BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $1,083.25

Wednesday wasn’t a good day for the horse racing industry. First, what should’ve been an even bigger handle day at Saratoga was marred by a day-long TwinSpires outage. I’ve worked for ADW’s that have had system maintenance done. It’s not fun. Having said that, very little about this outage seemed “planned,” as initial communications stated.

Even worse, though, was what happened at the California Horse Racing Board meeting. The Stronach Group’s Aidan Butler, who has a reputation for being a stand-up guy (he’s the one largely responsible for the year Gulfstream Park DIDN’T drag), went before the CHRB. According to Horse Racing Nation, he said, among other things, that he was not part of the conversations that led to the announced closure of Golden Gate Fields.

Let this sink in: Aidan Butler, the CEO of 1/ST Racing, had no idea Golden Gate Fields, a track under his management that boasts several legitimate stakes races as part of its calendar, was about to close its doors.

Horse racing can’t afford any more self-inflicted wounds, and yet those keep popping up with staggering regularity. I’ve never been one of those “racing will cease to exist in X years” people. However, for the first time, I’m starting to think those folks aren’t totally crazy.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS: There’s nothing worse than being right and not making money, and that’s what happened in this section. I was correct in thinking the race Suspended Campaign exited wasn’t strong, but the two horses I’d keyed on top in exactas both scratched. On the plus side, I didn’t lose anything, either, so it could’ve been worse.

THURSDAY’S PLAY: I’ll lean on a pair of 8-1 top picks. In the third, I’ll key #5 FATIMA’S BLESSING in $3 exactas above and below #1 CITIZEN K, #3 BATTLE SCARS, and #6 AGENT CREED. In the sixth, I’ll do the same thing with #1 FOLIAGE above and below #4 IMAGE OF QUALITY, #6 IGNITED, and #7 FORWARD MOVE. Finally, I’ll have $7 win tickets on both of my key horses.

TOTAL WAGERED: $50.

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Wednesday: 0-for-9
Meet: 42-for-145

Best Bet: Dr. Perry, Race 4
Longshot: Fatima’s Blessing, Race 3

R1

Sippican Soup
Ride Up
Assertive Attitude

#2 SIPPICAN SOUP (7/2): Lost all chance at the break in his unveiling but did do some running late to finish fifth in a race that produced a few next-out winners. I’m expecting improvement at second asking, and he’s got some local works that hint a step forward is in the offing; #7 RIDE UP (6/5): Is a logical favorite given the powerhouse connections and the drop in class. The question is, will he be effective sprinting after several races in a row going much longer?; #3 ASSERTIVE ATTITUDE (9/2): Ran well to be second in his debut back in November, but we haven’t seen him since. He’s been gelded and adds Lasix for the first time, but while a return to the first-out form makes him a player, why the drop off of what was a reasonably-solid first-out effort?

R2

Dubb entry
Pleasant Passage
Not So Close

#1 CHILI FLAG (9/5): Put it all together last time out with a very strong romp downstate. There wasn’t much speed signed on that day, and it didn’t matter in the slightest. This race shape should be friendlier for her, and she looks tough; #5 PLEASANT PASSAGE (4-1): Has found trouble in her last several starts but draws favorably in a short field. She’s going up against older again, and that’s not easy to do, but she should get pace to chase and a clean trip would give her a chance; #4 NOT SO CLOSE (4-1): Ran well to be second in her turf debut last time out at Ellis Park. She’s run well at this distance in the past and should be forwardly-placed from the jump.

R3

Zeebear (MTO)
Fatima’s Blessing
Citizen K

#5 FATIMA’S BLESSING (8-1): Comes back to NY-bred competition after running in an open race with no pace at Monmouth Park. His two-back win at Belmont was sharp, Jose Lezcano sees fit to ride, and I think he’s live at a bit of a price; #1 CITIZEN K (3-1): Has back races that would win this if repeated. This barn is ice cold at this stand, which is less than ideal, but he’s got some speed and could use the inside draw to his advantage; #6 AGENT CREED (5/2): Was one-paced when third against similar last time out. Jose Ortiz sees fit to ride back for Steve Asmussen, and he could get first run turning for home.

R4

Dr. Perry
V Mart
Built to Last

#2 DR. PERRY (9/5): Hasn’t won in a while, but drops in claiming price and boasts the Asmussen work tab I love. That two-back drill jumps off the page, and it makes me think the addition of blinkers was a savvy move; #6 V MART (9/2): Looked like a serious prospect last year when he romped over this track. He hasn’t won since, but many of his efforts have come against much better horses and he has a right to improve getting back to the Spa; #1 BUILT TO LAST (7/2): Misfired last time out at Belmont against starter allowance foes and takes a step down to what’s probably the correct level. I’m a bit concerned with the post, as much of his early speed seems to have disappeared lately, but his best effort puts him right there.

R5

Accommodate Eva
Boxed Wine
Leslie’s Loot

#6 ACCOMMODATE EVA (5-1): Is kin to several nice horses and boasts a few strong drills at Churchill Downs ahead of her unveiling. Luis Saez sees fit to ride this one, and it’s safe to assume he had some options in this 2-year-old event; #9 BOXED WINE (8-1): Debuts for a smaller barn that’s found success at this meet, and does so with first-call rider Flavien Prat in the irons. She draws well in this spot and might not have to be much to be a factor; #5 LESLIE’S LOOT (5/2): Has shown significant early speed in both of her prior outings and figures to be the one they’ll have to catch. The problem is, she’s clearly got some stamina issues, so if any of these first-time starters can run at all, the win price could prove to be an underlay.

R6

Let Freedom Spring (MTO)
Foliage
Forward Move

#1 FOLIAGE (8-1): Ran a clunker going two turns last time out, and that also came against a pretty strong field for the level. He’s at his best going shorter, so the cutback to this turf sprint distance should be a welcome one in what hit me as a wide-open event; #7 FORWARD MOVE (5-1): Graduated in an off-the-turf event last time out but was claimed out of that race by Linda Rice, which is a trainer change I simply can’t ignore. His debut on turf wasn’t a bad effort, and he’s a candidate to move forward considerably given a relative lack of experience; #6 IGNITED (8-1): Ran well in a pair of turf sprints at Laurel ahead of this event and attracts Hall of Famer John Velazquez. Consider only his turf sprints, and his lifetime mark looks significantly better.

R7

Rhiannon (MTO)
Doral
Mirabella

#4 DORAL (6-1): Comes back to two turns, and I think that’ll help her. She ran very well in a pair of two-turn outings earlier this season at Gulfstream Park, and she may have moved too early going seven furlongs downstate last time out; #7 MIRABELLA (9/2): Ran second on the Haskell undercard last time out in a race she was probably supposed to win. On the plus side, she’s improved her speed figures every time out and doesn’t need to move forward a ton to beat these; #5 SISTER MAHA (8-1): Is the Chad Brown trainee I prefer despite being a bigger price than #1 TANGENTIAL. This one showed some zip on dirt last time out, but is bred up and down for turf, gets that surface here, and has every right to move forward at a price.

R8

Win for Gold
Kunshan Bridge
Clubhouse

#5 WIN FOR GOLD (5/2): Has run second or third in five straight outings at this level and is a tepid top pick in this spot. In a race with several horses that want to be on the lead, I simply think he’s far faster out of the gate than everyone else and will have every chance to dictate terms; #1 KUNSHAN BRIDGE (3-1): Cuts back in his first start off the claim for Linda Rice and sure seems better going shorter. This is a significant class jump, but the two recent workouts here hint that he’s in solid form for a high-percentage outfit; #4 CLUBHOUSE (5-1): Took advantage of a massive class drop last time out and romped over a short field. He was claimed from Todd Pletcher that day, which is a question mark, but he’s run several races that would make him a contender here.

R9

Let’s Go Big Blue
Ramblin’ Wreck
Itsallcomintogetha

#6 LET’S GO BIG BLUE (5/2): Clearly loves the Saratoga turf course and comes in off of a win against allowance foes last time out. His record looks far better if you toss his November clunker at Aqueduct, which was immediately followed by a long layoff; #1 RAMBLIN’ WRECK (9/5): Is a NY Stallion Series regular and has a win and two seconds in three such starts, most of which have come against rivals that show up here. He was second last time out and would benefit from a fast pace up front; #5 ITSALLCOMINTOGETHA (4-1): Sprang a 9-1 upset over my second choice last time out and is dangerous if he makes the lead. I don’t think there’s a ton of other speed to contend with, and that could work in his favor.

R10

Laurel Valley
Street Rod
Screw Loose

#7 LAUREL VALLEY (7/2): Didn’t have the best of trips when fourth last time out and gets a big rider switch to Flavien Prat in the Thursday nightcap. His effort two back off the layoff was sharp, and he makes the most sense to me here; #5 STREET ROD (9/2): Was one-paced in his debut but adds Lasix and gets to the turf, which sure looks like what he was bred to run on. The recent bullet drill inspires some confidence, and I think he moves forward; #10 SCREW LOOSE (6-1): Showed a new dimension last time out when he rallied to run third in a turf sprint downstate. Mark Hennig’s barn has been going very well at this stand, and another move forward gives this one a solid chance.