Another beautiful day to handicap some races and go racing.  After all, aren’t they all?  We head back to the track at Saratoga after a rousing night of sales over at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion.  Great job by the entire Fasig-Tipton team, including President Boyd Browning and the VP of Sales, Bayne Welker.

Now, to the track:

1st: …This is another one of The Spa’s hurdle races.  I let you take the jumps and the bumps.  I defer.

2nd: 4-3-1…This one should be a walkover for Sunset Ridge (4), who is 4-5 in the ML, and may go as low as 1-10 on the board.  This filly by Algorithms is undefeated in two starts and blistered to an 81/4-length victory in her last out on June 2 for trainer Chad Brown.  Has been working well at Saratoga, too.  Should be no contest. Tiznow’s Smile (3) has been running in several NY-bred stakes all over the state and her trainer, Charlton Baker, is having a good meet.  She will have to have her running shoes on today to keep pace with the top choice. Silly Sister (1) goes for the barn of Linda Rice, and has won each of her last two.  She will try to stalk the pace and give the favorite a challenge.  I bet the 4 to win (if anywhere close to 3-5 odds) and then wheel over/under the 3-1 in the exactas.  Key the 4 in the Doubles and Pick 3s.

3rd: 1-5-10-3-9…Spectacular Me (1) gets a nice class drop from the barn of Steve Klesaris.  Picks up a good rider switch, and should be closing on the turf.  Rail may hinder this one’s run, but if clear, she can close at the wire.  Lamenting (5) is a West Virginia-bred mare, who has hit the board in 11 of 18 lifetime starts.  She has run only twice this year, but looks to be rounding into form.  She likes the distance and is 1-for-1 on the Saratoga sod.  Watch out. Double Dose (10) is another class dropper and another deep closer.  Never been this cheaply placed and never been this short of a distance, but could jump up into contention today.  I bet the 1 to win/place and then key the 1-5 over/under all the other numbers.  I take one 1-5 exacta box, as well.

4th: 1-2-7-6…Everybody Loves Me (1) is a first time starter who has been training very well for a trainer that does well with 2YOs.  Needs a clean break from the rail in this sprint, but could air them all.  Hint of Mint (2) will break right beside her and try to do the same for a trainer that has a win and a second in three starts here.  Has brought the right ones North.  Norma’s Charm (7) ships in from Delaware and will be overlooked in the betting.  Might move up with the addition of Lasix. Princess Char (6) is a first timer for Charlton Baker.  Had a good work here on July 22.  I bet the 1 to win/place/show and then key over/under all the other numbers listed.

5th: 6-9-5-2-1…Sidd Finch (6) made a nice run at them in his last effort and first try on grass. Any improvement off that try and he figures in this spot for a solid barn.  Already gelded, which means that these connections are serious about winning early. Singapore Trader (9) was a huge favorite in his first out on the dirt at Belmont.  Ran spotty in that one after a bobble at the start. Will get bet again today.  Can’tweallgetalong (5) made an OK middle move in the last.  Needs to carry it longer.  I bet the 6 to win/place and then box the 6-9 in one exacta and then key the 6-9 over/under the “all button.”

6th: 6-3-8-9-10-1-4…Fahan Mura (6) gets the blinkers for the first time today and the barn does well with that equipment change.  Has been closing well and if she is a little sharper today then she could be tough to beat. Tiz a Kitten (3) ran herself into submission in the last with a wide trip.  Picks up a huge rider switch for this one and if the new jock can get her to relax just a bit on the front in (like she has shown in the past), she may be the one to beat in here. Culpa Mia (8) faltered badly in her last, but should benefit from that trip over the Belmont grass course.  I bet the 6-3 to win/place and then box those two in one exacta and then key over/under all the numbers listed in another.

7th: 3-6-1-4… Three Eighty Eight (3) is 9-5 ML odds, and should be for trainer Linda Rice.  This one backed up in her last, but may be able to relax a little bit more off the lead today and make a later run.  I throw out the last one and hope that she can duplicate the run two back. Verdant Pastures (6) gets a hot rider in Manny Franco, but has not been out since March.  Has trained well and the trainer is hot, too.  Can’t dismiss this one. About That Base (1) goes for the Pletcher barn after a rough trip in her last.  She has the ability to be on top at the end.  I bet the 3 to win/place and then box the top three in the exacta.

8th: 7-9-6-1-4-10…Madame Uno (7) looks to be a real good one for trainer Philip Serpe.  She ran a huge one at Belmont on June 14.  Throw out the one dirt race and she has good form. Thrice (9) was claimed last time out by Mike Maker, who does well with first tries after.  Picks up HOF rider John Velazquez. City Selection (6) may be a good price and has a shot, too. I bet the 7 to win/place and then box the 7-9-6 in one exacta and then key the three over/under the 1-4-10 in another.

9th: 2-1-4-5…Mongo Nation (2) was thrown to the wolves in his last two; first in stakes company and then against older.  Now, he draws a good field and is back against 3YOs only.  Like the odds and could slide up.  Good jock change, too.  Blind Ambition (1) is my personal favorite.  He is a full brother to the dam of a yearling I purchased at Keeneland in January.  His only try on grass was solid and good enough to whip this field, if he can duplicate. His run against Eastport on March 17 was his best race.  The Money Monster (4) is inconsistent, but on his best day, he is good enough here, too.  I bet the 2-1 to win/place and then key both of them over/under the “all button.” I take one 2-1 exacta box strong.

10th: 10-4-11-1-8-3…Wide open affair in the finale.  I finally land on Fortunate Queen (10), who hails from the barn of Rudy Rodriguez.  Drops in class and showed a brief turn of foot in her first race on the East Coast, after being shipped her from the barn of Bob Baffert.  Have to expect better today.  Loose (4) ran a good one two back and takes the drop, too.  I bet the 10 to win/place and then key over/under all the numbers listed above.

Good luck &

All the Best/Gene