8/8: Saratoga (Day 15-Vanderbilt; $253k C/O)

[Kasept]

Nearly 37,000 thronged the Old Spa on an exquisite Adirondack afternoon Saturday, and only those that were hoping for a definitive Whitney Handicap performance by Quality Road left disappointed. Indeed, it was Al Stall, Garrett Gomez and Team Claiborne who sipped champagne after the Whitney, as Ned Evans' heralded homebred came up empty at 2-5 with not a single visible or viable excuse. The race appeared totally in the control of John Velazquez and the Todd Pletcher trainee while mundane fractions of :24.2, :48.0 and 1:11.4 were posting. But when the real running started off the turn, Quality Road had no 4th gear on which to rely. Instead of motoring away from opponents as he did in the Donn Handicap, Quality Road kept grinding away at the same even pace which simply didn't prove enough against the steady advance of the Arch four year old. The win was particularly notable for the likable Stall, who has been criticized in the past for travails on the Derby stomp or falling short in spots like this. It proved a popular victory, and with one start before the Breeders' Cup Classic on his home track, Blame looks to have placed himself squarely in the Horse of the Year debate. The top pair earned a Beyer figure of 111 for their exciting exploit.

The Test was the other G1 on the card, and it also may set up a horse for a Championship run. Eric Guillot's Champagne d'Oro annexed her second premium stake of the year to go with her Acorn shocker on Belmont Day, and this was another effort which was simply stunning. On the pace and in an immediate battle with Pica Slew from the bell, Champagne d'Oro doffed the Florida invader through fractions of :22.2 and :44.2. But just as in the Acorn, Champagne d'Oro powered through the stretch while closers vainly tried to reach her, effectively running opponents off their feet again. The win was the first G1 victory of Miguel Mena's career, and Guillot expects to try elders in the Ballerina before returning to Churchill for the BC Filly & Mare Sprint. Wins in those events might indeed be enough to earn Medaglia d'Oro miss some hardware in January.

It was an interesting and curiously successful day of wagering Saturday too, with the P4's proving unhittable, but several nice prices and P3's carrying the bankroll. The early action proved particularly fruitful, as Best Value play Pagan Ruler ($18.40) in the 2nd helped boost a $373.00 opening P3 between $14.20 Brother Bird and $8.80 Hear the Footsteps. Angel Penna interrupted the skein and the early P4 ticket in the 4th with Craven Cadin, but that helped trip the best score of the day. Having been knocked out of the early quad, I started a P3 which I may not have played had I been alive into the anchor leg. Overlaid Best Value top choice Montana Knight ($21.60) was a big boost on the win tote, and the Hushion-West Point winner started the lucrative P3 run combining with Chad Brown's latest success (3rd choice Tiz Blessed, $6.90) and Bill Mott's 4,000th winner (2nd choice Mystic ($12.60). The P3 brought back another $325.50, and though I didn't record any more quality hits thereafter, the day was still better than average. Hope you did well! P6 carryover went a second day and starts at $253k with today's 5th...


SARATOGA RACE COURSE


POST-SCRATCHES


1st: S/ALW, 3+, 8.5f-IT (P3, DD, Super)

Well-matched starter to kick off card; Favorites like 5-2 Double Eagle may win, but they aren't where you land in scrambles like these trying to make money..

Most Likely: #2 Peahi 4-1 2nd
Best Value: #7 Yankee Fortune 10-1 WON ($12.40)
Next Best: #9 Versailles Road 3-1 5th
Super Add: #6 Mizzen's Wake 20-1 8th


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

Some nicely pedigreed state breds including Roddy Valente and Bruce Levine's half to 5X SW Bustin Stones..

Bustin Rocks has SCR'd..

Most Likely: #3 Read the Contract 5-1 7th-Eased
Best Value: #6 Cooper River 6-1 4th
Next Best: #1 Hysterical Cat 7-2 WON ($5.40)
Super Add: #7 Crea's Law 5-1 2nd


3rd: MDN CLM, 3+, 8.5f-IT (P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #2 Rock America 8-5 5th
Next Best: #8 Enchanted Circle 6-1 4th
Best Value: #6 R J Hope 8-1 2nd
Super Add: #4 Mill Bay 8-1 7th


4th: MSW, 2yo-F, 6.5f (P3, DD, Super)

Several interesting babies signed on here including Juddmonte miss Classy Touch, a Maria's Mon out of the wonderful Frankel favorite Flute; Ned Evans' homebred Summer Laugh (Pletcher) who is out of outstanding racemare Summer Colony; Asmussen-Heiligbrodt second time starter Time Counts who is a half to the fast at 2 Rated Feisty and Hennig second out Nicky's Way who counts Vision and Verse as a sibling..

Most Likely: #7 Summer Laugh 5-2 WON ($3.40)
Next Best: #8 Time Counts 4-1 2nd
Exotics Use: #5 Sovereign Crisis 4-1 3rd
Super Add: #6 Hey Valentina 12-1 7th


5th: MSW, 2yo, 5.5f-T (P6, P3, DD, Super)

$253 P6 C/O starts here..

Best Value: #10 I Am Prince Rahy 10-1: Sharp breezing at OBS.. 7th
Next Best: #2 R Boy Bill 7-2: Showed speed in well bet debut.. WON ($7.30)
Exotics Use: #3 SCR
Super Add: #4 Perregaux 6-1 3rd


<$75 P4 Play:

2: 1-3-6
3: 2-8
4: 5-6-7-8
5: 2-3-10

3x2x4x3 = $72


6th: CLM, F&M-3+, 8.5f-IT (G/S, P3, DD, Super)

Expect SCR of #3 Tutti Va Bene..

Most Likely: #1 Holy Moment 5-2 7th
Next Best: #5 Kaleigh Rose 5-1 4th
Best Value: #8 Queen of Protocol 12-1 6th
Super Add: #2 Judicial Leader 12-1 3rd


7th: ALW/N2X, F&M-3+, 9.5f-T (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Tremendous race with 7-8 of the 11 identifiable as winners, and 5-2 favorite Silk Route not appreciably any better than the next 4-5 choices!

Most Likely: #6 Senada 5-1: Respect Tagg with improving miss.. 4th
Best Value: #3 Vee 6-1 2nd
Next Best: #4 Silk Route 3-1 5th
Super Add: #8 Elle Special 20-1 7th


8th: 19th Honorable Miss (G2), F&M-3+, 6f (P3, DD)

OK short group of 5, but it's hard to figure why this event lacked participants..

Most Likely: #4 Secret Gypsy 4-1 WON ($6.10)
Next Best: #2 Warbling 6-5 3rd
Best Value: #1 One Smokin Lady 12-1 5th


9th: 26th Vanderbilt (G1), 3+, 6f (DD, Super)

Whatever the G2 above lacks, this sprint makes up for with a fascinating cast of outstanding sprinters. Summit of Speed grads Big Drama and Mambo Meister match up big fig producers Majesticperfection and Bribon, as well as Dubai returnee Gayego. And note that Sid Attard brings OK Kennedy Road winner Smokey Fire south for potential jump up first dirt start. Wow. Should be terrific..

Most Likely: #5 Majestic Perfection 3-1 WON ($4.00)
Best Value: #7 Smokey Fire 8-1 7th
Next Best: #4 Big Drama 3-1 3rd
Super Add: #2 Mambo Meister 12-1 6th


10th: NY-MSW, F&M-3+, 5.5f-T (Super)

Best Value: #9 Strategic Sue 6-1: Gets huge rider upgrade.. 5th
Next Best: #8 Moonwalk Beauty 3-1: C. Martin deadly off brief freshenings.. WON
Exotics Use: #3 Nice and Naughty 5-1 6th
Super Add: #2 Heck 4-1 4th


<$150 P6 Play:

5: 2-10
6: 1-5-8
7: 3-4-6
8: 4
9: 5-7
10: 8-9

2x3x3x1x2x2 = 72 x $2 = $144


<$75 P4 Play:

7: 3-4-5-6-7-8
8: 2-4
9: 5-7
10: 3-8-9

6x2x2x3 = $72 $1 P4 Paid $137.00


Good luck!
Steve