8/14: Saratoga (Day 20-Sword Dancer)
 

Got lucky in dramatic fashion Friday when two favorites bobbed out photos to start the late P4 and lead to a nice ticket. McGaughey-Janney second timer Air Support miraculously held off Grigio in the 7th, before Interactif won the photo in the featured Hall of Fame over ignorable Grand Rapport. Those two fortuitous results led to romps by Charlton Baker's $34.20 Splendid Behavior in the 9th and Ken McPeek's Magdelena Girl ($5.60) which brought home a hearty $574.50 on the $72 punt.

In addition to the P4 bingo, the deep and confusing 9th managed to become an exotics bonanza with the 16-1 'Super Add' from Baker at the heart of the mutuels. Boxing the tabs or keying top choice Active Trader (2nd at 3-2) in the top slots returned the $55.00 exacta, $211.00 tri and $921.50 super. Barney Bonnem in Chicago ("Satan's Twin" at DT) and equally famed Rogo ("We're not gonna take it") from Amsterdam, NY both executed box plays of the selections for the nice score-o's. At least 6 Spa patrons had the P4, making the backyard hop. Hope everyone did well!

Long card of 11 races Saturday with some very tough spots littering the sequences. $157,244 P6 Carryover at Del Mar today... Should be a great weekend.


SARATOGA RACE COURSE


POST-SCRATCHES


1st: OC/N2X, 3+, 1m-IT (P3, DD, Super)

Eric Donovan's morning line this meet has created some vulnerable favorites, and #3 Carson Hall (3-1) is one of them. Absolutely can win, but is not appreciably better than about 5 others here.. As I've been saying all meet, turf ALW's like the NY bred types and this open version are the best spots to swing for the fences..

Most Likely: #8 Raging Wit 6-1 3rd
Next Best: #5 Spanish Art 4-1 4th
Best Value: #9 Slambino 15-1 5th
Super Add: #2 Stevil 6-1 2nd


2nd: NY-MSW, 2yo, 6f (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #8 Exley 7-2 3rd
Next Best: #1 D'Sauvage 2-1 5th
Best Value: #2 Robbie's Turn 20-1 7th
Super Add: #9 Super Angelo 6-1 4th


3rd: ALW/N1X, 6f (P3, DD)

NO SUPER after SCR of #7..

Tricky little ALW with 4 of 7 back after layoffs of 150-350 days..

Most Likely: #2 Bulldogger 2-1 WON ($4.30)
Best Value: #4 Bimini 6-1 4th
Next Best: #6 Not Macho Any More 7-2 5th
Super Add: #1 Footcandles 3-1 3rd


4th: CLM/N2L, F&M-3+, 6.5f (P3, DD, Super)

Best Value: #4 A Saint Among Us 10-1: Improvement from race 2 back can win this.. 4th
Next Best: #8 Toy Indian 3-1: McPeek humming along solidly at meet.. 5th
Exotics Use: #1 Maid to Win 4-1 WON ($6.80)
Super Add: #9 Jersey Shore Girl 5-2 2nd


5th: CLM, F&M-3+, 7f (P3, DD, Super)

Best Value: #8 Night Spirit 9-2 6th
Next Best: #9 Bobbi O. 4-1 7th
Exotics Use: #3 Capitalism at Risk 9-2 4th
Super Add: #7 Every Little Thing 7-2 2nd


<$75 P4 Play:

2: 1-8
3: 2-4-6
4: 1-4-8-9
5: 3-8-9

2x3x4x3 = $72


6th: MSW, 2yo-F, 8.5f-T (P6, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #5 Dynamic Holiday 3-1 2nd
Next Best: #7 Sunlight Sonata 7-2 4th
Best Value: #2 More Than Real 6-1 WON ($9.90)
Super Add: #10 War Clan 12-1 3rd


7th: MSW, 3+, 1m-IT (G/S, P3, DD, Super)

One of the day's trickiest events with two of the preferable players outposted in the #'s 8 & 9 slots..

Best Value: #9 Baatesh 4-1 2nd
Next Best: #8 Chairman Now 2-1 3rd
Exotics Use: #5 Ritual 3-1 5th
Super Add: #7 Hurricane Day 8-1 WON ($21.40)


8th: MSW, 2yo, 6f (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #6 Brock 3-1: $2.3MM CRC '10 sale-topper out of Tomisue's Delight; Half to Mr. Sidney.. 8th
Best Value: #1 Heisman 10-1: Solid tab but tough post for full brother of Any Given Saturday.. 6th
Next Best: #11 Stay Thirsty 8-5 WON ($3.40)
Super Add: #5 Orsonian 15-1 4th


9th: NY-OC/N2X, 3+, 8.5f-T (P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #1 Writingonthewall 5-2 WON ($4.50)
Best Value: #9 Silenced 9-2 6th
Exotics Use: #12 Hammock 10-1 2nd
Super Add: #10 J L Bernstein 6-1 3rd


10th: 36th Sword Dancer (G1), 3+, 12f-IT (DD, Super)

Best Value: #5 Al Khali 6-1: Mott regularly takes advantages of opportunities like this.. 3rd
Next Best: #4 Expansion 3-1: Carefully and cleverly managed by Chad Brown.. 5th
Exotics Use: #6 Bearpath 10-1 2nd
Super Add: #8 Telling 6-1 WON ($22.60)


11th: NY-ALW/N1X, 3+, 8.5-T (Super)

Nice to end the day with solid state bred ALW cast..

Best Value: #2 John Wyatt 6-1 2nd
Next Best: #9 Kuggerand 5-2
Exotics Use: #7 Bishop of Nola 7-2 WON ($10.00)
Super Add: #10 Mr. Vantastic 6-1 3rd


<$100 P4 Play:

8: 1-6
9: 1-9
10: 1-4-5-6-8
11: 2-5-7-9-10

2x2x5x5 = $100


Good luck!
Steve

SAR SCR/CHG'S

A few significant changes including Marsh Side out of the 'Dancer...

NOTE Also-Eligible draw ins:

#11 Steal the Dance (8-1) in the 6th..

#12 Hammock (8-1) in the 9th..

Nice Tri and Super

10th: 36th Sword Dancer (G1), 3+, 12f-IT (DD, Super)

Best Value: #5 Al Khali 6-1: Mott regularly takes advantages of opportunities like this..
Next Best: #4 Expansion 3-1: Carefully and cleverly managed by Chad Brown..
Exotics Use: #6 Bearpath 10-1
Super Add: #8 Telling 6-1


ok steve what's in the barbecue sauce?

Uggh... I botched the P4 play very badly leaving Stay Thirsty off... Sorry folks. After that sloppy omission, I hope people regrouped and recouped with the solid late P3 and the three triples within it...

steve- no need to apoligize - still much appreciated - thanks

Felt like an idiot watching Stay Thirsty romp...