SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — BANKROLL: $1,852 It, unfortunately, happened again: Sunday’s 11-race Saratoga card does not include a single two-turn dirt route.
It does, however, contain two races out of the Wilson chute, and there may be more at that route if a weather forecast calling for rain proves to be accurate. For decades, Saratoga’s two-turn dirt races have taken advantage of one of the best atmospheres in a sport fast losing good ones. This weekend, however, will feature only two scheduled two-turn dirt routes, as opposed to four carded for the Wilson chute.
I understand why the Wilson chute exists. I have no problem with a few races out of that chute every week for one-mile distance specialists. The current schedule, however, calls for far too many, even before races are moved off the turf due to weather.
There’s a lot more I could say here, but to make a long story short: NYRA, please stop doing this. SATURDAY’S RESULTS: Macaw never once looked comfortable and was eased out of the fifth. I lost $50.
SUNDAY’S PLAY: I’m looking forward to seeing how #4 VIGGIEDAL takes to the turf in the Bolton Landing (race 7). In addition to a $22 win bet, I’ll play $4 exactas using her above #2 MIGHTY ERIU, #5 ME GOVERNOR, and #8 ABIENTOT, as well as $2 “saver” exactas with Viggiedal below those runners. TOTAL WAGERED: $40.
Best Bet: Squire Creek, Race 5 Longshot: Claire’s Charm, Race 1 Race 1 Claire’s Charm Pletcher entry Briland #3 CLAIRE’S CHARM (6-1): Debuts in what looks like a loaded race but is bred to be a good one. She’s a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Muth, and the five-furlong gate drill on July 27th hints that she’s got plenty of potential; PLETCHER ENTRY (7/5): I prefer #1 ICE CREAM BOAT, who’s a half-sister to 2-year-old Grade 1 winner Chocolate Gelato. She’s been working well for her Hall of Fame trainer, who’s won plenty of races with John Velazquez riding for him; #5 BRILAND (5/2): Hammered for $675,000 at the OBS sale earlier this year and boasts a very good drill on August 4th, when she went four furlongs from the gate in :47 flat.
If there’s any hesitation here, it’s because I think she may want a bit longer than this six-furlong distance given her pedigree. Race 2 The Taco Lady (MTO) Jitterbug Past Tense #2 JITTERBUG (2-1): Ran well to be second in a similar spot last month and looms large given her experience in turf marathons. Another near-miss, however, would be alarming, and this hits me as a possible “now or never” spot; #9 PAST TENSE (9/2): Set the pace last time out going a mile and a half before fading to third.
The slight cutback in distance should help her, and the rider switch to Flavien Prat is a big one; #7 QUITE CONTINENTAL (12-1): Stretches out to a marathon distance she’s bred to love in her first start off the claim for Saffie Joseph. She definitely needs to improve off of her three prior efforts, but I think a step forward is likely and that she’s worth considering underneath at a price. Race 3 Bank Frenzy Donegal Surges Maker’s Candy #3 BANK FRENZY (7/2): Sure seems like the main early speed in the Evan Shipman, draws favorably for this Wilson chute event, and gets a few pounds from the highweights in here.
He’s got one way of going, and I think he’s got a big chance to wire this group; #5 DONEGAL SURGES (9/5): Ran second in the Commentator back in June and retains the riding services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. The post isn’t ideal, and he doesn’t have the early speed to be close up early on, but there’s plenty of back class here and he’d benefit from a meltdown; #4 MAKER’S CANDY (3-1): Got very good late last year, but was last seen finishing a non-threatening third in an off-the-turf race at this route. Luis Saez being in the irons hints that he’ll be a factor early, and I think his best chance is sitting close to my top selection.
Race 4 Tommy Two Socks (MTO) Inflation Nation Playground Legend #10 INFLATION NATION (5/2): Drops in for a tag after chasing an allowance group that seemed very tough for the level. That day’s winner has run a few very good races at this route, and anything close to this one’s 2023 efforts would make him strictly the one to beat; #2 PLAYGROUND LEGEND (6-1): Gets Flavien Prat after a wide trip in his local debut last time out. He’s another taking a class drop to run here, and the ability he’s shown to pass others late is a definite plus; #9 KREESA (8-1): Was a distant second at this level last time out, but has run some of the best races of his career at this route.
The rider switch to Jose Ortiz is a big one, and while his price won’t be as big as it was a few weeks ago, he still offers some value. Race 5 Squire Creek I Got No Munny Didinger #5 SQUIRE CREEK (7/2): Went wire-to-wire at this route last time out and looks like the main speed in here once again. He’s shown he’s very tough to catch if he gets loose on the lead, and that’s a trip I think he gets in this spot; #4 I GOT NO MUNNY (5/2): Just missed last time out in his first start since March of 2023 and is certainly eligible to improve.
He’s in search of his first win since August of 2021, but most of his races over the years have come against much tougher competition; #7 DIDINGER (10-1): Was way too far back last time out and was left with too much to do as a result. A repeat of his two-back effort at Parx, though, could give him a chance at a piece of this at a price. Race 6 Lucky and Gorgeous Dubawi Wowie Lady Laoban #11 LUCKY AND GORGEOUS (6-1): Was never going to win last time out after a terrible start forced him to sit well behind a very slow pace.
Her two-back effort wasn’t bad, and the last-out clunker may mean we get an inflated price in a wide-open event; #6 DUBAWI WOWIE (6-1): Is eligible to improve given her relative inexperience and wasn’t beaten much by my top pick in her last outing. She’s another that would benefit from some pace in front of her, and I think she’ll get it; #2 LADY LAOBAN (7/2): Takes a drop in class and will run for a tag for the first time. That’s not as big a drop at the state-bred level, and I think she may be a tad overbet as a result, but there are certainly no monsters in here and Flavien Prat sees fit to ride back.
Race 7 Viggiedal Abientot Mighty Eriu #4 VIGGIEDAL (9/2): Was very sharp in her debut, but flopped as the 2-1 favorite in the Schuylerville. Her two recent turf works indicate she likes the lawn. Anything close to her debut effort would give her a chance, and a move up (which is very possible) makes her a big overlay at that morning line price; #8 ABIENTOT (4-1): Earned her diploma at this route last time out and beat what I thought was a decent group.
This trainer and jockey have both enjoyed plenty of success at this stand, and she’s shown she can pass others late, which isn’t common among 2-year-old sprinters; #2 MIGHTY ERIU (5/2): Comes over from Europe and will get bet based on that, but I have my doubts. She’s been running against better horses, but her last-out effort at Newmarket was underwhelming. It’s possible she’s just plain better than this Bolton Landing group, but her likely price doesn’t offer much value.
Race 8 Neptune Beach Berning Beauty Senegal #2 NEPTUNE BEACH (6-1): Comes back to dirt after getting the ultimate equipment change, and both of those factors seem like plusses. Add in that he draws well, gets a strong gate rider, and faces horses that don’t seem interested in passing others, and he’s very logical; #6 BERNING BEAUTY (5/2): Drops in for a tag for the first time and is another that’s recently been gelded. These connections certainly merit respect, and in a field with many horses that have struggled for quite a while, at least this one has several reasons to move forward; #4 SENEGAL (8-1): Probably needed his last-out effort, which came off a layoff of nearly a year.
He’s bred to want the additional ground he gets, he adds Lasix for the first time, and honestly, SOME horse in here has to run third in a race that doesn’t exactly inspire much enthusiasm. Race 9 Super Chief Blue Plate Special Magia Nera #8 SUPER CHIEF (7/2): Takes a massive class drop after chasing Squire Creek last time out. He ran for a $50,000 tag that day, and his claiming price is less than a third of that here.
That can be seen as a red flag, but it’s not like he was awful last time and there’s enough back form that suggests he’s the one to beat; #2 BLUE PLATE SPECIAL (8-1): Is a deep closer going first off the claim for Joe Sharp. He probably lost all chance at the start last time out, and there certainly seems to be some speed signed on that he can rate off of and close into; #4 MAGIA NERA (4-1): Has a last start that’s too bad to be true, so I don’t have an issue drawing a line through it. Brad Cox claimed him out of that race, and he’s among the best in the game when it comes to new acquisitions.
Race 10 Enfuega A Maize Zing Dotie Foxy Cara #2 ENFUEGA (4-1): Comes in off of a failed turf experiment that I’m completely discarding. Her two-back effort was a sharp performance where she showed some fight after dueling early, and she figures to be prominent from the jump once again; #6 A MAIZE ZING DOTIE (7/2): Has made her living at Finger Lakes, where she’s recorded eight wins in 20 starts. She ships in on a three-race win streak and merits respect, even though this certainly seems like a significant jump in class; #8 FOXY CARA (4-1): Hasn’t won in quite a while but generally runs the same race every time out.
Many of this race’s top contenders want to go early. She seems like one of the few closers, which means she could be the one they have to hold off late. Race 11 Rocco Strong (MTO) Bourbon Day Ever Dangerous #10 BOURBON DAY (5/2): Made up some ground late to be second in his local debut and takes a slight class drop in the Sunday finale.
Flavien Prat rides back for Brad Cox, and I think he’s the most likely winner despite the outside draw; #5 EVER DANGEROUS (8-1): Hasn’t run in more than a year and hasn’t won in several campaigns, but he comes back protected from being claimed, which is an angle I love seeing. That hints the connections don’t want to lose the horse, and that confidence from an astute outfit means I need to use him; #2 MARWAD (6-1): Takes a significant drop in class, as it wasn’t long ago he was one of the better turf horses at Gulfstream Park. He contested a pair of graded stakes races over the winter, and while his best races may be behind him, he may not have to get all the way back to that form to be a factor here.
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