Action Packed Saturday at Saratoga, Del Mar, Arlington, Colonial Downs & Monmouth

The action continues at Saratoga. (AP Images)

There is almost too much action today for horseplayers who enjoy high class stakes races.

At Saratoga, we have one of the great matchups in recent years, involving two high class 3-year-old fillies supported by a closely grouped cast of upset threats.

From the West, we have BLIND LUCK, the filly who lives on the edge of the tightrope, rallying from far back often to just get up at the wire while scoring some of her most important victories.

In the East, we have the strong filly, DEVIL MAY CARE, who made a good bid in the Kentucky Derby before tiring to 10th, but subsequently won the prestigious Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont on June 26, and the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 24. Fact is, Devil May Care is two for two at Saratoga, having won her career debut here last summer.

Blind Luck may be facing a very strong opponent on her home track, but she has won eight of 12 with two seconds and two thirds while competing at six different tracks. She has run strongly on fast dirt, sloppy dirt and she has done the same on three different types of synthetic surfaces: Polytrack, Cushion Track and the Santa Anita Pro Ride that is scheduled to be replaced by good old fashioned dirt later this year.

To say that Blind Luck does not need to bring her track with her is an understatement of the highest order. But, realistically, it may not nullify the edge Devil May Care has on her home track.

At the very least, the Alabama reminds us what it is like to have the two best horses in a given division meet each other. One can only wonder if there really will be a forum later in the year for the great ZENYATTA   to meet the equally great RACHEL ALEXANDRA in the matchup everyone involved in racing has been clamoring to see for more than a year.

In the Mid West, we have the traditional Arlington Million, with last year’s winner, GIO PONTI, seeking to become the first horse to win two Arlington Millions in the race’s 28 year history. The top opponent on paper is WORKIN FOR HOPS who loves the Arlington turf course. But the field is deep with potential upsetters.

The two companion stakes on the Arlington Million card are the $750,000 Beverly D, for fillies and mares and the $400,000 Secretariat for 3-yr-olds.

Arlington track owner Richard Duchossois has a live threat in the Beverly D. -- í‰CLAIR DE LUNE -- and he bought the horse privately with the express hope that he could win the race he created and named after his deceased wife.

Paddy O PRADO, a turf revelation at Colonial Downs in Virginia after his third and sixth in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness respectively, looms a heavy favorite in the Secretariat, where he will meet local favorite WORKIN FOR HOPS.

At Del Mar, 3-year-old fillies will have the G-1 Del Mar Oaks at 1-1/8 miles on the turf and   the favorite is likely to be EVENING JEWEL. This filly, in fact, was victimized   by an inch -- not once, but twice -- when Blind Luck came roaring down the center of the track to to win a pair of important stakes this year.  

At Monmouth Park, there is the $300,000 Iselin Stakes in which I WANT REVENGE is taking an important step in his belated comeback.   You may remember I Want Revenge, maybe not. But he was the runaway winner of the Wood Memorial in April 2009 who was scratched due to a sudden illness on the morning of the Kentucky Derby.

So far I Want Revenge has gotten no revenge at all. So we will see if he is really back in form on Saturday, or if he will be just another horse who missed his chance sat glory due to no force of his own making.

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