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All-turf NYRA Triple Play on Friday at Saratoga Race Course

by Mary Eddy

The NYRA Triple Play will be offered for the first time at Saratoga Race Course with an all-turf sequence on Friday’s card, including the co-featured Coronation Cup and Grade 3 Forbidden Apple.

The NYRA Triple Play is a Pick 3 wager with a $3 bet minimum and a takeout rate of 19 percent. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at the Saratoga meet, the NYRA Triple Play will feature three specially selected races.

Friday's sequence kicks off in Race 5 at 3:21 p.m. Eastern with a field of 12 contesting at 1 1/16-miles in a $35,000 claiming event over the Mellon turf course. Albert Fried, Jr.’s Al’s Prince races for a tag after finishing an even sixth in an allowance on June 5 at Belmont Park. He broke his maiden by a nose two starts back in a $40,000 maiden claimer for his first start over the lawn.

The Mike Maker-trained Juulstone finished a good third last time out in a non-winners of two $30,000 claimer on June 16 sprinting seven furlongs at Belmont. He will stretch out for the first time since last April for his sixth start of the year. The lightly-raced The Man to See drops in for a tag for the first time for trainer Lacey Gaudet as he tries for his first win against winners.

The middle leg will see Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint-winner Twilight Gleaming try for her second win this year in the $150,000 Coronation Cup for sophomore fillies sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf [Race 8, 5:05 p.m.].

Trained by Wesley Ward, Twilight Gleaming was a last-out winner of the listed Mamzelle on May 14 at Churchill Downs, which came on the heels of a close runner-up finish in the Palisades in April at Keeneland for her sophomore debut. Grade 3 Miss Preakness winner Lady Scarlet will make her second career outing over the turf as she looks for her third stakes victory. Steep opposition will be provided by stakes winners Poppy Flower, Mystic Eyes, Derrynane and Marissa’s Lady.

The sequence concludes with the Grade 3, $175,000 Forbidden Apple in Race 9 [5:39 p.m.]. Brad Cox trainee Set Piece was last seen taking the Grade 2 Dinner Party at Pimlico Race Course on May 21, scoring his first victory since the Grade 2 Wise Dan last June at Churchill Downs. The competitive field of older turf specialists also includes the Ian Wilkes-trained Grade 3 winner Mira Mission, who has garnered triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his last three outings, including a close fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile where he was defeated 1 1/4 lengths by Shirl’s Speight.

Trainer Chad Brown will hope to see Public Sector pick up another graded win at the Spa after visiting the winner’s circle twice last summer for the Grade 2 Hall of Fame and Grade 3 Saranac.

Featuring a $3 bet minimum, the NYRA Triple Play will cover three races on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at Saratoga Race Course. Each NYRA Triple Play will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. Wagering on the NYRA Triple Play will be available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country.

Saratoga Live will present daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

NYRA Triple Play, Friday, July 15:

Leg A: Saratoga, Race 5, $35,000 claiming (3:21 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Saratoga, Race 8, $150,000 Coronation Cup (5:05 p.m.)

Leg C: Saratoga, Race 9, G3 Forbidden Apple (5:39 p.m.)