Friday, 8/26
Not that interested in today's card once it went off the turf.

Best Bet - Race 8 #1 Ice Princess 8/1
Will obviously be much shorter now, seems like the only one I can really make to beat Make Mischief with.

Best Value - Race 9 #10 Quickflash 15/1
Key Point might be a cinch but think Quickflash can outrun odds and maybe hit the board. Not much of a winning type but stranger things have happened.

Travers Day Saturday, 8/27

Best Bet - Race 9 #2 Search Results 7/2
Just think this race should set up for her and have always loved this one...Can't see how they go nearly as fast today and I think the way Search Results blew past Letruska was emblematic of her consistent turn of foot for a dirt horse. Not fully confident she will time it perfectly enough to hold off Clairere late but at the expected odds will take a shot.

Best Value - Race 11 #4 Gilded Age 30/1
Probably an insane play and there are some others today I'm intrigued by that I'll list below just for the sake of it. Gilded Age is bred for this through the gills. While Angela Renee was ultimately disappointing and maybe you could make a case he's following suit the breeding is fantastic and the fact is he keeps getting a little better each start. While I do think the winner is most likely Epicenter or Cyberknife I think he can run second or third and will be bomber odds. If they don't show up who knows...he's also been campaigned like he's better than he looks on paper. This is a total stab I admit but seems like an OK enough spot/day to do so.

Couple others today:

Race 6 #4 Jet Speed 8/1
Michelle Hemingway has been live in NY this year and certainly has the background to be up and coming, last trip was insane.

Race 8 #1 Conagher 7/2
Between the lasix and the fact that we won't get quite enough price I thought about making him my best bet of the day but couldn't quite get there. He's a serious horse that can really run...totally random comp but kind of reminds me of Flashing in the Test when Cat's Move took all the money, no real knock but this horse is a confirmed runner.

Race 10 #6 Gufo 9/2
I originally kind of thought Broome just towered over this field but I've had a nagging feeling all week that this isn't necessarily ideal for a horse that runs like Broome three turns on the inner...but I couldn't really get behind anyone else and the class just appears pretty daunting...but now I've talked myself back into Gufo, maybe stupidly...that said might be a better price today than usual, I trust Joel in a three turn 1.5 inner turf race than most, and he's probably best at this distance. Just feels like Broome and him are supposed to be the two finishing best in here and I'll take the value on Gufo today, especially since I think there are a couple question marks about whether or not Broome will bring his top form (in which case he likely wins).

Good luck to everyone today.

Gross beat with Search Results but great call with Gufo. Hope you made out well there.

^Thanks - mixed bag but I did OK, pretty brutal with Search Results though if she held on I have the pick-5 for $6 instead caught it for a buck. Can't complain on a decent day though I guess. My picks have been pretty brutal of late, some nibblers and tough beats but that's about it, updated total below.

Total Wagered: $252.00
Total Returned: $182.90

Best Bet - Race 9 #4 Lady Rocket 6/1
Interesting Ballerina and I think you can make a case for any of them in here, even Travel Column if you want to be that creative, I landed on Lady Rocket ultimately though. While the Go for Wand seems like the aberration on paper, the Madison was a heck of an effort given the pace...no shame in losing at a mile to Search Results and it seemed like they used the Chicago as a confidence booster to point here. I really don't like Bella Sofia in here and I think that most of the stalkers/closers will be content to let those two go up front...think she can shake loose of her turning for home and hopefully gain enough separation from the closers.

Best Value - Race 5 #6 Irwin 6/1
Could've flipped best bet/value but I wanted to use this one today. The way I see this race my biggest concern is if Microphone is just too good and beats a pretty average field. If not I think it really becomes a battle between whether you prefer Shawdyshawdyshawdy or Irwin and I think most will be gravitating to the former as evidenced by the ML...I happen to think Irwin has actually run every bit as well and perhaps better than Sss the last two times they met. He also has more tactical speed and I just think is super logical today and goes out for solid but underrated connections compared to some of the other outfits in here.

Agree with you on Irwin. Have chips on him on top and 2nd.

UGH....50 and change 1/2 equals no chance

^bad day to put your chips on Ricardo Santana - might both have been bad picks but my god wtf was he doing :zz:

Got tied up yesterday and couldn't post, no time for analysis today:

Best Bet - Race 10 #8 Recognize 8/1
Best Value - Race 7 #7 Our Jessica 12/1

Best Bet - Race 9 #1 Wicked Halo 5/1
Best Value - Race 6 #2 Stonewall Star 6/1

Best Bet - Race 11 #6 First Captain 4/1
Best Value - Race 7 #9 Meraas 6/1

I thought Meraas was gone off the turn but they went and got him. First Captain ran just OK but was no match for the top two.

Total Wagered: $276.00
Total Returned: $199.30

Best Bet - Race 11 #9 Wonder Wheel 3/1
Didn't exactly love the card today and I guess we will see how the betting plays out but I tend to trust we will get something close to what Aragona posts...it seems like many are lining up to beat her today and I get it, there are several decent options. I almost had convinced myself of every runner in the field at one point but I kept going back to Wonder Wheel...like the recent works, like the versatility already being on display...I think one of the others is going to have to really take a big step forward to beat her today because I think she is ready for a big run/jump up.

Best Value - Race 10 #4 Cape Cod Causeway 5/1
Hoping to get 5/1 or maybe better with McCarthy aboard for Hening...I was on Succulent last time and I think she can win but that was some ride by Dylan and she's going to be such a shorter price today. I think La Victoria will take some money and be an overbet favorite. Cap Cod Causeways last to me was as good or better than any effort of any of these and she'll be a bigger price than some. I also thought he was a bit overly patient in there...think she's ready for another small move forward and that should be enough to graduate in here in my opinion.

Wonder Wheel ran alright but wasn't up for making the leap forward I expected and was simply second best as the favorite. Cape Cod Causeway was likely second best and could've been put up for the win, in one sense was unlucky because if not for the late contact she gets by the 3 no doubt in my opinion. On the other hand Succulent was best in there. I don't mind criticizing the stewards and I know plenty did for their decision in there I honestly thought they had to make a really tough call in that one and wouldn't have faulted them for any outcome really. CCC will break her maiden soon though.

Total Wagered: $284.00
Total Returned: $207.90

I had a really whacky opinion I wanted to use if the 9th stayed on the turf that the 3 Grecian Pharoah was live at huge odds. No longer interested on the main track.

Best Bet - Race 11 #3 Bourbon Bash 6/1
Lukas has had some meet and already with a win today. I was on Mo Strike in his last and I'm still really high on the horse but it looks like speed will be deadly with the rain and I really think Bourbon Bash can turn the tables on Chad's runner who will likely take a good deal of money. I loved the easy speed this one showed on debut and think second out just put it together. I'll have a nice day if Bourbon Bash/Mo Strike make up the exacta in either order.

Best Value - Race 12 #7 Fancy Feline 6/1
Not sure what type of price to expect here but think she's best in here and is proven on a sloppy track. Wish I had something more clever being closing day and given that I've clinched not being able to turn a positive ROI - Mashnee Girl in the 10th looks pretty intriguing, you can draw a line through the sprint and she stack up but I have a feeling she's probably not quite good enough and there are others with some upside in there. Fancy Feline on the other hand looks to me like the most likely winner to close out the meet and likely won't go off at such odds.

Good luck closing it out to everyone.

Wanted to mention Race 9 at Kentucky Downs today :{>: Skims wheeling back quick for Shug - New Year's Eve clearly the horse to beat and Turnerloose is no slouch...I'm going to try to get a 5,12 ex box home though. Probably will include the 7 a bit but I think Skims could prove to be decent value in there.

:tro: