SARATOGA: Rain Kills Carryover

[Kasept]

In what can only be described as a bizarre handicapping experience, Saturday's Alabama Day card was made successful by "two trick ponies"... Pickapocket (14-1) and Got the Last Laugh (8-1) won two of the three maiden events (2nd and 5th) at 7f, in races that we absolutely had no confidence in when making selections. The results were $550 and $360 trifecta boxes respectively, proving only that you can never be sure where the wins will come from when formulating your wagering strategy.

2nd: MSW, 8.5-T

1. #7 Romp 7-2 4th @ 2-1
2. #5 Holiday Trip 4-1 2nd @ 3-1
A. #1 (poe) Equal 3-1 3rd @ 7-2
B. #4 Pickapocket 10-1 WON @ 14-1

Tri Box: $556.00 ($2)
Ex Box: $137.50 ($2)


5th: MSW, 7f

1. #9 Sightseeing 7-2 2nd @ 3-2
2. #1e Zito entry 3-1 4th/5th @ 7-2
A. #2 Got the Last Laugh 9-2 WON 8-1
B. #8 Port Clyde 8-1 3rd @ 9-1

Tri Box: $361.50 ($2)
Ex Box: $53.00 ($2)

The rest of the day was brutally bad, with only Pine Island coming through on top in the $600,000 feature. Trying to beat Finlandia in the Yaddo proved futile.. and stupid. Pine Island's performance in one of our favorite races annually, continued to confirm our hypothesis from Breeders' Cup experience that Team Phipps-McGaughey are death in important filly/mare events.

While you can't describe her run under Javy Castellano as effortless, Pine Island left little doubt about her intentions to capture the 3yo filly Eclipse if Shug takes after the BC Distaff on the first Saturday in November. If she runs and takes to the quirky Downs surface, Pine Island will be formidable against elders in the Distaff, and she clearly is yet another premium broodmare prospect in a long line of fair sex stars produced by the house of black and cherry.

Allen Jerkens had Teammate ready to run Saturday, and the enigmatic miss distinguished herself and the Chief looking like a winner at the top of the stretch before yielding to the winner at the sixteenth pole. Dallas Stewart's Lemons Forever was able to close into a moderate pace to add a distant Alabama showing to her resume which features her upset win in the Kentucky Oaks.

Sunday will be a washy fiasco with turf racing threatened and tons of scratches likely. It has been raining here all night, and t-storms will likely dot the afternoon... While the P6 carryover races have been reviewed, we doubt that money will leave our pocket and suggest yours remains walleted as well... For those that care to brave the elements and the scratch board, here's the best we can offer.


SELECTIONS -- Saratoga, Subday, August 20, 2006 (R5-10) $101,000 C/O

5th: NYB-MSW, 5.5f

1. #7 Rausenbachs Halo 5-2
2. #4 Nehantic Cat 6-1
3. #1 Daybeforeher B'day 4-1


6th: ALW/N1X, 1m-IT

Figuring OFF THE TURF...

1. #1a Veneti 7-2 PICK SIX SINGLE OPTION
2. #10 Burletta 4-1
3. #11 Christmas Lily 7-2


7th: MSW, 7f

1. #5 Tale of the Queen 7-2 PICK SIX SINGLE OPTION
2. #9 Baroness Thatcher 4-1
A. #3 Miss Tizzy 10-1
B. #7 Maggie the Mighty 20-1


8th: 3rd John's Call, $70,000, 11f-T

Figuring yielding turf..

1. #4 General Jumbo 10-1
2. #9 Misto Quente 4-1
3. #6 Auguri 4-1

If Off the Turf.. 3-6-10-12


9th: ALW/N1X, 1m-IT

If on turf..

1. #1e Frankel entry
2. #9 Trick's Pic 9-2
A. #8 Oberon's Girl 6-1
B. #3 Silver Charades 4-1

If Off the Turf.. 1e-7-10-12


10th: NYB-MSW, 8.5f-T

If on the Turf..

1. #8 Clear Heels 8-1
2. #7 Jetastick 12-1
A. #15 Bella Attrice (AE) 4-1
B. #12 Zip Stream 4-1
C. #13 Muberra (AE) 8-1

If Off the Turf.. 11-1e-5-6


Basically the day is a mess...

Pick Six play? Yikes..

5: 4-7
6: 1a
7: 5-9
8: 4-6-9
9: 1e
10: 7-8-12-13-15 (turf) or 1e-5-6-10-11 (OTT)

2x1x2x3x1x5 = 60 x $2 = $120.00


We didn't give the Pacific Classic a close look, but if forced to make a call now, here's the guess..

PACIFIC CLASSIC (Gr. I)

1. Super Frolic
2. Lava Man
A. Perfect Drift
B. Good Reward


Good luck.. Normalcy returns Monday with the weather clearing out...
Steve