Handicapping

Happy Saratoga Special Day!  The Fourstardave and Saratoga Derby have been moved to the Sunday card due to the expected heavy rains. So now the Saratoga Special is the feature race and it’s an excellent two year old stakes race with several live ones. Given the weather of the past week I am reminded of the old Allan Sherman classic “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah” … and yes it will be more fun when it stops raining. Let’s all say the horseplayer’s prayer for Fast and Firm.  Race 8 – Saratoga Special – Grade II  Six and One Half Furlongs on the Dirt for Two Year Olds  Smoken Wicked:…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  8/8/24      Featured track  Saratoga       Race number  8       Race overview  An extremely deep and competitive 40k claimer for 4up at 6Fs on the main track.       Pace  It looks honest enough, as there are more than a few who want to be involved up front, which suggest this could tilt towards a stalker.      Trends  The main track was all over the place last week, as it rained on and off, and did so again on Wednesday, so pay close attention as the week moves on.      Best…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  8/7/24      Featured track  Saratoga       Race number  6       Race overview  A deep and competitive 25k N2L for 3upfm going 1-mile on the main track.       Pace  It looks honest enough, as there are more than a few who want to be involved up front, which suggest this could tilt towards a stalker.      Trends  The main track was all over the place last week, as it rained on and off, but it’s worth noting that if it gets wet again, it was an inside/speed track Whitney Day.     …

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  8/4/24      Featured track  Saratoga       Race number  9       Race overview  A deep and competitive renewal of the G3 Adirondack for 2yofs going 6 ½ Fs on the main track.       Pace  Ot looks hot and contested, as more than a few want to be in front, so at this elongated distance for this group at this time of year, things could melt down in the lane.      Trends  Rains hit overnight Friday and left the main track muddy early Saturday morning, so it’s pointless to speculate how it might…

Happy Whitney Day!  This is a great card with five stakes headlined by the Whitney Stakes. The Whitney appears to run through National Treasure who we last saw romping the Met Mile.  The Saratoga Derby is an evenly matched race where just about any of them could pull it off.    In the Troy Stakes, Cogburn comes back after setting a North American record at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf in the Jaipur Stakes tripping the timer in 59.80. In the Test Stakes we have a potential budding star in the form of Ways and Means who looked the part last out when she posted a 104 Beyer…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  8/3/24      Featured track  Saratoga       Race number  3       Race overview  A competitive OC/SAL for 4upfm at 1-mile on the main track.       Pace  It sure looks like #1 DECK OF CARDS (2-1) can control things from the inside, especially after setting fast fractions and running off sprinting 7Fs here last month.      Trends  A dry main track on Thursday led the way to a golden rail, as anyone inside enjoyed all the best of it, whether it was on the lead, or off the pace, so make sure to…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  8/2/24      Featured track  Saratoga       Race number  7       Race overview  An extremely weak NYB N1X for 3upfm going 7Fs on the main track.       Pace  It looks honest enough, as there are more than a few who want to be involved early on.      Trends  The main track sped up considerably last Wednesday-Friday, as it was extremely difficult to pass, but things tempered dramatically on Saturday and Sunday, so pay close attention early in the week.      Best Play  #6 MAGGIE T (7-2): Versatile filly is one of…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  8/1/24      Featured track  Saratoga       Race number  7       Race overview  A deep and competitive 25k starter-allowance for 4up at 1 1/8 miles on the main track.       Pace  There’s not much here, so expect things to be slow early and turn into a sprint off the far turn.      Trends  The main track sped up considerably on Wednesday-Friday, as it was extremely difficult to pass, but things tempered dramatically on Saturday and Sunday, so pay close attention early in the week.      Best Play  #3 ON A SPREE (2-1):…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  7/31/24      Featured track  Saratoga       Race number  4       Race overview  A solid NYB N1X for 4up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.       Pace  Very few of these figure to appreciate the trip, so things should be on the slow side early, at a distance that routinely caters to speed.      Trends  The main track sped up considerably on Wednesday-Friday, as it was extremely difficult to pass, but things tempered dramatically on Saturday and Sunday, so pay close attention early in the week.      Best Play  #5…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  7/28/24      Featured track  Saratoga       Race number  8       Race overview  A well above average 14k N3L for 3up at 6Fs on the main track.       Pace  It’s a full field in a dirt sprint, so things should be honest, and potentially contested up front, as more than a few would like that position early on.      Trends  The main track sped up considerably on Wednesday-Friday, as it was extremely difficult to pass, and favoring inside runners (on Friday) as well.      Best Play  #4 FOR SOME REASON (4-1):…