8/7: Saratoga (Day 15; Vanderbilt)

[Kasept]

Reports of the death of the American Handicap Division proved false Saturday as Jim Bond sent Bill Clifton's Tizway and Rajiv Maragh off to an emphatic victory in the G1 Whitney. The triumph for the Met Mile hero further enhances the reputation (111 Beyer) and stallion prospects of the 6yo son of Tiznow, who will now be pointed toward an ultimate distance challenge in the mile and a quarter Breeders' Cup Classic. The win could not have been more popular at the Old Spa, as the long-time Upstate New York horseman is among the most liked and appreciated individuals in the game.

The race also rubber-stamped Scooter Dickey's 5yo Suburban winner Flat Out as 100% bona fide, with the Preston Stables trainee working out a trip under Alex Solis to manage the placement and a 106 Beyer. Giant Oak chugged home a predictable third on the dull main track, out-photographing the aggressively forward Friend or Foe. Billed as wide open and expected to be run fairly with a deep and varied cast of players, when the dust settled, the 2011 Whitney managed to sift down to the two top choices. And despite all attempts to find less obvious answers, even money favorite Turbulent Descent annexed the Test a half hour earlier as the 7f G1 dash saw the field string out all the way down the stretch.

In terms of the action, the big multis were scuttled by Lukas surprize Optimizer in the early quad and Trix in the City in the late version, but a peck of moderate loss-defraying results kept the afternoon from being dreadful. Battingstar and Karakorum Fugitive combined for a $102 in the 4th which boosted things along, and though Howie and the Cat failed as the fave in the 6th, Gary Gullo's Silent Thunder and Carlos Martin's Goose No Fruit clicked for the $95 tote. 30-1 Duke of Naples got up under easy .75 winner Higher Court in the 7th for a $63 exacta as well. From that point it was a leaky vessel however, as Trix in the City found herself alone at the front of the De La Rose at 24-1 and cruised home for Rick Violette and Mrs. Symons. I tried to get too creative in the stakes, and paid for it. All told it was a down day to the tune of $300+. Hope you did OK...

Sunday's card looks to be at the mercy of the weather, and there's no way to know now how muddy or sloppy things might be. The main is sealed, and the three turf races (1st, 5th, 11th) have been taken off...

WEATHER UNDERGROUND FOR SARATOGA

50-50 proposition for rain and thunderstorms the rest of the day. I've selected with a wet track in mind, but it's the kind of day where you 'play it as it lies'...


SARATOGA


POST-SCRATCHES


1st: OC/N1X, F&M-3+, 5.5f (P3, DD, Super)

OFF THE TURF

Most Likely: #15 Malibu Artiste 5-2 3rd
Best Value: #13 Indian Tale 6-1 2nd
Exotics Use: #16 Tempest Storm 7-2 5th


2nd: NY-MSW, 2yo-F, 5f (P4, P3, DD)

Most Likely: #8 Victory Island 5-2 WON ($9.60)
Next Best: #6 Shot Gun Pennie 7-2 5th
Exotics Use: #7 Flea Flicker 4-1 2nd
Super Add: #2 Notesfromabroad 4-1 3rd


3rd: NY-OC/N2X, F&M-3+, 9f (P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #5 Life's Measure 5-2 4th
Next Best: #9 D' Oratory 3-1 WON ($7.00)
Exotics Use: #1 Go Unbridled 7-2 2nd
Super Add: #7 Landlash 8-1 5th


4th: MSW, F&M-3+, 6f (P3, DD)

Most Likely: #3 Purple Cat 6-5 3rd
Next Best: #4 Starry 3-1 4th
Exotics Use: #5 Silver Meeting 7-2 2nd


5th: NY-MSW, F&M-3+, 1m (P3, DD, Super)

OFF THE TURF

Best Value: #9 Silver Mast 20-1 5th
Next Best: #6 Proud Dame 7-2 7th
Exotics Use: #5 Earnings Release 8-5 3rd
Super Add: #14 Saratoga Silver 5-1 11th


<$75 P4 Play:

2: 2-6-7-8
3: 1-5-9
4: 2-3-4-5
5: 5-6-9

4x3x4x3 = 144 x .50 = $72


6th: ALW/N1X, 3+, 7f (P6, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #4 Buffum 5-2 ($4.40)
Best Value: #8 City Trooper 15-1 7th
Exotics Use: #6 Washington's Rules 6-1 3rd
Super Add: #2 Bulaga 3-1 6th


7th: NY-ALW/N1X, F&M-3+, 6f (G/S, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #2 SUPERIOR SARAH 4-1 11th
Best Value: #5 Red Hot Baby 20-1 7th
Exotics Use: #7 Gambling Geraldine 7-2 5th
Super Add: #3 Funky Munky Mama 15-1 WON ($29.80)


8th: MSW, 2yo-F, 6.5f (P4, P3, DD)

Most Likely: #1a Wicked Mizz 4-1 3rd
Best Value: #6 Por Que' Te Quiero 6-1 8th
Exotics Use: #9 Crespano 3-1 4th
Super Add: #5 She'saflashymiss 10-1 7th


9th: 20th Honorable Miss (G2), F&M-3+, 6f (P3, DD)

Most Likely: #3 Tar Heel Mom 5-2 WON ($5.70)
Next Best: #4 Champagne d'Oro 3-1 3rd
Exotics Use: #5 Beat the Blues 7-2 2nd


10th: 27th Vanderbilt (G1), 3+, 6f (DD, Super)

Super fun edition of this. Looks like a scramble, but as we saw Saturday in the filly sprint, sometimes the jocks don't take the bull bty the horns for advantage early..

Most Likely: #8 Trappe Shot 7-5 2nd
Best Value: #6 Sean Avery 20-1 WON ($36.20)
Exotics Use: #4 Hamazing Destiny 5-1 6th
Super Add: #3 Atta Boy Roy 15-1 8th


11th: MDN CLM, 3+, 8.5f (Super)

OFF THE TURF

Most Likely: #6 Allen's Star 3-1 2nd
Best Value: #2b Positive Carry 10-1 5th
Exotics Use: #8 Perfection Plus 8-1 7th
Super Add: #4 Knockout 7-2 3rd


<$50 P4 Play:

8: 1-5-6-9
9: 3-4-5
10: 6-8
11: 2-4-6-8

4x3x2x4 = 96 x .50 = $48


Good luck!
Steve