7/25: Saratoga (Day 3-Sanford)
 

The skies cleared for day two of Saratoga, and while the temperature soared, the prices fell to earth markedly with but winners of 5-1, 6-1 and 9-1 the exceptions. The racing was good for this awkward early Saturday on the meet calendar, with a P6 carryover adding intrigue. The Coaching Club American Oaks seems to have found a home and purpose with its' new placement, and went to Todd Pletcher and the Greathouse's increasingly impressive Devil May Care. This filly may be far better than anyone knows, and should only gain wider laurels and renown when moving to the 10f Alabama in 4 weeks where Blind Luck will need help from the rest of the cast to win.

Winners were plentiful, but the one I needed most, Asmussen 2yo MSW stunner Wine Police, was left off the sextet ducat costing the $7k return, and the $83.50 consolation didn't exactly assuage. The hit on the early P4 was OK at $359, but the Asmussen steamer stymied the late P4 as well as the P6. Overall, a very solid day. Hope you did well!

Sunday at Saratoga marks several milestones for our Dee Tee Stables group, as when we send our first 2yo to the post in the 2nd race. Ausable Chasm materialized as the anticipated NY bred so many partners were anxious to campaign, and is an old-fashioned Empire product being by Hook and Ladder out of the Comet Shine mare Ausable. Picked out as a sale weanling by our partner Joe Volpe, she has developed 'on time' while doing everything right from the time Ocala-based Ken Lejeune started on her last fall. Gary Sciacca and his team have built her further into a bruising looking juvy miss that passes physically as a sophomore. She drew the undesirable rail post for today, and faces a daunting foe as well in John Kimmel's Risk a Chance who has been garnering 'freak' chatter for weeks on end.

More important than the race outcome later this afternoon is the fulfillment of dreams of those that have longed to make it to a place like Saratoga as the owner of a racehorse. As we collectively learned from our experience with Sumwonlovesyou in 2007, being in the paddock at Saratoga, or being able to watch from an OTB with friends and family as a partner, is a moment that helps make the travails of work and life more worthwhile. I want to thank Joe and Ann Volpe, Ken Lejeune, Gary Sciacca, Chuck Simon and every member of Derby Trail and Dee Tee (whether in on Ausable Chasm or not), for making another opportunity like today possible. Together we're all making a difference in racing's present and future by actively committing our time, resources and passion as stakeholders. I hope you enjoy today and that your commitment is amply rewarded with a lasting memory.


SARATOGA


PRE-SCRATCHES


NOTE: RACES 5, 7 & 10 ARE OFF THE TURF


1st: NY-ALW/N1X, F&M-3+, 8.5fIT (P3, DD, Super)

Best Value: #7 Rumors of Glory 6-1: Jumped up first turf; Regularly a positive.. 4th
Next Best: #6 Frivolous Buck 3-1: Return was career best; Repeat less likely in a 5yo.. 3rd
Exotics Use: #1 (POE) Sounds Familiar 7-2 7th
Super Add: #11 (AE) SCR


2nd: NY-MSW, 2yo-F, 5.5f (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #3 Risk a Chance 5-2: Broman A.P. Indy a half to Minerologist; Buzz horse.. 4th
Best Value: #1 Ausable Chasm 10-1: Dee Tee's 1st juvy starter doing everything right; Post hurts.. 6th
Next Best: #4 Yawkey Way 2-1 WON ($7.60)
Super Add: #2 Copious Notes 8-1 5th


3rd: NY-ALW/N1X, F&M-3+, 7f (P3, DD, Super)

Difficult group to get a handle on with returnee from Morrison having best race on paper and rest of field 'feeling' suspect..

Best Value: #7 A Smart Judge 15-1: Taking shot off win, jock upgrade.. 2nd
Next Best:#4 Cody Samora 2-1: Would prefer if Morrison was better with comebackers.. WON ($3.80)
Exotics Use: #1 Team Plan 4-1 8th
Super Add: #9 Catchapenny K. 12-1 6th

$1 Exacta (4-7) Paid $38.00


4th: OC/N2X, 3+, 6f (P3, DD, Super)

Like the state bred ALW before it, this conditional is quirky and treacherous but for different reasons. Four of the starters enter this off barn moves to the likes of Todd Pletcher, Tony Dutrow, Al Stall and Frank Alexander... outstanding horsemen all. Literally a race where no opinion should be seen as unlikely..

Best Value: #5 Mesa Sunrise 5-1: Steady drills for first as a 4yo and under A. Dutrow.. 3rd
Next Best: #1 Desert Key: Has back class if close to right 3rd off layoff.. WON
Exotics Use: #2 American Classic 9-2 6th
Super Add: #3 Overbid 20-1 7th


5th: NY-MSW, 3+, 5.5f-OFF THE TURF (P6, P3, DD, Super)

OFF THE TURF: 1 - WON ($5.10)-5-3-11


<$75 P4 Play:

2: 1-3-(5) -- Sorry about transcribing error here from selections of the 2nd.. Meant the 4..
3: 1-4-7
4: 1-2-3-5
5: 1-3

3x3x4x2 = $72


6th: MDN CLM, 3+, 6f (G/S, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #11 Artie's Chapter 9-2: Needs clever trip from Lezcano from tough launch.. 3rd
Best Value: #4 Splendid Behavior 6-16-1: Moves to Baker who adds hood (20% W's).. 5th
Next Best: #8 Mr. Benjamin 10-1 4th
Super Add: #2 Scary Good 3-1 7th


7th: CLM, 3+, 5.5f-OFF THE TURF (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Somewhat non-descript bunch of turf sprinting $25k claimers with some class droppers adding to the intrigue. Both cross-entered Little Nick (2-1) and Moose Man (10-1) passed on the similar event at MTH yesterday for this..

OFF THE TURF: 4-1a-2-9


8th: OC/N2X, 3+, 8.5f-IT

Best Value: #5 Peace Wine 10-1: Expect better off solid comebacker.. 9th
Next Best: #9 Mikoshi 3-1: Reasonable favorite but Ramon needs trip.. 3rd
Exotics Use: #1 War Hoot 4-1 4th
Super Add: #4 Slambino 8-1 8th

OFF THE TURF: 12-10-3


9th: 96th Sanford (G2), 2yo, 6f (DD, Super)

Best Value: #3 Nacho Saint 10-1: Maiden but accomplished as the rest; Arrives late.. 2nd
Next Best: #2 Maybemaybenot 6-1: Adds Leparoux; Has already gone three quarters.. WON ($21.20)
Exotics Use: #6 Chipshot 7-2 5th
Super Add: #4 Bail Out the Cat 2-1 6th

$1 Exacta (2-3) Paid $61.75


10th: CLM/N2L, F&M-3+, 5.5f-OFF THE TURF (Super)

OFF THE TURF: 15 - WON ($12.40)-14 - 3rd-9-1 - 2nd

$1 Exacta (15-1) Paid $36.25
$1 Trifecta (15-1-14) Paid $157.75


@$75 P4 Play:

7: 1-2-4
8: 5-9
9: 1-2-3-4-5-6
10: 14-15

3x2x6x2 = $72


Good luck!
Steve

Little Nick is #4 Steve. Good luck! I'll be heading up in a couple of hours, ready for a fun day.

4:42 A.M.:eek: Do you sleep standing up? Good luck today buddy! I'll be up midweek to stuff myself full of pulled chicken sandwiches. My 7 year old son will be getting his first intoduction to live racing after watching his entire life on the screen. He is already married to House of Grace in the Wed feature as a potential single. Tabbed her last year at a big price, thought she was "House of Grass". Whatever? Little redboarder.....:zz:

5,7,10 off the turf

'tini,

Thanks so much.. See you this week! Chicken steaping as we speak....

1st Race will be run on the Mellon Turf Course

TRACK CONDITIONS
Weather: PARTLY SUNNY, 74 (Morning)
PARTLY SUNNY, 82 (Post)

Track: GOOD

Turf: YIELDING

Turf Races: 1(MELLON) ,8 - ON TURF ( 5,7,10 - OFF TURF )

Inner: Set at 9 Ft

Mellon: Set at 0 Ft

P6 Carryover: NONE Takeout - 16.00 %



DAILY NOTES
RACE 5-OFF TURF @ 5 1/2 FUR; RACE 7-OFF TURF @ 5 1/2 FUR; RACE 10-OFF TURF @ 5 1/2 FUR


SCRATCHES
Race Program # Horse Time Notes
1 1A Nurse Dolce Early
11 Tutti Va Bene Early
12 Mystic City Early

4 4 I Ain't No Saint Early
7 Southern Danger Early

5 3 Magnificent Tiger Early
8 Western Connection Early
12 Brolio Early

6 5 Starr West Early
10 Five Aces Early

7 1 (poe) Sly Early
2 Silent Pipe Early
4 Little Nick Early
5 Winthrop House Early
7 Moose Man Early

8 1A Callide Valley Early
13 Retriever Early

10 6 Song for Pupcake Early
10 Angel Wave Early
11 Auric Girl Early
12 Msjerseyroulette Early
13 Roaring Belle Early









JOCKEY CHANGES
Race Program # Horse Changes
5 4 Moonshine Mountain G. Richards
6 Moon Raven R. Albarado

7 12 Lookin At Her Tba









MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES
Race Program # Horse Changes
1 2 Sweethearts Kiss +1

3 6 Rosy Roar +1

7 10 Fastus Cactus BLINKERS ON

10 1 Toy Indian +1
3 Pea Stone BLINKERS ON

Do you brine the chicken?

Nice call on Smart Judge! Wish she won!

Great job again on the Early P4, Steve!!

Congrats, and thanks.:tro:

i need to start checking steves numbers he posts vs the horses he picks. race 2 said 1,3,5 not 1,3,4 as he handicaped, that lack of my work cost me. I know he is busy at saratoga.

Ronnie,

Thanks. Me too... Was pleased with her effort though, and thought she looked a winner at the sixteenth, but the track was carrying the front enders at that point in the day. Was a tremendous overlay at 27-1 (from 15-1 ML!).

Thanks Larry! Glad you caught it and particularly glad you saw the mistake transcribing Yawkey Way's number from the Selections section. Felt awful when I saw it last night putting the results in... Hope you had a great weekend. Has been an excellent start to the meet!

AZ Dave,

Sorry that happened and it tripped you up if it did. I'll make one of those errors occasionally and someone usually notices it and it gets corrected. Yesterday was a particularly frenzied day with set up at the Barbecue, followed by early off the turf additions, the Thoro-Graph seminar to conduct and then pulling the 40+ Dee Tee guests together at 1p. Prime day to for a post number botching... I'll make it up to anyone who played it and missed.

Make the money order out to...

If you were any hotter lately you'd be investigated. The only thing missing was the 11K P4 you handed out the first week last year. We all benefit from your efforts far beyond reasonable expectations. Don't let a little glitch like a typo blow your karma. Everybody has to take responsibility and check the selections for accuracy. To make it any easier you'd have to be punching tickets for people. If you remember not too long ago I hit a small P6 combining your plays with a few of mine only to mistakenly add a clerical error that won. Forgive me but I cashed the ticket without guilt. Things have a way of evening out many times, not all but many. Cut yourself a break and let's all turn the page to day 4...

i would never ask for anything back, its my responsibility to check the numbers. i have used Steves picks for years with a profit as i dont follow east coast racing like he does. i also know he is much busier at Saratogo, than any other track. again thanks for everything you do Steve, on to the next hit.

Personally, I use Kasept and Bogey as a double check on what I'm seeing. I like to have their picks avalible to see if they like a horse that I didn't. I still have to punch the ticket, so it's my fault if the horses are wrong not theirs
.
Keep it up guys, this meet is just starting and it's gonna be a lot of fun.

Don't listen to those guys SB, you should feel guilty!!! Now send me some money...diapers are crazy expensive:wf:wf

Costco.