $47,111 | 8% | 23% |
Saratoga Trainer Standings
| # | NAME | STS | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | EARNINGS | WIN % |
TOP 3 %
|
| 1 | Chad Brown | 16 | 6 | 3 | 4 | $371,490 | 38% | 81% |
| 2 | Christophe Clement | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | $313,731 | 38% | 69% |
| 3 | Linda Rice | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | $124,750 | 44% | 56% |
| 4 | Rudy Rodriguez | 11 | 3 | 1 | 3 | $92,372 | 27% | 64% |
| 5 | Bill Mott | 12 | 2 | 3 | 2 | $336,610 | 17% | 58% |
| 5 | Todd Pletcher | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $105,560 | 22% | 44% |
| 5 | Steve Asmussen | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | $104,888 | 25% | 50% |
| 5 | Shug McGaughey | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | $102,630 | 29% | 71% |
| 5 | Michael Trombetta | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | $69,850 | 100% | 100% |
Choosing the right horse weighs more heavily than human factors in handicapping. But the human factor is not absolute zero either, especially at the historic Saratoga Race Course.
Some jockeys and trainers will peak for this stakes-heavy meet, as Winning at Saratoga is an honor that anyone in this industry can remain proud of.
To reiterate, the horse’s record still deserves the most attention, as good horses can make a jockey or trainer look good, but the reverse is also true. So be mindful. If you’re on the fence regarding a certain horse, but you see one of the Ortiz brothers is aboard…Bet. The. Horse.
