Saratoga 2014: The Coronation Cup - Day 11 of 40

After a day off to let the track dry, we're back with a Wednesday card at the Spa.  Today, jumpers gets under way at 12:25 p.m., and the feature is the Coronation Cup Stakes, one of several races that sprung up a few years ago when Saratoga started running 5 1/2 Furlong turf sprints.

The Coronation Cup Stakes is for three year old fillies going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf course, and is favored by Recoup.  Let's meet the field:

Updated at 12:00PM to reflect today's scratches.  The 2, 4 and 9 are all scratched from this race.

Race 9: The Coronation Cup Stakes - 3YO Fillies - 5 1/2 F (T) - Purse: $100,000 - Post: 4:42PM

	Horse	A/S	Jockey	Trainer	M/L
1	Ruslana (MD)	3/F	P Lopez	W A. Ward	12/1
2	Sweetmarys Success (FL) (MTO)	3/F	J Rosario	W A. Ward	6/1
3	Burn Control (KY)	3/F	K Carmouche	K A. Demasi	6/1
4	Hot Squeeze (NY)	3/F	C H. Velasquez	G Weaver	12/1
5	Scatcapade (FL)	3/F	J Rosario	C Clement	5/1
6	Recoupe (KY)	3/F	R Napravnik	M J. Trombetta	7/2
7	Stars Above Me (GB)	3/F	I Ortiz, Jr.	H Graham Motion	5/1
8	Fat Kat (PA)	3/F	J Bravo	R E. Reid, Jr.	10/1
9	Isabelle (NY)	3/F	A O. Solis	L L. Lewis	8/1
10	Elena Strikes (KY)	3/F	J R. Velazquez	T A. Pletcher	4/1

RUSLANA: The first of two Wes Ward trained entries, Ruslana was with the pace through the first quarter at Woodbine on the synthetics, but tired on the turn and finished in last.  She won on the Ocala Training surface, helping to set the early pace with Silver of Hope, and lasted through the stretch while Silver of Hope tired.  The last time she ran this distance on the turf, was in a Maiden Special Weight here last summer, where she failed to live up to her being the 2-1 favorite, fading to 7th.  Her other turf race at the Spa went a little better, finishing second in her debut.

SWEETMARYS SUCCESS: Sweetmarys Success is a main track only entry, and will only run this race if the race gets switched off the turf.  If she does run, this Wes Ward trained entry won her first two races, but suffered a bumped start in her last start in the Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, resulting in a 6th place finish.  Sweetmarys Success has been scratched as a Main Track Only

BURN CONTROL: Her debut couldn't have gone much better when she won by 7 1/2 lengths at Parx.  When she followed that up with a 1 1/2 length win in an allowance, it got her connections thinking about stakes competition.  Burn Control has good ability to win the sprint, but has been untested on the turf.

HOT SQUEEZE: A winner already at the Spa, Hot Squeeze comes to this race only 7 days after winning an Allowance race at this distance as the 4-1 favorite.  She couldn't fire in the Crank It Up Stakes at Monmouth.  She's two-for-two at Saratoga Race Course, breaking her maiden here at this same distance last summer. Hot Squeeze has been scratched from this race by the Stewards.

SCATCAPADE: Joel Rosario rides this horse who is fresh off a fourth place finish in an Allowance Optional race at Belmont Park.  There she tried to save ground, but couldn't fire together a good kick at the end to win.  She won at a mile on the turf in a Maiden Special Weight at Gulfstream Park in Florida, her lone victory.  She came close to victory in a five furlong turf sprint at Gulfstream, closing in on the leader late but came up a length and a half short.  

RECOUPE: Recoupe is five for six in the money this year, with her lone miss coming in an Allowance at Presque Isle.  She's a perfect three-for-three on the turf, last winning a turf sprint Allowance at Penn National.  She has never raced in stakes competition, so her class could come into question today.

STARS ABOVE ME: This is Stars Above Me's first race in the states, having raced her last three at Newmarket, England.  There she finished 3rd in her latest effort, a handicap race.  Her lone win was at Leicester, winning a Novice Weight For Age race.  

FAT KAT: Finished last her latest effort in the Victory Ride at Belmont Park, breaking a string of four straight in-the-money appearances, including three straight wins at Parx.  She's another horse who will be making her turf debut in this race.

ISABELLE: Isabelle finished just ahead of Fat Kat in the Victory Ride.  She won the Bouwerie Stakes, running to the lead and not relinquishing it through the stretch at Belmont Park.  She'll be taking to the turf for the first time in her career in this race.  Isabelle has been scratched from the race.

ELENA STRIKES: Long dirt races was not meant to be for this filly when she tired badly in the 1-1/16 mile Pocohontas Stakes at Churchill Downs last year after finishing third in the Schuylerville.  She went wire-to-wire in her latest effort, an allowance at Belmont Park.  She's be racing on the turf for the first time.

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ANALYSIS: This is a tough race to figure out.  Pedigree knowledge will come in handy as there's a bunch of horses who will be taking to the turf for the first time in their career.  The way this race is shaping up, this could be an all-out shootout to the wire, with a bunch of horses who will be firing to the front by the half-mile pole.

For what we're picking here, we're going to use turf experience over those who don't have it.  But understand that this race could become a total crapshoot due to the many without experience and the distance.

My Picks: 1-6-10

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Mythical Bankroll

Current Bankroll: $75.07
Today's Bets
$2 WIN 1, 6 ($4)
$0.50 TRI BOX 1-6-10 ($3)
$3 SHOW 10
Total Bets: $10.00
Remaining Bankroll: $65.07

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