Check out my Thursday (7-9-26) Saratoga Race Course Race 9 analysis below.
Scratches (race 9): #4 – Democracy Defender, #12 – Sorrentino, #13 – Asked and Answered
Updated Contenders & Tickets After Scratches:
SAR 9 (MSW, 8.5f inner turf) – Post Time 5:46 PM ET
Primary – #10 C J STAR, #5 Coordinator
Secondary – #1 Pay the Piper, #8 Feline Curious, #11 Ollie Luke Out, #9 Okefenokee
Horse Comments:
#10 C J Star (9-2) chased from 2nd and ended up 5th of 12 in his turf route debut at GP late last year. He hit the board in both turf routes this year including a show finish as the beaten favorite June 11.
#5 Coordinator (2-1) faced some stiff competition in both starts. He was forced out from the outside post in his turf route bow April 11 and ended up third. West End Kid won that heat and won the G3 Pennine Ridge June 4, and runner-up Heeere’s Johnny rallied to upset the Saranac at 15-1 odds July 3. He was the favorite in a turf route at AQU May 10 and he stalked the pace and landed the place behind recent Saranac show finisher Glavine. Flavien Prat sticks with Chad Brown’s colt and he might win this race as the favorite.
#1 Pay the Piper (8-1) broke slow and split an 10-horse field at 5-1 odds in his 7.5T debut at GP in January (1-3 finishers next-out winners). He was 7-2 second time out in March and his rider lost the iron and he was pulled up (show finisher next-out winner). Manny Franco hops aboard Chad Brown’s fresh gelding.
#8 Feline Curious (12-1) landed the place in his last two turf routes and he is getting faster. John Velazquez takes the call and he drilled a local 4f bullet for this June 29.
#11 Ollie Luke Out (10-1) rallied for the place in his turf route bow at TAM March 27 and winner Arizona Territory clicked right back May 9. This one stalked the pace and was best of the rest in third April 30.
#9 Okefenokee (8-1) was up the track as a 25-1 outsider in his 6f debut on the main track April 25. He was 23-1 in a flat mile turf race second time out and he rallied to miss by a half-length in a good show finish. Dylan Davis takes the call and he will try to get involved from off the pace.
Wagers:
#10 to win
Exacta box 5-10
Trifecta 5-10/1-5-8-10/1-5-8-9-10-11
July 2026 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
July 1 – Kappa Kappa ($2.20)
July 3 – Anyway ($5.34)
July 5 – Capricious Outcome ($3.26)
July 6 – Corona de Oro ($5.78), Exacta ($29.08)
July 8 – Drive by Johnny ($2.20), Trifecta ($33.80)
*All winning wagers based on $2 payoffs unless noted otherwise.
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