Venue for August 4 - Saratoga

[JolyB]

"Saratoga is the August place to be."

That phrase was allegedly coined by Mary Lou Whitney, and it's fitting that we visit Saratoga this Saturday, August 4 for what is locally referred to as Whitney Day.

In addition to the Grade 1 Whitney (entries were drawn today), the card will include the Grade 1 Test, the Grade 3 Waya and the non graded Lure and De La Rose Stakes. First post will be at 1:00 PM Eastern.

While you are waiting for the entries to be posted, here is a link to a lengthy article about the Grand Dame of the Spa that makes for very interesting reading:
https://saratogaliving.com/marylou-w...r-of-saratoga/

[RUFFIAN]

Weather for Saratoga
Rain today, tomorrow, Saturday
60% -- 90% -- 60%%

So good chance, lots of scratches
And races taken off Turf.

[ElPrado]

It's raining everywhere. Better rain than ashes. 🤓

[JolyB]

Thursday's races all stayed on the turf despite a main track that was sloppy at times. Today doesn't look as promising, as some thunderstorms are likely for late morning and a steady rain for most of the afternoon and evening. The rain is supposed to end by early morning Saturday, with the risk of isolated thunderstorms in mid to late afternoon.

Of course, at Saratoga in mid summer there is almost always the risk of an isolated thundershower rolling in from the Adirondacks in late afternoon.

While there hasn't been any announcement for Friday, my guess is that many of the turf races will move to the main track. Whether the featured Hall of Fame will stay on the turf is a tough call.

Saturday's card has 6 turf races scheduled, and we will have to wait and see whether the Friday rains will have affected the turf courses so much that any of them will move to the main, especially those early in the card. In the past they have done everything possible to keep at least the stakes races on the turf.

It is worth keeping in mind that at Saratoga when races come off of the turf the distance can also be changed, since certain distances commonly used for turf races can't be reasonably run on the main track.

[JolyB]

An update to my pervious post. It's noon and while it is starting to rain a little bit (there are a couple of folks with umbrellas in the paddock), both turf races are still on the turf course that is rated firm. Given the very ominous forecast, this is better than expected.

[JolyB]

Even though the rain now appears to have stopped, sometime around race 4, it was announced that Race 6 would come off of the turf. Race 9, the Hall of Fame Stakes, remains on the turf at this point.

Four scratches promptly appeared for Race 6, and those who played the Pick 6 early have gotten the dirty end of the deal, since they probably handicapped the race for the turf and it now is on a different surface. If they are paying attention, they can cancel the tickets, but that is not always possible for those who bet and then have to go somewhere.

I just hope that if any races are taken off of the turf tomorrow, they will be taken off before the racing starts so that the players in our contest won't put in picks on one assumption and later find out that things have changed.