More rain leaves up sloppy on the main track to begin Alabama Day at Saratoga. We are off the turf for races 1, 2, 7 and 10. The Lake Placid (Race 8) remains on. The turf is 'soft.'

The Alabama remains intact with a field of eight. In the absence of division leader Monomoy Girl, Midnight Bisou is the horse to beat. She is very close to that horse on overall ability (closer than many seem to believe) and seems as likely as anyone else in the field to handle the mile and a quarter distance of this race. Her lone start over a wet track resulted in an easy win back in March. 

Talk Veuve to Me is the up-and-comer in the division and she has the kind of early speed to be dangerous in the Alabama. She stretched out effectively around two turns most recently to win the Indiana Oaks and she fits well of figures, but Eskimo Kisses may be the one Midnight Bisou has to fear most.

Like Midnight Bisou, Eskimo Kisses was badly compromised by the way the CCA Oaks was run up here early in the meet and had no real chance to impact that race late. She needs pace, but she has the ability to make a run into this race late and she also likes a wet track. 

We'll see who handles the turf course best in the Grade 2 Lake Placid, but this is an excellent field of 3yo turf fillies. Rushing Fall is the horse to beat as she returns from a layoff for Chad Brown. She is unlucky not to be undefeated leading into this race, but she has missed some time following a tough-luck loss on May 4th, and it is not impossible that her talented rivals have closed the gap on her this summer. 

I am trying Capla Temptress in this race. She hasn't won since closing down the Grade 1 Natalma as a 2yo with a strong late run, but she ran quite well in the French 1000 Guineas off the layoff and had enough trouble in the Belmont Oaks last time to be given another chance.

First post is 1:00 ET. Scratches and changes will likely be plentiful and you can find them here.