BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $854.25

Racing’s partnerships with influencers have come under scrutiny in recent years. Handicappers feel ignored and deprioritized by an industry that has, at times, given the impression it’s far more concerned with things other than the on-track product and the betting ecosystem.

That’s understandable, but I’m going to middle this. Griffin Johnson, who’s gotten involved with West Point Thoroughbreds, is clearly very enthusiastic about the game. He’s presenting it well to a legion of followers who otherwise probably wouldn’t be interested. Isn’t this a good thing?

My issue is more of a “big picture” one. What’s racing, as a whole, doing to capitalize on these people being exposed to the product? I raised the same question when Alix Earle went to the Pegasus World Cup and horse racing Twitter lost its mind. To me, as both a handicapper and a marketing/communications professional, that’s the more significant question, and one racing as a whole needs to have a better answer for than what currently exists.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS: None of my three bankroll plays won, so I dropped $50.

SUNDAY’S PLAY: I don’t like the last two morning line favorites, and I’ll look to capitalize in the late Pick Four. My 50-cent ticket starting in the seventh reads as follows: 1,3,6 with 3 with 3,5,6,7,9 with 2,4,5,6,9,11. If #3 BRING THEBAND HOME runs as expected in the eighth and we can beat horses I feel are vulnerable chalks, this could pay pretty well.

TOTAL WAGERED: $45.

SARATOGA SELECTIONS AND ANALYSIS

Best Bet: Gatsas entry, Race 3
Longshot: Takeschargesmiling, Race 10

R1

Baron of Sealand
Six Kings
B D Saints

#4 BARON OF SEALAND (4/5): Drops in for a tag and looks very much like the one to beat in the Sunday lid-lifter. He won two in a row downstate before running fourth against state-bred optional claimers, and that day’s winner, Wynstock, is a pretty nice one on his best day; #2 SIX KINGS (3-1): Goes first off the claim for the astute Rob Falcone outfit. He hasn’t won in a while, and I question if two turns is what he wants, but he looks like the main speed in a race with many horses that don’t like to pass others; #6 B D SAINTS (5-1): Has a history of finding trouble throughout his 22-start career, but he goes first off the claim for Ilkay Kantarmaci, who has a history of moving horses forward. I think he was too close to a legitimate pace last time, and Manny Franco’s ridden him fairly well a few times.

R2

Two Ducks
Three Diamonds entry
Johnny’s Red Storm

#6 TWO DUCKS (4-1): Debuts after a strong series of drills and with a pedigree that makes me wonder why he only sold for $22,000 at auction. He’s kin to three winners (including stakes horse Walking Thunder), and his female family includes the dam of graded stakes winners Sky Cape and Skygaze; #2 RARE ECLIPSE (4-1): Is bred to win early, being by Yaupon and out of a dam who’s kin to Grade 2 winner Alpha Kitten. Rusty Arnold’s horses sometimes need a race to get going, but this one may have some potential; #3 JOHNNY’S RED STORM (5/2): Debuts for George Weaver in a turf sprint, which automatically makes this one merit extra consideration, but I do have some doubts. Going back in his pedigree reveals third dam Tates Creek, who did her best work going much longer than this distance.

R3

Gatsas entry
Ten Cent Town
Confabulation

GATSAS ENTRY (4-1): I much prefer #1A NOTAH, who was a very good second downstate after dropping to this level first off the bench. Javier Castellano has been ice-cold at this stand, but between this one and a heavy favorite later on, I think he’s got two big chances today; #3 TEN CENT TOWN (5/2): Takes a drop into beaten claiming company, and perhaps that wakes him up. However, he hasn’t won since January of 2024, and if this one is so well-meant, why is the savvy Rick Dutrow also running #1 CELESTIAL GLAZE in here?; #5 CONFABULATION (9/2): Is protected by Linda Rice in his first start since the winter, and I love when trainers do that. He probably needs to move forward off the bench, but the protection signals they don’t want to lose the horse quite yet, and I’m inclined to think he’s ready to run.

R4

Mythical
Angel Gift
Tiz in Sight

#1 MYTHICAL (4/5): Ran the boys off their feet in the Tremont last time out, when she made the lead despite a slow start and never came back. Based on speed figures, she looks like a formidable favorite in the Grade 3 Adirondack; #3 ANGEL GIFT (6-1): Closed at first asking, which is a very tricky thing to do (especially in a race without a fast early pace). That hints at maturity, and I think she’ll welcome the extra furlong in distance she gets here; #4 TIZ IN SIGHT (8-1): Was professional in her first-out score at Churchill, when she got the job done despite some contact with her rivals. Churchill shippers have done very well here this summer, and this one could provide some value in the exotics.

R5

American Debutante
Hello Beauty
Bint Al Dandy

#4 AMERICAN DEBUTANTE (9/2): Debuted in a strangely-run race at Ellis Park and managed to finish third. I think she got a lot out of that race, and that improvement is very logical second time out with Irad Ortiz Jr. climbing aboard; #7 HELLO BEAUTY (6-1): Attracts Frankie Dettori and didn’t run badly when third last time out beaten less than a length. She’s shown some tactical speed, which isn’t a common trait in this field, and I wouldn’t be shocked if horse and rider are aggressive early; #3 BINT AL DANDY (5/2): Goes second off the bench and ran OK to be third here last time out, but I have some doubts. I thought she got a very good trip/ride that day, and while she may have needed the race to an extent, I’m not sure how much she’ll move forward and can’t take her on top at a short price.

R6

Meursault (MTO)
Louise Procter
Celtic Charm

#3 LOUISE PROCTER (3-1): Was left with way too much to do last time out as the skies opened up and could only manage a fifth-place finish in her U.S. debut. I think she’ll be much sharper second off the bench, and that she won’t be quite so far back early on; #8 CELTIC CHARM (9/2): Almost certainly needed the last-out clunker, which was her first try since December of 2023. She didn’t have a great trip that day, and I’m expecting a step forward for connections that know how to move horses up second off the bench; #1 COLLABORATION (4-1): Is yet another going second off a layoff, and she’s got enough early speed to potentially dictate terms early on. The 0-for-5 local record is a concern, but inside speed on the inner turf can be very, very dangerous, so she can’t be ignored.

R7

Vettriano
Midland Money
Northern Chili

#3 VETTRIANO (5/2): Hasn’t run since December and makes her first start for new trainer Linda Rice, but he got pretty good last year, with his only misfire coming in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens. He’s been working well ahead of his 2025 debut, and if he’s ready, he’ll be tough; #1 MIDLAND MONEY (7/2): There HAS to be a story here. He ships in for Bob Baffert, who had him ready to go first time out…in June of 2024. We haven’t seen him since, he comes here for a first-level allowance, and to be honest, I have no clue what to do with him; #6 NORTHERN CHILI (10-1): Ships in from Churchill and is worth a look at a price. His two-back win was pretty sharp, and he may have just gone a bit too fast early on last time out. This barn doesn’t ship in much, and they mean business when they do.

R8

Bring Theband Home
Full Moon Madness (MTO)
Alogon

#3 BRING THEBAND HOME (3/5): Couldn’t have been more impressive in winning the Harvey Pack last time out. He’s 2-for-2 at this route, and if he makes the lead early, I think he’ll prove tough to run down in the Grade 2 Troy; #4 ALOGON (7/2): Exits a competitive third in the Grade 1 Jaipur, and neither horse that finished ahead of him shows up here. Irad Ortiz Jr. climbs aboard for this one, and if a rival goes with my top pick early, he could sit an ideal stalking trip; #2 TWENTY SIX BLACK (10-1): Seems best of the best despite indicating that his best form may come with Lasix, which he doesn’t get here. Still, he’s got plenty of closing speed and attracts Flavien Prat.

R9

Senegal (MTO)
Gene and Jude
Desperate Proposal

#3 GENE AND JUDE (12-1): Likely needed his last-out effort, which was his first try since June, and he was claimed that day by Mike Maker. Maker’s aggressive and isn’t afraid to drop horses. Here, he raises this one up in class, and he looks like he could be the lone speed on the inner turf; #9 DESPERATE PROPOSAL (7/2): Made up a lot of ground when second last time out. He’s got a history of slow starts, and that could hurt him given the likely race shape, but blinkers go on for a barn that’s proving to be a solid one; GOLDFARB ENTRY (2-1): #1A IRON MAX could win this, I guess, but I don’t think he beat much at all last time out. That was a state-bred maiden claimer, and he was less than 2/5 that day. Prat rides back, but the morning line price hits me as a significant underlay. I’ll try to beat him (and #1 HAMILTON’S WAY, too).

R10

Takeschargesmiling
Funny Joke
Gatsby

#9 TAKESCHARGESMILING (12-1): At least has a few things going for him in an absolute mess of a finale. He was claimed by a barn that hits at a 22% rate with new acquisitions last time, and his races over the winter at Tampa were sharp. If he shows up with that form, he’s got a big shot at a big price; #5 FUNNY JOKE (8-1): Hasn’t won in over two years, but he drops in class and gets a big rider switch to Prat. Those races downstate weren’t bad ones for the level, and perhaps the drop is what he needs at this point; #7 GATSBY (9/5): May be a heavy favorite shipping up from Florida, but I have serious reservations. He hasn’t won in the last two years, and while this is a class drop on paper, I don’t think his last race was a strong spot, at all, whatsoever. He was supposed to win that day and didn’t, so I’ll be against him here.