8/26: Saratoga (Day 31; Bernard Baruch; $192k C/O)

[Kasept]

The first clue that Thursday was going to be screwy was David Jacobson winning the NSA-G1 NY Turf Writer's Cup with $30k claimant Mabou. Swiped from sure-to-be-besides-himself Ken Ramsey, Mabou demolished the top level group in the late stages, winning off by 5 widening lengths at 16-1. From there, things got silly with the day's final three races taken off the turf after the late P4 had begun, and three races into the carried over P6. That resulted in "ALL-ALL-ALL" to end both wagers, and tripped the switch on the bizarre '75% of pool auto carryover' rule that came under fire at Belmont a couple of months ago.

While someone on the state's wagering board likely thought they were doing the fair thing giving everyone a chance on another day with the curious concept, the rule more or less robs those that played into the second day of the carry. Shouldn't they simply take the initial carryover pot and move it too the next day while returning the other investment back as refunds? We'll see where this goes from here, seeing as how this oddity was supposed to be addressed after it first came light downstate...

Bernard Baruch is the feature and likely the only grass race for Friday ahead of the sublime Travers card Saturday. Carryover is a total $192k... Heavy weather is expected Sunday with a raceday postponement a rumored possibility, and Tina and I are supposed be in NYC for a family function!


SARATOGA


POST-SCRATCHES


1st: S/HCP, F&M-3+, 1m-IT (P3, DD, Super)

Good race if it stays on lawn. For me, Spring Party and not favorite Deanallean'skitten, is the horse to beat..

Most Likely: #1 Spring Party 7-2 WON ($10.40)
Best Value: #5 Kittylicious 12-1 6th
Exotics Use: #2 Centrina 5-1 7th
Super Add: #4 Deanallen'skitten 3-1 4th


2nd: NY-ALW/N1X, F&M-3+, 7f (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #2 Hot Danger 3-1 6th
Next Best: #7 Page by Page 2-1 WON ($3.70)
Best Value: #1 First Penny 15-1 7th
Super Add: #3 Little Larky 3-1 5th


3rd: S/HCP, 3+, 9f (P3, DD)

Most Likely: #3 Frazil 3-1 6th
Best Value: #5 Sea Gaze 5-1 4th
Next Best: #6 Caixa Electronica 8-5 WON ($4.60)


4th: Easy N Dirty-NY, 3+, 7f (P3, DD)

Most Likely: #3 Ibboyee 9-5 5th
Best Value: #4 Smokin Hero 4-1 3rd
Exotics Use: #1e Repole entry 8-5 WON ($3.80)/2nd


5th: MSW, 3+, 5.5f-T (P6, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #2 Ballyclough 5-2 WON ($8.20)
Next Best: #5 Santo Gato 7-2 2nd
Exotics Use: #6 Soultown 4-1 8th
Super Add: #4 Sea Song's Hammer 12-1 7th


<$75 P4 Play:

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

4x4x3x3 = 144 x .50 = $72

$0.50 Pick 4 (7/6/1,2,6/2) Paid $21.30


6th: CLM/N2L, 3+, 7f-OFF THE TURF (G/S, P3, DD, Super)

Best Value: #2 Hurling 15-1 WON ($5.50)
Next Best: #6 Adam Rides Again 3-1 2nd


7th: MSW, F&M-3+, 5.5f-T (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Best Value: #5 Hear Me Roar 8-1 5th
Next Best: #2 Too Clever by Half 5-2 WON ($5.40)
Exotics Use: #4 Silver Meeting 7-2 2nd
Super Add: #7 Enrichment 7-2 9th


8th: OC/C, 3+, 9f (P3, DD, Super)

Ignore ill-advised turf try by Afleet Again, and he's very likeable at 8-1..

Best Value: #5 Afleet Again 8-1 4th
Next Best: #2 To Honor and Serve 6-5 WON ($4.00)
Exotics Use: #7 Gautier 4-1 3rd
Super Add: #4 Slevin 5-1 2nd


9th: 53rd Bernard Baruch (G2_, 3+, 9f-T (DD, Super)

Tremendously competitive edition of this old turf standard that has seen the likes of Tompion (1960), Fort Marcy (1967), Hawaii (1969), Steinlen (1989), Lure (1994), Hap (2000-01) and the great Fourstars Allstar (1992, 1995) in its' winner's circle..

Most Likely: #8 Hymm Book 4-1 6th
Best Value: #6 Boots Ahead 20-1 4th
Exotics Use: #10 Moryba 6-1 5th
Super Add: #2 Turallure 10-1 WON ($20.00)


10th: CLM/N2L, F&M-3+, 1m-IT

Most Likely: #9 Sotique 9-2 --
Next Best: #6 Vee 3-1 WON ($8.10)
Best Value: #1 Frontaine 8-1 --
Super Add: #10 Saucy Jade 7-2 4th


<$150 P6 Play:

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

2x1x3x1x6x2 = 72 x $2 = $144

$2 Pick 6 (2/2/2/2/2/6) Paid $78.00 (5OF6)


<$75 P4 Play:

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

3x2x6x4 = 144 x .50 = $72

$0.50 Pick 4 (2/2/2/6) Paid $152.50


Good luck!
Steve