SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — BANKROLL: $1,901 Saturday is Alabama Day at Saratoga, and it’s one of my favorite cards of the year.
I’m a sucker for races contested at the classic 1 1/4-mile distance. We don’t breed horses that go that far anymore, so seeing the cream of the crop do that in front of tens of thousands of people excites me. Thorpedo Anna running in the Travers hurts this race’s star power, but it also does a big, big favor.
That filly would be 1/5 in the Alabama, and justifiably so. Because she’s running elsewhere, it’s a much better race for handicapping and betting, especially if you don’t love 7/5 morning line favorite Candied (and I don’t). FRIDAY’S RESULTS: I was able to write this up early because my two key plays both scratched.
SATURDAY’S PLAY: This comes with a note that, if deadline times weren’t an issue, I’d be playing the Alabama (specifically #3 POWER SQUEEZE). However, to make things easier on the folks working to put The Pink Sheet together, my play comes in the fifth. 5/2 isn’t an exciting price on #7 MACAW, but I think that one is far and away the most likely winner.
I’ll have a $30 win ticket on that one, plus $4 exactas using him on top of #4 SALACIOUS and #9 RAMESSES. In addition, I’ll single Macaw in $4 doubles that start in the fifth and end with #6 BETTRLUCKYTHANGOOD, #7 LET’S GO BIG BLUE, and #8 AGENT CREED. TOTAL WAGERED: $50.
Best Bet: Macaw, Race 5 Longshot: Spaliday, Race 9 Race 1 Jonathan’s Way West Po.
