BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $1,250.83

I’m of two minds regarding Sunday’s corgi races at Saratoga. As a way to get people out to the track, it’s fantastic. There’ll be people at the races who otherwise probably wouldn’t attend, and given the current state of the sport, crowds like that are a blessing.

On the other hand, my often-repeated question about marketing in horse racing rears its head: What are we doing, as a sport, to ensure those people keep coming back and want to learn more about the betting aspect of the game? As usual, I fear the answer, on the whole, is, “not nearly enough,” and that worries me. 

If you’re reading this in The Pink Sheet and you’re new to the game, welcome. I’m here every day with analysis, selections, and bankroll plays, and if you want to follow along with my content, you can do so at my website, AndrewChampagne.com. Here’s hoping I give you a few winners today.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS: My Pick Four play was cancelled when a few races were taken off the turf. As a reminder, all plays in this section assume races carded for the grass stay there.

SUNDAY’S PLAY: I’ll focus on my best bet of the day, which comes in the third race. That’s #2 SHE’S A GAMER, and I’ll look to extract value with daily double plays ending in a fourth race where I’m against the morning line favorite. I’ll have $15 doubles singling She’s a Gamer with #2 SUSPEND and #5 REAL RESTRAINT, and $5 “saver” doubles singling her with #7 DIGNIFY and #10 RELATED PARTY.

TOTAL WAGERED: $40.

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SARATOGA SELECTIONS AND ANALYSIS

Best Bet: She’s a Gamer, Race 3
Longshot: Suspend, Race 4

R1

Zapruder
Crescendo’s Rein
Judge Boushay

#1 ZAPRUDER (5/2): Came back to the dirt with aplomb last time out, when he rallied from last to first to win going away at Churchill Downs. This state-bred allowance field is probably comparable to the open $50,000 claimers he ran against last time, and he should get some pace to chase, too; #5 CRESCENDO’S REIN (9/5): Enjoyed a picture-perfect trip in his first time going two turns last time out. He romped by seven lengths at Finger Lakes that day and figures to be forward beneath Flavien Prat. He may still have some room to improve second off the bench for an astute barn; #4 JUDGE BOUSHAY (2-1): Goes two turns for the first time after running second from start to finish last time out of the Wilson chute. That was a strange race where the frontrunners never came back to the field, and while he’s certainly got the tactical speed to sit a great trip, I can’t take a short price on a 3-year-old doing something for the first time against older horses.

R2

Carc Brothers
Willpowered
Oat Coutour

#5 CARC BROTHERS (4/5): Is 3-for-3 to this point in his career, and all three wins have been by daylight. The connections got lucky sneaking him through a $55,000 claimer two back, and he comes into the state-bred ranks to run here. He’ll probably be the shortest price of the day, and I can’t go against him; #2 WILLPOWERED (4-1): Ran well in a pair of June races for Prat and Miguel Clement, and those two tag-team again with him here. He’s yet to run a truly bad race on turf, and he was probably left with too much to do last time, when he rallied from eighth of nine to salvage third money; #1 OAT COUTOUR (6-1): Generally runs the same race every time out and has a pretty potent late kick. He may be a bit pace-dependent, but you generally know what you’re getting with this gelding, and his usual effort may be good enough for a piece of it at a bit of a price.

R3

She’s a Gamer
Coaster
Next On Stage

#2 SHE’S A GAMER (9/5): Sure looks like the main early speed in here and should appreciate the slight cutback to six furlongs. Her most recent work at Monmouth was very, very fast, and I think she’ll get extremely comfortable up front beneath Junior Alvarado; #3 COASTER (9/2): Has been on the shelf for over three months after a professional score at Oaklawn. She’s one of many likely to employ stalking tactics, and if she’s ready to run, she could put my top pick to the test turning for home; #5 NEXT ON STAGE (2-1): Is one of two Linda Rice trainees in this short field, and she exits a runaway score here last month. This, however, hits me as a much tougher spot, and that race was easily the best she’s ever run. She may need to repeat that effort in order to contend here, and even that may not be enough.

R4

Suspend
Real Restraint
Dignify

#2 SUSPEND (8-1): Was one-paced in his debut for Bill Mott, whose runners tend to improve significantly with experience. Everything about him said he was going to need his first effort. He got it, he didn’t run terribly when fifth against a solid group, and a step forward would make him a major player at a bit of a price; #5 REAL RESTRAINT (7/2): Debuts for Brendan Walsh and is bred to be a very good turf horse. He’s kin to turf stakes winner Movin’ On Up, and his dam is a half to Grade 1-winning turfer Harvey’s Lil Goil (as well as Grade 3-winning dirt router Gosger); #7 DIGNIFY (8-1): Hammered for $700,000 at auction across the street last year and has every reason to be a good one. This Todd Pletcher trainee is out of a mare who’s a half to champion Tepin and multiple graded stakes winner Vyjack. If there’s hesitation here, it’s because most of this barn’s talented 2-year-olds debut on dirt, not turf. 

R5

Seeker’s Hope
Red Miller
Lexington Pike

#4 SEEKER’S HOPE (8/5): Takes a big drop in class to run for a $20,000 claiming tag after finishing third for double that price earlier in the meet. He hasn’t won in a while, but he’s got back efforts against better horses that would make him strictly the one to beat for Linda Rice and Manny Franco; #7 RED MILLER (6-1): Chased a runaway winner at this level downstate and would benefit from a pace battle up front, which he’s likely to get. This barn is on the duck as of this writing, but it’s run second and third quite a few times, so it’s not like the horses aren’t running well; #2 LEXINGTON PIKE (10-1): Comes up from Delaware after breaking his maiden in his first race since June. On speed figures, he likely has to improve, but given his relative inexperience, that may still be in the offing, and we may get a square price on a horse that could move forward.

R6

Got Tough (MTO)
Permanent Record
Not Ever

#10 PERMANENT RECORD (4-1): Makes his debut for Chad Brown, who’s brought this European auction purchase to Saratoga. His second dam is a horse named Just the Judge, who won multiple Group 1 races overseas and finished third in a Breeders’ Cup race. The post isn’t ideal, but he’s got every right to have loads of potential; #2 NOT EVER (7/2): Is an Irish-bred son of No Nay Never, and he’s another with a classy female family. His dam was Grade 3-placed in Ireland, and his second dam, Insight, won a Group 2 in France and a Grade 1 in Canada; #1 E Z SPEAKER (8-1): Hammered for $650,000 at auction earlier this year and is kin to a few stakes-caliber horses. There’s definitely class in his bloodlines, and he’s been working steadily, but that pedigree seems to hint he wants to go shorter than today’s two-turn distance.

R7

Private Flight
Turbo Launch
Thundertaker

#4 PRIVATE FLIGHT (2-1): Is a tepid top pick in an absolute mess of a maiden claimer that I wish didn’t kick off the late Pick Four. Alas, we work with what we’ve got, and this gelding goes first off the claim for Linda Rice after some competitive races at this level. Unlike many of his opponents, he’s got some reasons to be optimistic; #8 TURBO LAUNCH (5-1): Tries dirt for the first time and is another from the Rice barn. His two-back effort going long on the lawn at Churchill wasn’t bad, and this is certainly a class drop. Whether or not he can run on dirt is a question mark, but at least we might get a shred of value; #1 THUNDERTAKER (12-1): Merits a look underneath at a price. His last-out effort here in June was awful, but his debut in Indiana wasn’t bad, and that day’s third-place finisher came back to win at next asking. I’d much rather take him at a price than others who will get bet despite looking every bit like horses connections want to move on from.

R8

Whittington Park (MTO)
Inspeightofcharlie
Jack and Jim

#4 INSPEIGHTOFCHARLIE (7/2): Took a step forward last time in his local debut, when he cleared his first-level allowance condition in professional fashion despite being wide turning for home. He’s a consistent sort that’s run some solid races, and Jose Ortiz seeing fit to ride back is a plus; #3 JACK AND JIM (5/2): Threw Manny Franco in his comeback race in June, and the connections will give it another go here. He was 2-for-2 before going to the sidelines after his 2-year-old year, and while this is a tough spot for the level, he certainly can’t be ignored; #12 CONMAN (10-1): Needs some luck to draw in off the AE list, but merits some respect in his comeback race given his strong local record. He’s 2-for-4 with a third at the Spa and has been working well for Tom Morley, who’s been patient with him. If he’s allowed to run, I’ll be using him, especially at his likely price.

R9

Outfielder
Big Destroyer
Intricate Spirit

#2 OUTFIELDER (1-1): Ran 10th in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and should see the Grade 3 Mahony as a significant class drop. When he fires, he’s very dangerous, as evidenced by an impressive score two back at Churchill. If he’s on his game for Wesley Ward, the race may be for second; #5 BIG DESTROYER (5-1): Is one of two Miguel Clement trainees in here, and he hasn’t done much wrong in two prior starts. He won on debut before going to Aqueduct and finishing second against stakes foes. I think he could be on the improve, and seeing Flavien Prat up inspires some confidence; #4 INTRICATE SPIRIT (6-1): Is one of many that had a very strange trip in the Grade 3 Quick Call. He was fifth that day after rating well off of a very hot pace. If he’s able to sit his desired trip and be a bit more forward, he could have a chance to snag a piece of it.

R10

Princip
Projectability
On the Ledge

#3 PRINCIP (6-1): Is certainly pace-dependent and may need a meltdown to have his best chance, but that may very well materialize in what looks like a speed-heavy Sunday nightcap. He takes a class drop out of a $30,000 claimer to run for $16,000 here, and I’m anticipating him moving the right way when the real running starts; #2 PROJECTABILITY (5/2): Drops significantly in class and goes back to dirt for Linda Rice after a misfire against optional claiming foes earlier this month. He reeled off three wins in a row downstate on dirt, and his third-place finish three back came in a pretty fast race; #6 ON THE LEDGE (5-1): Had every right to need his comeback race in April at Aqueduct, as that was his first try in eight months. He comes back to the dirt here, and he’s got races from 2025 that would fit with this group. If he can channel that form, he’ll be in with a shot.