Best Bet: Race 12 #10 Hedge the Risk 9/2
Best Value: Race 11 #1 Night Jasmine 6/1

Sovereignty has single handedly cost me a few thousand dollars this year. But damn, gotta respect the horse.

Daisy Flyer just got up. Baeza ran his heart out but wasn’t good enough. $26.70 total back for them.

$128.00 wagered
$235.80 returned

Sunday. Rain in the forecast.

Race 4. #3 Handsome Pants, 8/1. I view Bestfriend Rocket, Georgia Magic, and Handsome Pants all similarly and think one of them is the winner. Handsome Pants will be twice the price of the other two so I’ll take a swing with him. Yes, the pace sets up for Just Licorice but I’m not really worried about him.

Race 6. #3 Solo Jim, 8/1. Solo Jim adds blinkers and gets Johnny V aboard. Looking for an aggressive ride out of this one and I don’t see why he can’t improve enough off his debut to win this one.

(Note: I edited these picks today. I originally had Immensitude in the Glen Falls but I watched replays and really don’t want to bet against Bellezza there.)

Nice call in the finale. I foolishly tossed that horse.

7/27:

Best Bet: Race 7 #6 Bellezza 5/2 - Didn't love a ton on this card so rather than force a longshot I'll just take a horse I think is a likely winner and if the ML holds is fair value to me.

Best Value: Race 10 $13 Salvation 6/1 - This is kind of an interesting race still and I was initially leaning toward Ennis Town but I wonder if that one might end up taking some steam and I just don't know that I fully trust it...Salvation just feels well placed here, won't take the Irad money the other Linda will (I would think)...is probably the fastest horse coming in...and while maybe lacks the upside of some of the others like Iron Sight and Prove, if they were really going to jump in with big efforts would they be in here? Maybe, but I think Salvation will get a nice trip from the outside post with some tactical speed and should hopefully get first run,

$136.00 wagered
$243.90 returned

$8.10 for Solo Jim who ran 2nd.

Really frustrated today as I had a couple longshots come out in horizontals but didn’t include La Mahena there in Race 7 so my mid Pick 5 and Late Pick 5 are toast.

Toga.. Race 10 going with the speed...

50 wp 1

I hope he wins because if the 3 or 9 win, it’ll be another 4 of 5 for me.

Bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

$304... Glad you got it!

Nice one. I talked myself right off that one…definitely made plenty of sense, nice hit

Nice!

Wednesday.

Race 4. #4 Summer Cause, 8/1. I originally had Embraceable Gal in race 2 in this spot but I wanted to take a bit of a bigger swing. Summer Cause only has two starts on turf. His debut was very impressive as he circled the field and ran away from them. Even in that race, I’m not sure he was totally comfortable but his turf talent was on display. His second start, he stumbled out of the gate but still ran well, one of only two horses to make up any ground. The other was Crystal Quest who ran 2nd in an OC route on the turf last week with a 90 Beyer. In both turf races, Summer Cause has shown a good cruising speed, long stride, and he just looks like he wants more distance.

The three favorites here leave some things to be desired. #6 Corruption might go off under even money. His last 3 races are all strong but I question if he’ll see some pace pressure from Otello. He did nearly beat Far Bridge 3 back but FB was coming off a layoff and Corruption got a fairly easy trip on the often speed favoring Gulfstream turf. I question that performance and I also wonder how good the field was 2 back when Corruption wired them at Churchill. So I just don’t want any parts of him at a short price. The next horse on the morning line is #5 Hush of a Storm. This horse is a decent horse but nothing would make me want to bet him at 3/1 and Cox has been a little cold lately. The projected third choice is Master Piece at 5/1 and note he’s got figures from just last year that would wallop this field and now draws Irad. But I don’t really want to bet on a 9 year old that seems to be struggling to regain that top form. So, that leaves me with Summer Cause who I think will be a big big price and can certainly win this with a step forward from his two turf starts.

Race 8. #9 Bernietakescharge, 10/1. There is a not so small chance that this horse either gets the early lead or tracks just outside at a modest pace and runs away with it in the stretch.

Thursday.

Race 6. #7 Big Heleonora, 12/1. Linda got this horse on the worktab in April and immediately shipped her up to Saratoga where she put in a few strong workouts and seems to be in maintenance mode. She does pretty well with FTS and Rice/Carmouche is clicking at 18% here at Saratoga for a $3.00 return. The projected favorite is a 2YO from Ellis who ships for the first time and whose debut figure is nothing special.

Race 7. #5 Midnightloveaffair, 8/1. Purely on figures, this horse has as good of a chance as anyone in here. What I really like is that she won by 5 lengths in a turf sprint. Her final two eights were 11.31 and 11.27 seconds. What was she doing in a maiden claimer? She’s got some talent and she’s going to be a big price and there’s no reason she can’t improve off that impressive maiden win.

Was away last week so haven't updated in a while. Let's just say things have cooled for me of late...lots of thirds and lots of lasts/close enough to last...hit Hedge the Risk Saturday and a pair of seconds on Sunday.

Wagered: $136.00
Returned: $145.50

You’re still up for the meet overall. Just need a few picks to go your way.

Bernietakescharge scratches out today. Other speeds scratched, which makes me wonder what the pace will look like. #11 Tricky Temper might have needed her last race and wouldn’t be shocked to see Jose Ortiz get her up front and never look back. Jeremiah Englehart often does better 2nd off a long layoff. But what I think this does it sets it up for #2 Dolomite who is going to sit a perfect inside trip behind the 11 and we might get that 5/1 figure as we know a lot of money will come in on My Mane Squeeze and Sterling Silver. Dolomite is sitting on a big race here and I think will be a fair price.

Best Bet: Race 8 #7 Cupid's Heart 8/1 - Was way more enthused about this from a pace and price perspective pre-scratches but I like her enough today I'll stick with it.

Best Value: Race 9 # 5 Fifi La Fulme 6/1 - Always had a thing for this one, not the type I usually bet but I think meets the right field today.

Good luck.

Good switch for me as Embraceable Gal has no excuses after the other two contenders scratched and instead got beat by the longest shot on the board.

Not sure what Summer Cause will do but it won’t be more disappointing than that.

Summer Cause ran an OK but distant third. Dolomite had the position I expected but appears to have bled. Doubtful she would have won but second place was up for grabs as #11 Tricky Temper landed there and paid $10.40 to place.

Sticking with the above picks for Thursday (for now) thought it appears my Rice/Carmouche angle played out today in Race 5. We’ll see if it can happen again tomorrow. Rain in the forecast so stay tuned.

$144.00 wagered
$243.90 returned

I almost pivoted to to Tricky Temper in the 8th which would've been a better result but was no match for My Mane Squeeze anyway...Cupid's Heart continued her string of never breaking and never really had a shot. Fifi ran OK again and was a clear second but not even close to a match for the winner paying $5.80 to place.

$144.00 wagered
$151.30 returned