At the Gate - Thursday
Mother Nature could not resist messing with the Spa on opening day, but at least she waited until late in the day, the rain coming after the seventh race, and knocking the final race off the turf.
Last year the weather was just awful, so losing one race on Wednesday felt like a victory.
The meet started in good style, as I had five winners on top on the ten race card, good for a +112% +ROI.
I guess I could have called it 5 of 9 since the finale was washed off the turf, but I liked my top pick Forest King regardless of surface, so I?ll call it 5 for 10.
We did not have to wait long for a score, as Good Prospect got home as my top pick in the opener, good for a $17.20 payoff.
While Freedom Rings ($3.30) got home as my top pick in the second race to assure a profit on the day, it was actually the first tough beat of the meeting.
I had doubles with my top pick and my second choice Cap the Thunder, who missed by the smallest of noses. The double would have paid $316.00. Instead, we had to settle for $31.00.
However, after getting off to a very slow meeting last year, it was good to hit at a 50% clip to start on opening day.
In the feature, the Schuylerville Stakes (G3) my top pick scratched, with my second choice Hot Dixie Chick getting the job done in impressive fashion, paying $5.30.
We had the recommended exacta for $22.60 and the trifecta for $89.50.
The rain was falling late in the afternoon, and there is a chance of rain overnight into tomorrow, but I am hoping we see a fast track today.
Here is today's opener from Saratoga to get our day off to a good start:
SAR Race 1 Jonathan Kiser Novice S. (1:00 ET)
#12 Mabou 10/1
#6 Terpsichorean 4/1
#3 Tricky Me 12/1
#2 El Viaje 9/2
Analysis: #12 Mabou is one of three in here sent out by the Voss barn, The gelding broke his maiden over the jumps last out in gate to wire fashion. Two back in his first start in a hurdle race he was up on the pace and fell at the 11th jump. The Ramsey's claimed this guy for just $20K and looks as if Voss might have made the right move switching him from the flats. The barn has won five jump races here over the past two years including a pair on Sunday at the Open House and two last year here. I'm not really a big fan of backing the likely pacesetter in these types of races but there does not seem to be much in the way of early pace in here.
#6 Terpsichorean has finished in the money in 6 of 7 starts over the jumps and is sent out by the Sheppard barn that won four jump races here last year and picked up a win here on Sunday at the Open House. The barn is good off the bench and this guy was second in the Grade 2 National Hunt Cup last out.
Wagering
WIN: #12 to win at 6/1 or better.
EX: 6,12 / 2,3,6,12
TRI: 2,3,6,12 / 1,2,3,5,6,12
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:
SAR Race 9 Sanford S. G2 (5:31 ET)
#4 Backtalk 2/1
#7 Bulls and Bears 7/2
#1 Soudman / #1a Activity Report 8/1
#2 Enumerate 3/1
Analysis: #4 Backtalk looks like he is going to be tough to beat in this spot as the likely favorite. Last out in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor the colt stumbled coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace, and got up late to prevail by a length. Three runners have come out of that race to run back, with a couple of winning stakes. Fourth place finisher Grand Slam Andre won the Middleground at Lone Star on July 26 and seventh place finisher Vito Filitto won the Minstrel at Lou Downs on July 18. Our top pick broke his maiden in his debut, with three behind him coming back to break their maidens in their next starts. I love the pedigree on this guy. He is by Smarty Jones out of the stakes winner Apasionata Sonata (4 for 9, $155K), who has dropped one other foal to race, the multiple stakes winner Bsharpsonata ($595K).
#7 Bulls and Bears was a smart looking winner in his debut for the Violette barn and earned the top last out speed fig in the effort. Three have come out of that race to run back, one next out winner. They finished fast in that race and the colt figures to get a good tracking trip from just off the pace. The colt has three sibs that are winners, top earner Holy Canyon ($120K).
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 9/5 or better.
EX: 4,7 / 1,2,4,7
TRI: 4,7 / 1,2,4,7 / 1,2,3,4,5,7
Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
Saratoga
R1: #12 Mabou 10/1
R1: #3 Tricky Me 12/1
R2: #2 Inquisition 12/1
R2: #4 Brown?s Hill 8/1
R3: #3 U.S. Calvary 12/1
R4: #5 Alexandrite Ring 8/1
R4: #10 Collar 12/1
R5: #9 Speechifying 12/1
R6: #3 Zip By You 12/1
R6: #2 My Luckey Penney 15/1
R6: #7 Citifiesta 8/1
R7: #4 Ailalea 8/1
R9: #1 Soudman / #1a Activity Report 8/1
R10: #9 Wiseacre 10/1
Good luck today!
Mother Nature could not resist messing with the Spa on opening day, but at least she waited until late in the day, the rain coming after the seventh race, and knocking the final race off the turf.
Last year the weather was just awful, so losing one race on Wednesday felt like a victory.
The meet started in good style, as I had five winners on top on the ten race card, good for a +112% +ROI.
I guess I could have called it 5 of 9 since the finale was washed off the turf, but I liked my top pick Forest King regardless of surface, so I?ll call it 5 for 10.
We did not have to wait long for a score, as Good Prospect got home as my top pick in the opener, good for a $17.20 payoff.
While Freedom Rings ($3.30) got home as my top pick in the second race to assure a profit on the day, it was actually the first tough beat of the meeting.
I had doubles with my top pick and my second choice Cap the Thunder, who missed by the smallest of noses. The double would have paid $316.00. Instead, we had to settle for $31.00.
However, after getting off to a very slow meeting last year, it was good to hit at a 50% clip to start on opening day.
In the feature, the Schuylerville Stakes (G3) my top pick scratched, with my second choice Hot Dixie Chick getting the job done in impressive fashion, paying $5.30.
We had the recommended exacta for $22.60 and the trifecta for $89.50.
The rain was falling late in the afternoon, and there is a chance of rain overnight into tomorrow, but I am hoping we see a fast track today.
Here is today's opener from Saratoga to get our day off to a good start:
SAR Race 1 Jonathan Kiser Novice S. (1:00 ET)
#12 Mabou 10/1
#6 Terpsichorean 4/1
#3 Tricky Me 12/1
#2 El Viaje 9/2
Analysis: #12 Mabou is one of three in here sent out by the Voss barn, The gelding broke his maiden over the jumps last out in gate to wire fashion. Two back in his first start in a hurdle race he was up on the pace and fell at the 11th jump. The Ramsey's claimed this guy for just $20K and looks as if Voss might have made the right move switching him from the flats. The barn has won five jump races here over the past two years including a pair on Sunday at the Open House and two last year here. I'm not really a big fan of backing the likely pacesetter in these types of races but there does not seem to be much in the way of early pace in here.
#6 Terpsichorean has finished in the money in 6 of 7 starts over the jumps and is sent out by the Sheppard barn that won four jump races here last year and picked up a win here on Sunday at the Open House. The barn is good off the bench and this guy was second in the Grade 2 National Hunt Cup last out.
Wagering
WIN: #12 to win at 6/1 or better.
EX: 6,12 / 2,3,6,12
TRI: 2,3,6,12 / 1,2,3,5,6,12
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:
SAR Race 9 Sanford S. G2 (5:31 ET)
#4 Backtalk 2/1
#7 Bulls and Bears 7/2
#1 Soudman / #1a Activity Report 8/1
#2 Enumerate 3/1
Analysis: #4 Backtalk looks like he is going to be tough to beat in this spot as the likely favorite. Last out in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor the colt stumbled coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace, and got up late to prevail by a length. Three runners have come out of that race to run back, with a couple of winning stakes. Fourth place finisher Grand Slam Andre won the Middleground at Lone Star on July 26 and seventh place finisher Vito Filitto won the Minstrel at Lou Downs on July 18. Our top pick broke his maiden in his debut, with three behind him coming back to break their maidens in their next starts. I love the pedigree on this guy. He is by Smarty Jones out of the stakes winner Apasionata Sonata (4 for 9, $155K), who has dropped one other foal to race, the multiple stakes winner Bsharpsonata ($595K).
#7 Bulls and Bears was a smart looking winner in his debut for the Violette barn and earned the top last out speed fig in the effort. Three have come out of that race to run back, one next out winner. They finished fast in that race and the colt figures to get a good tracking trip from just off the pace. The colt has three sibs that are winners, top earner Holy Canyon ($120K).
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 9/5 or better.
EX: 4,7 / 1,2,4,7
TRI: 4,7 / 1,2,4,7 / 1,2,3,4,5,7
Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
Saratoga
R1: #12 Mabou 10/1
R1: #3 Tricky Me 12/1
R2: #2 Inquisition 12/1
R2: #4 Brown?s Hill 8/1
R3: #3 U.S. Calvary 12/1
R4: #5 Alexandrite Ring 8/1
R4: #10 Collar 12/1
R5: #9 Speechifying 12/1
R6: #3 Zip By You 12/1
R6: #2 My Luckey Penney 15/1
R6: #7 Citifiesta 8/1
R7: #4 Ailalea 8/1
R9: #1 Soudman / #1a Activity Report 8/1
R10: #9 Wiseacre 10/1
Good luck today!
