BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $794.50

We’re coming up on the Grade 1 Alabama, which headlines Saturday’s Saratoga program. It’s one of my favorite races of the summer. In addition to the prestige, I’m a massive fan of the 1 1/4-mile distance, which many of these 3-year-old fillies will never see again.

I wish there were more races that rewarded stamina in the ways the Alabama does. For instance, I was a big fan of the Personal Ensign being contested at that 10-furlong distance until 2012 (a younger Andrew saw Beautiful Pleasure, Pompeii, and Storm Flag Flying win at that route). Alas, the breed is going the other way, and it has been for quite a while.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS: Another day, another second-place finish. Nonna Lynne ran well in the feature, but couldn’t quite get the job done. I dropped $20.

THURSDAY’S PLAY: #5 SCHWARZENEGGER would’ve been my best bet of the day in the pick box if I was sure he’d run in the sixth (he’s cross-entered in Saturday’s Skidmore). If he runs here, though, my action flows through him. I’ll play $8 exactas with him on top of #2 BELGIAN and #9 GREEN SCREEN, and $4 exactas using him above #4 GYPSY ART and #7 AUGUSTINIAN. Finally, I’ll single him in a cold $10 double starting in the sixth that ends with #3 FRIEND OFTHE DEVIL in the seventh.

TOTAL WAGERED: $34.

SARATOGA SELECTIONS AND ANALYSIS

Best Bet: Enlighten, Race 9
Longshot: Riyadh Moon, Race 2

R1

Danzit
Bon Vivant
Absolute Honor

#3 DANZIT (9/5): Is bred up and down for two turns and gets that trip in the Thursday lid-lifter. Her return off a long layoff downstate wasn’t bad, and I’m expecting a step forward for this one-time $1.1 million purchase; #2 BON VIVANT (4-1): Is another stretching out in distance whose pedigree screams that she wants more ground. Her two-back effort going seven furlongs was the best race she’s run so far, and her tactical speed should put her in a good spot; #6 ABSOLUTE HONOR (3-1): Had things all her own way last time out but was third in a pretty slow race for this route. She may once again make the lead here, but she may have to improve off of her last-out effort, and I’m not sure that’s likely.

R2

Tizmarkus
Riyadh Moon
Golden Symphony

#2 TIZMARKUS (3-1): Returns to what’s probably the right level after losing all chance at the start last time out. He’s been gelded since that clunker, and the return to a one-turn route of ground should also suit him; #5 RIYADH MOON (8-1): Faltered after setting the pace last time out, but his two and three-back efforts at Monmouth weren’t bad. I actually think he’s better coming from a bit off the pace, and his ability to do that may make him a factor at a price; #1 GOLDEN SYMPHONY (8/5): Has won two of three since being claimed by Brad Cox, but I’m skeptical at a short price. He comes up in class and sat a picture-perfect trip last time out against a suspect group. I think he has company up front here, and he hasn’t proven he can handle a hotly-contested pace yet.

R3

Our Starry Night
In the Dark
Leading Role

#4 OUR STARRY NIGHT (2-1): Has shown speed twice at Churchill and cuts back to a sprint, which seems like his best game. For a turf sprint, there doesn’t seem to be a ton of other early speed signed on, which means this one could get comfortable and forget to stop; #2 IN THE DARK (7/2): Was second in his debut at Monmouth and has since moved barns. Joel Rosario sees fit to ride, and it’s certainly possible he moves forward at second asking; #5 LEADING ROLE (6-1): Goes back to the turf, and while his debut on the lawn wasn’t great, it’s safe to assume something went wrong because we didn’t see him for nearly a year. He’s bred up and down for the grass, and it wouldn’t shock me if he improves.

R4

Ranger Battalion
Shifty Gold
Bob’s Carrot

#2 RANGER BATTALION (7/2): Seems to have put things together in his last two starts, and his last-out win was a very good one. He crushed high-priced claimers by more than five lengths that day, and while this is technically a move up in class, I don’t think this is a super-strong optional claiming event; #7 SHIFTY GOLD (4-1): Comes up from Monmouth for Chad Brown, cuts back in distance, and drops in class. He’s 2-for-2 going one turn on the dirt, and his sheet looks a lot better if you can forgive the last-out clunker; #4 BOB’S CARROT (9/2): Broke through with a wire-to-wire score sprinting at Churchill and tries winners for the first time here. He added blinkers that day, and he sports the “two-back bullet” work pattern that I love to see on Steve Asmussen trainees.

R5

True Connection
Gotta Guy
Dark Vector

#2 TRUE CONNECTION (7/2): Feels like the main speed, which is always dangerous in races out of the Wilson chute. He broke through two back in his first start for Brad Cox, and two turns was probably just a bit too far for him last time (especially given how wide he was early); #6 GOTTA GUY (9/2): Has a history of gate issues, but ran well to be second at a price last time out in the same race my top pick exits. The one time he got out of the gate cleanly, he won, so if Jose Ortiz can ensure a fair start, he could have a big chance; #3 DARK VECTOR (4-1): Hasn’t been seen in over a year and a half, but he’s been working steadily since April for Keri Brion, who can win with comebackers like this. This is a big class drop for him, but if he’s ready to run, he’s a contender.

R6

It’s Our Time (MTO)
Schwarzenegger
Belgian

#5 SCHWARZENEGGER (8/5): Sold for nearly a million dollars across the street last summer despite a pretty modest bottom-side pedigree, and he’s been working very, very fast ahead of his debut. Wesley Ward’s one of the best with first-time starters, and this one sure seems ready to go; #2 BELGIAN (8-1): Sold for $185,000 at auction earlier his year and has been working very well for George Weaver, who’s extremely sharp with first-out turf sprinters. His bottom-side pedigree has plenty of class to it, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s cranked up right away; #9 GREEN SCREEN (8-1): Has a very classy turf pedigree on both sides, being by Oscar Performance and out of a stakes-winning mare. That mare, Penjade, comes from another mare that threw, among others, French Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight. He may be at his best going a bit longer, but it wouldn’t shock me if he’s talented enough to factor going shorter.

R7

Friend Ofthe Devil
Moe Eighty Eight
George Briggs

#3 FRIEND OFTHE DEVIL (7/5): Stretches out to two turns for the first time in the Thursday feature, but four magical words apply here: “Lone speed, inner turf.” He’s never been headed in three tries on the grass, and while the distance is a question mark, if he gets comfortable early, it may not matter; #8 MOE EIGHTY EIGHT (15-1): Didn’t break well last time out, but he rallied to be second behind a very impressive winner. Blinkers go on here, as does Joel Rosario, and I think we may see a step forward at a big price; #5 GEORGE BRIGGS (8/5): Was third against a good group in a listed stakes race at Gulfstream last time out. We haven’t seen him since, and he’s been working down at Monmouth almost exclusively since a break of nearly two months in May and June. Monmouth isn’t as much of a red flag as it used to be, but I’ve got questions about a horse that may be a short price.

R8

Nantz
Preposition
Levitating

#1 NANTZ (6-1): Is a tepid top pick in a mess of a maiden claimer. At a minimum, he’s got some excuses for his last-out clunker (being wide out of the chute is never a good thing), and it’s possible one turn is his best game; #10 PREPOSITION (4-1): Didn’t run a step last time out in his first try going two turns, but he has a couple of one-turn efforts that aren’t bad compared to the rest of this bunch. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides, and a return to form gives this one a big chance; #6 LEVITATING (5-1): Goes first off the claim for Tom Amoss, and he ran OK when third going a mile at Churchill. A repeat of that effort may be good enough to top a field that just doesn’t bring much to the table.

R9

Enlighten
Indy Magic (MTO)
Mo Kreesa

#3 ENLIGHTEN (9/5): Did everything but win last time in a weirdly-run race that many others in here also exit. Given a more conventional setup, he hits me as the one to beat first off the claim for Tom Morley (whose numbers with similar stock are excellent); #6 MO KREESA (15-1): Merits a long look as this race’s possible only early speed. He does come up in class, but his last-out effort was a good one and he should sit his desired trip at a big price; #7 STEADFAST RESOLVE (7/2): Cuts back after running several races at marathon distances. His late-2024 form at similar routes led to back-to-back wins, and his best could get the money here, but I wonder if he needs more pace than what’s signed on here.

R10

Naguile
Deemer
Blame It On K J

#7 NAGUILE (2-1): Hits me as the more likely winner of what looks like a two-horse race in the finale. He ran well to be third in his debut, and that’s sometimes tricky for horses being unveiled at two-turn routes. I’m expecting a significant step forward for the Clement family; #10 DEEMER (6/5): Does take a drop in class, but note that he comes in out of already-restricted state-bred races, so it’s not as big a drop as it might appear. First-time Lasix does help, and he’s run well here before, but the far-outside post on the inner turf is a big problem; #5 BLAME IT ON K J (15-1): Lost all chance at the break in his debut, but I liked him a bit that day given his all-turf pedigree and I’ll give him another shot at second asking. Two turns shouldn’t be a problem given those bloodlines, and at least he passed some horses late after all the trouble at the start.