BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $1,000

Nothing here today.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS: This is getting comical. For the third straight day, my play scratched.

SUNDAY’S PLAY: I’m craving action, so let’s spread today’s bets out across the card. I’ll have $10 win bets on the following horses: #2 PLEASANT PASSAGE (race 3), #4 CUMBERLAND (race 6), #1 MR PHIL (race 8), and #9 UNCASHED (race 9).

TOTAL WAGERED: $40

SELECTIONS/ANALYSIS

Saturday: 2-for-11
Meet: 7-for-29

Best Bet: Cumberland, Race 6
Longshot: Mr Phil, Race 8

R1

Speakinofthedevil
Fight Fiercely
Gabe

#3 SPEAKINOFTHEDEVIL (3/5): Takes a substantial class drop and looms large on paper in what seems like a formful opener. He romped by nearly 12 lengths two starts back in Indiana, and anything close to that kind of effort would make him a formidable favorite; #2 FIGHT FIERCELY (7/2): Was eased last time out when running for triple this claiming price in his first start for trainer Joe Sharp. His two-back effort at Churchill was a solid second, and he’d benefit from a speed duel up front; #4 GABE (5-1): Crushed an overmatched field at Belterra by as many as he pleased last time out, but went to the sidelines for a few months after that effort. I’m not sure what he beat that day, but he looked sharp doing it.

R2

Alice Kramden
Jolly Miss Jill
Yogi

#5 ALICE KRAMDEN (4-1): Had a number of excuses last time out and drops down in class significantly here. That was her first start against winners, the track came up muddy, and she may have bounced off of a career-best effort. I’m expecting an improved performance at what’s probably the right level; #3 JOLLY MISS JILL (5/2): Stretches out to a mile, which is a question mark, but she also drops in class and looks like the main speed in an otherwise paceless race. If she gets comfortable early, she could get brave and prove tough to catch; #7 YOGI (3-1): Was second against similar last time out at Belmont behind a horse that came back to win again at next asking. She showed improved tactical speed that day, which could come in handy in this spot.

R3

Sunset Louise (MTO)
Pleasant Passage
Veronica Greene

#2 PLEASANT PASSAGE (3-1): Adds blinkers after a few tough-luck trips, including a fifth in the Grade 2 Appalachian where she got mauled from both sides in the stretch. Her maiden-breaking score here last summer was sharp, she’s since won a graded stakes race, and her best effort would make her tough; #7 VERONICA GREENE (3-1): May not be bet as much as her stablemate, but I prefer her here. She’s yet to run a bad race on turf, didn’t have much pace to close into last time out at Belmont, and has proven two-turn turf form; #4 BEAUTE CACHEE (8/5): Kept excellent company overseas last year, but wasn’t overly impressive at 1/5 in her stateside debut. She won, but the speed figures didn’t come back highly. Perhaps she needed the race off the bench, and maybe she’ll improve today, but I think she has to in order to beat a pretty solid group.

R4

Let Freedom Spring
Ensign Parker
Hereby

#1 LET FREEDOM SPRING (9/5): Went wire-to-wire in his first start off the claim for Orlando Noda and looks like the main speed in this bottom-level beaten claiming event. Irad Ortiz, Jr., sees fit to ride back, and he should have every chance at his third win since April; #6 ENSIGN PARKER (5-1): Hasn’t found the winner’s circle since at least 2021, but moved up second off the bench to run a decent second at this level downstate. In a race without much early zip, his tactical speed could be a plus; #7 HEREBY (6-1): Comes in off of a second-place finish at Finger Lakes where he recorded a 70 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest number he’s ever earned in a dirt race. He drops in for a tag here, and while he might need to step forward, it seems like he’s doing well, and that may be enough in a race without any world-beaters signed on.

R5

Rodriguez entry
Collected Special
Always a Warrior

RODRIGUEZ ENTRY (8/5): I prefer #1 ANTONIO OF VENICE, who ran very well to be a close-up second in his debut and may have bounced last time out. A return to his first-out form, plus the experience he has under his belt, would make him a likely winner; #6 COLLECTED SPECIAL (6-1): Ships up from Monmouth and could be well-meant. He hammered for $85,000 at OBS earlier this year, and his dam’s six prior foals to race have all found the winner’s circle at some point; #8 ALWAYS A WARRIOR (4-1): Is another Jersey shipper with a strong female family. He’s kin to two winners, and his pedigree traces back to third dam Darien Miss, a seven-time stakes winner who threw Grade 1 heroine Fleet Renee.

R6

Cumberland
Rice entry
Fast Boat to Skye

#4 CUMBERLAND (9/2): Was vanned off after his last-out effort, so it’s clear something went wrong that day. He’s back in against weaker rivals, Joel Rosario sees fit to ride back, and anything close to either of his races against straight maidens at Gulfstream earlier this year may make him hard to catch; #1 ROCKSTAR RED (6-1): Responded to the last-out class drop by doing everything but win. He lost a head-bob downstate and was claimed out of that race by Linda Rice, who does great work with new acquisitions; #8 FAST BOAT TO SKYE (10-1): Has shown speed in several starts against straight maidens and drops in for a tag for the first time. John Velazquez sees fit to ride, and he should be prominent early against a weaker group than the ones he’s previously run against.

R7

Film Star
Pledgeofallegiance
Ouster

#6 FILM STAR (2-1): Stretches out to two turns in this spot, but was very impressive in his last two-turn try at Keeneland, where he led every step of the way. There doesn’t seem to be much other early speed in here, so he could dictate terms from the jump; #7 PLEDGEOFALLEGIANCE (8-1): Has won two in a row and stepped up out of the claiming ranks with aplomb last time out. He’s shown an ability to stalk and pounce, and he should be able to sit that type of trip without too much of a problem; #2 OUSTER (5/2): Faltered as the 5/2 favorite in the Commentator downstate, but before that ran several really sharp races in a row. One of them saw him earn a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. If he wants to go this far, he’ll have every chance.

R8

Mr Phil
Baby Yoda
Nakatomi

#1 MR PHIL (10-1): Stretches out to his best distance and has a big chance at a price given some of his prior form. He goes back to the Rob Atras barn for this one, and he’s never been worse than third in five tries at seven furlongs; #3 BABY YODA (6/5): Is a very sharp horse when he’s right and clearly loves Saratoga, as he’s 3-for-4 over this track. He’s run just once since October, and that start didn’t go well, but he’s obviously a contender if he’s ready to go; #2 NAKATOMI (5/2): Has danced plenty of dances against some tough sprinters, and on paper, this looks like a drop in class. However, this is a stakes-quality optional claimer, and I’m just not sure he’s the same horse at seven furlongs that he is at six.

R9

Uncashed
Gaslight Dancer
No Nay Hudson

#9 UNCASHED (5-1): Hasn’t fired a bad shot yet for one of the highest-percentage barns in the country and was a very impressive winner of a listed stakes race last time out. He tries turf for the first time, but his bottom-side pedigree is grass-heavy, so that’s not a concern for me in the slightest; #10 GASLIGHT DANCER (7/2): May have bounced a bit last time out off of a two-back stakes score at Keeneland that was pretty impressive. The outside draw should give Tyler Gaffalione plenty of options, and he’s shown some versatility in his running style to boot; #1 NO NAY HUDSON (6-1): Broke through for his first win in quite a while last time out, and in doing so beat several of today’s rivals. The rail draw is a bit of a concern given the speed to his outside, but it’s possible he’s rounding into form midway through his 3-year-old season.

R10

Strange Fruit
Maggie
She’s a Nine

#10 STRANGE FRUIT (9/2): Caught a fast dirt track for just the second time in her career and ran a decent second behind a much-the-best winner. Jose Ortiz rides back, and a similar type of effort would give her a big shot in one of the weakest races I’ve ever seen carded at Saratoga; #4 MAGGIE (3-1): May have needed her last-out effort, which doubled as her first try since November. That was also a turf race, and after a pair of clunkers on the grass, it’s safe to assume she just doesn’t like that surface. She has a few dirt races that are not bad, and “not bad” may be good enough here; #8 SHE’S A NINE (5-1): Has shown early speed in a pair of tries against state-bred maiden special weight foes and gets blinkers on the drop in class. She may have legitimate stamina issues, but “blinkers on a class-dropper” is often a powerful angle and the presence of strong gate rider Kendrick Carmouche may suit this filly.