TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato will give their best bet of the day for every Friday, Saturday and Sunday card of the Saratoga meet, and bet $50 Win/Place on their selection. In the case of a scratch, an alternate pick will be posted on twitter. The handicapper who has accrued the biggest bankroll through Sept. 3 wins.
SS: Last Sunday's Result – While Thunderon the Nile's fifth-place finish at 7-1 on debut didn't do me much good in this contest (what else is new?), she certainly stamped herself as one to watch going forward after being forced to close from far back into glacial early fractions while the first two finishers followed each other around the course. Next time. Total: $890.
Friday, Race 8, Yaddo S. – In a race loaded with early speed, the stretch-running The Tea Cups looks primed to defend her title in the Yaddo. The 6-year-old mare has done some of her best running off layoffs (four wins from five chances following layoff lines), and was given a freshening following a ninth-place finish in the GII Dance Smartly S. at Woodbine most recently July 3. The Tea Cups took advantage of a hot early pace and cashed in at 7-1 in her only other attempt this term while facing 11 rivals in Belmont's Mount Vernon S. in May (her first try since October) and she should see a very similar scenario play out here. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart continues to enjoy another great stand at the Spa, winning his eighth race Thursday afternoon. Hopefully he can keep the momentum rolling. Selection: #7 The Tea Cups (9-2).
BD: Last Sunday's Result – Diamond Fields (Ire) closed well to be third at 23-1 in the Lake Placid, but just wasn't getting to the top two. I'm sure it'll come as no consolation to Steve, but I thought his pick ran a sneaky race with a hopeless trip and might be worth a look next time out. Total: $1350.
Friday, Race 7, Seeking the Ante S. – I like two horses in this race–Code Red and Tiznow's Smile. Hopefully I went with the right one here. Code Red was let go at 17-1 for her downstate debut last month, but rallied powerfully to win going away. Third finisher Passporttovictory, who will also contest this race, returned to graduate over that race's second-place finisher Aug. 4, and several other runners have run back with significantly improved efforts/figures. Considering her longshot odds first out, and that trainer Mike Hushion's two winning juveniles at this meet were bet off the board, I wonder how cranked up Code Red was to win on debut. But what ultimately got me off the fence in this race was the discovery that of the three debut-winning 2-year-olds Hushion has had over the past five years who ran back, all three won their next starts, including talented GI Frizette S. heroine Artemis Agrotera and GIII Tempted S. heroine Jacaranda. Selection: #4 Code Red (9-2).
Tune in each race day from 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. for Saratoga Live, available on Fox Sports 2 (channel finder), MSG+ (channel finder) and Altitude (channel finder).
For the complete broadcast schedule, visit NYRA.com
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