By Ryan Dickey:

You know it wasn’t the greatest of opening days at Saratoga for you when your best result of the day was a horse finishing second, but that’s how Day 1 of the Saratoga meet ended up for me on Thursday. Elektronic finished a game second in the Grade 3 Quick Call after getting off to a bad start. Had he been within five or six lengths of the pacesetter early, he could have won by two or more lengths.

Yes, it’s a bad day when you “could have won”, but Elektronic paid $7.50 to place, so that’s not terrible. I had one actual winner on the day, as race favorite Sayyaaf won in convincing fashion in the second, paying $3.80 to win. Other than that, it wasn’t a great day.

And then it rained hard, washing the last race off the turf, resulting in a three-horse race. That rain may hamper Friday’s turf races, as six of the ten races scheduled are slated for the grass.

So Friday’s “spot plays” will be relegated to only the four races that are scheduled for the main track.

RACE 1– There isn’t a whole lot of upside to this race, as no horse in the field is proven on an “off” track, and not one has tried the nine furlong distance. The morning line favorite #5 FRENCH REVOLUTION trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. deserves the 8/5 favoritism, but we’re going to try to beat him. 

#8 OSO NEGRO will also be bet in this race, as the Chad Brown charge gets Javier Castellano in the saddle for this Medaglia d’Oro colt’s dirt debut (he finished ninth and sixth in his two turf tries). I’m not suggesting playing either of these horses.

My top-pick in the first will be #2 LEGION STORM (9/2 morning line) for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and jockey Luis Saez. This four year old Roman Ruler gelding finished second (beaten by 1-¾ lengths) last time out at Belmont on May 31st in a $40,000 maiden claiming affair.

He’s the only contender in this race that has come close to winning, and hopefully he’ll break his maiden on this day at a much better price than the Pletcher or Brown horses.

A horse to use underneath is #6 UMMU UMMU UMMU. At 20-1 on the morning line, this Itsmyluckyday gelding could get a sneaky trip and help exotic bettors find a price.

Play Legion Storm on top of Ummu Ummu Ummu in exactas and key Legion Storm over Ummu Ummu Ummu and the Pletcher and Brown horses in trifectas.

RACE 4–While these are “spot” plays, please don’t confuse them with “hunch” plays. I’m backing #9 BIG MUDDY in this $12,000 claiming race, and not because I think it’ll be on a sloppy track.

This is a pretty evenly-matched race with no real clear-cut favorite, so picking a winner here should reward a bettor handsomely. While the outside post is not ideal in races at this configuration, I think there are enough positives to tab Big Muddy as the horse to bet.

He won last out. He’s wheeling right back after a race eight days ago so you know trainer Rob Atras feels his in peak form. And he’s projected to sit on a nice trip from the outside, unrushed early, rating a bit behind the pace.

A horse to use in exactas is #3 SOUL P SAY, who is cutting back in distance and has shown nothing but early speed going longer. A speed horse cutting back in distance is dangerous, especially if he gets out to an uncontested lead.

The third horse to use in this race for trifecta wagering is #8 LORD SIMBA. Tyler Gaffalione gets the nod for trainer Eddie Kenneally on this six year old Discreet Cat gelding. He also won last out and should be forwardly-placed.

Bet Big Muddy to win, box Big Muddy in an exacta with Soul P Say and box those two with Lord Simba in trifectas.

RACE 8–My play in race 8 is more about the trainer than anything. And although I’m not usually a fan of betting on a horse coming from Finger Lakes to Saratoga, I can’t discount Linda Rice with #3 BIG GEMMY in this allowance optional claiming race.

Big Gemmy is in for the $25,000 claiming tag and has won his last two races so Thursday night may be the last time he will have slept in the Rice barn. Expect him to be “ready to go” as Linda saddled a winner and Elektronic who finished second in a graded stakes race on opening day.

This guy has the best chance of a.) winning and b.) getting claimed from this race. Make a big win bet on him. Exotic bettors should play #5 DANEBURY and #7 FIERY OPAL underneath, but avoid using #4 BROADWAY BAY.

Best of luck on the first Friday card of the Spa meet.