Horse racing continues to take place daily during the coronavirus pandemic, and on Saturday 11 of the country's best 3-year-old sprinters collide in the wide-open 2020 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The Tom Amoss-trained No Parole is the 9-5 favorite in the 2020 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes odds. Echo Town, who is trained by Steve Asmussen, is listed at 9-2 in the Jerkens field while the Mark Casse-trained Tap It to Win is 5-1.
The Jerkens is the third leg of the late Pick 5, which requires a bettor to pick the winner of five consecutive races. The Pick 5 begins with Race 8 at 5:10 p.m. ET and ends with Race 12. National handicapping champion Jonathon Kinchen has evaluated each of the five races in the early Pick 5, and, with the sequence featuring competitive fields, you'll want to see his horse racing predictions and best bets before building any late Pick 5 tickets at Saratoga for Saturday, August 1.
Kinchen is one of the nation's most successful and recognizable horseplayers. An analyst for Fox Sports' America's Day at the Races and co-host of the In the Money Players' Podcast, Kinchen won the National Horseplayers Championship Tour in 2015, a demanding, yearlong series of handicapping events across the country. That same year, he became the only player in history to have both of his entries qualify for the final table of the National Horseplayers Championship.
In addition, Kinchen has scored huge on some of racing's biggest days. At the 2015 Kentucky Derby, he cashed for $150,000 after nailing a Pick 6 and a cold Pick 3 that paid $50,000.
And this year he's been on fire on his horse racing picks for SportsLine. On April 11, he crushed the Oaklawn Stakes, giving out a $5 exacta that paid a whopping $1,338. On May 27 he hit a $1.50 Pick 4 at Tampa Bay Downs that paid $1,227. On July 11 he nailed both the Ashland Stakes, for $500, and the late Pick 5 at Keeneland, for $721.70. And on July 18 he cashed the late Pick 5 at Saratoga for $1,376. Those are just some of his biggest hits this year.
Now, Kinchen has handicapped the late Pick 5 at Saratoga for August 1, made his picks and constructed his best bets. You can head here to see them.
Top Saratoga Pick 5 predictions for August 1
Kinchen is high on Dalika, the 3-1 favorite in the Caress Stakes, the final leg of the Pick 5. This 4-year-old daughter of Pastorius has three wins and four seconds in 12 starts. She is coming off a second-place finish in the License Fee Stakes at Belmont Park on July 3.
In that race she was stuck behind horses, but once she got out in the clear she put in an impressive run. "If there's even a little bit of pace, she's dangerous," Kinchen tells SportsLine.
Kinchen also is high on Sadler's Joy, the 2-1 favorite in the Bowling Green Stakes, the fourth leg of the Pick 5. This 7-year-old son of Kitten's Joy has seven wins, four seconds and 10 thirds in 30 career starts. He is coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Manhattan on July 4.
But that race was around two turns, and Saturday's race will be around three. "He ran well at Belmont in his last two starts, but three turns is his game and he gets three turns on Saturday at Saratoga," Kinchen said.
How to make Saratoga Pick 5 selections for August 1
In addition Kinchen is high on a double-digit long shot on Saturday. Kinchen says this horse "could get loose" and could light up the toteboard and spice up the Pick 5. He's sharing his Pick 5 grid only at SportsLine.
How has Kinchen constructed his Pick 5 ticket for Saturday? And which double-digit long shot can win at a big price? Visit SportsLine to see Kinchen's ticket for the late Pick 5 at Saratoga on Saturday, and find out.
