BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $1,210.83

Once again, a bankroll blurb wrote itself, and once again, it’s because of reasons that couldn’t be worse.

Marshall Gramm, an owner, handicapper, contest player, and prominent figure with contacts in many racing organizations around the country, was outed as having access to past performances that included HISA and veterinary data. These included information on when horses received veterinary treatment and which treatments were administered, data which is not available to the general public.

HISA issued one statement Monday, Gramm issued another, and I have issues with both. With regard to HISA, others were clearly sent the files Gramm viewed, including a prominent horse racing Twitter personality. Who else got them, how were those files used, and, even more upsettingly, how many bettors and contest players were hurt by the actions of people who had data they couldn’t possess?

Gramm’s statement, meanwhile, is typical “word salad” that downplays the severity of what he did. He got caught, and he’s facing significant punishment. Others who used the information he passed along, though, should be right there with him.

One last thing: Can we, as an industry, please put a permanent end to the philosophy, “the problem is never the problem, it’s people talking about the problem?” HISA initially tried to downplay the existence and use of this data months ago, and to nobody’s surprise, it turned into a much bigger issue. I’ve been a more prominent HISA supporter than most, but they got this wrong, and Gramm shouldn’t be the only one at risk of losing status within the industry.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS: This was a pretty disgusting beat. I was right to go against Greenwell in doubles ending in the fourth race, but my alternatives ran second, third, and fourth. I dropped $40.

WEDNESDAY’S PLAY: There are only eight races, so I can play the late Pick Four without troubling my editors too much. My 50-cent ticket starts in the fifth and goes as follows: 2,3,5,6 with 2,3,4,5,8 with 4,7 with 3. In addition, I’ll also play $5 late doubles using the horses in the last half of that ticket, plus a $20 win bet on #3 PAULA’S CHOICE (my best bet of the day) in the nightcap.

TOTAL WAGERED: $50.

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SARATOGA SELECTIONS AND ANALYSIS

Best Bet: Paula’s Choice, Race 8
Longshot: Engraved, Race 5

R1

All Class
Save Us Melania
Street View

#5 ALL CLASS (2-1): Drops down in class for aggressive connections and returns to a track where she ran well twice a year ago. She hasn’t won in a while, but her running lines include some serious horses, and this seems like the right level for her to get back on track; #2 SAVE US MELANIA (9/5): Is one of two Linda Rice trainees in here, and her barn has been red-hot the last few days. She has races from 2025 that would make her very tough if she can find that form again. If there’s hesitation here, it’s because she hasn’t run in six months, but the last work indicates she may be ready; #4 STREET VIEW (9/2): Got claimed back by a small, but highly-astute, barn last time out and cuts back from the Wilson chute to seven furlongs. She ran very, very well at this route for this barn last year, and while those races came a while ago, this barn has had success with her, so dismiss her at your own peril.

R2

Low Country Magic
Pronghorn
Ballerina d’Oro

#2 LOW COUNTRY MAGIC (9/2): Has spent 2026 running against stakes horses and takes a drop in class to run here. She gets to run on Lasix here, which should help her, and her inside-drawn speed is a huge plus coming out of the Wilson chute; #6 PRONGHORN (8/5): Just missed against stakes foes at Oaklawn last time out, and she’s a sensible favorite given some of her past races. If she’d drawn better, she’d probably be my top pick, but the outside draw means she and jockey Jose Ortiz may have some work to do out of the gate; #4 BALLERINA D’ORO (4-1): Is one of two Chad Brown-trained runners in here, and we haven’t seen her since last year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. She’s been working consistently ahead of her return to the races, and her best race would put her right there, but she’s a deep closer that may want longer (and may need quite a bit to go right).

R3

Hot Gossip
Huck’s Agenda
Sparkling Mama

#7 HOT GOSSIP (4-1): Cuts back from the Wilson chute to this seven-furlong distance, and that hits me as her best game. She rallied to be third in that last-out effort, which came at a configuration that doesn’t often favor closers. Linda Rice and Manny Franco team up, and I think there’s quite a bit to like; #1 HUCK’S AGENDA (4-1): Raced wide in her last start at Ellis Park, which also has a quirky one-mile route. Blinkers go on, as does John Velazquez, and she gets a more favorable inside draw in this spot. All of those factors could move her forward; #3 SPARKLING MAMA (15-1): May be a big price off of a last-out clunker, but she never really had a chance that day. She was drawn outside coming out of the chute and didn’t break well. I’m drawing a line straight through that clunker, and if you do that, her sheet looks quite a bit better.

R4

Gardiner
Mischievous M
Treaty Obligation

#7 GARDINER (8/5): Snuck by last time out when he cruised home against $20,000 claimers and the claim was voided. He’s since worked very well for the past month, and running for that tag allows him to compete here. There’s other speed signed on, but he’s got back races that would easily beat these; #5 MISCHIEVOUS M (5-1): Looks like the main pace presence in this event and posted very fast fractions here last time out. There are stamina issues, to be sure, but this is a class drop, and if anyone’s outpacing him early on, they’re probably going too fast; #3 TREATY OBLIGATION (4-1): Comes back to the dirt and feels like the best closer in this event, which could help him given the likely race shape. This barn has been cold at the meet, but if anyone can benefit from a race collapsing up front, it’s probably this 8-year-old gelding.

R5

Sweetnessthrtyfour (MTO)
Engraved
True Legend

#2 ENGRAVED (6-1): Debuts for Linda Rice and sure looks like he’s got plenty of talent. He sold for $200,000 at auction last year, is kin to one debut winner, and is out of another debut winner (one whose dam was very productive, throwing six winners). Jose Ortiz’s presence is a big plus, too; #6 TRUE LEGEND (7/2): Hasn’t run since a stakes try in December but has a few strong works on his tab, including a very impressive bullet last month going five furlongs. He ran well a few times last year at Aqueduct and figures to be the one they have to catch going into the turn; #3 SULTAN HASSAN (3-1): Was second all the way in his last outing, one where the winner ran well and never came back to the field. That was a significant step forward after a debut where he flashed speed and folded, and more improvement beneath new rider Flavien Prat isn’t out of the question.

R6

South Bend Tom
Sea Vista
Discotheque

#5 SOUTH BEND TOM (9/2): Was favored last time out at this level and route and didn’t run badly, but was fourth beaten a length and a half. Prat sees fit to ride back for a barn that’s proven dangerous over the years here, and he could conceivably step forward in his second start over this surface; #2 SEA VISTA (7/2): Won two of his last three starts before being sold in June and goes out for new trainer Mike Trombetta here. He seemed to be getting reasonably good before then, his recent workouts are sharp, and the presence of Jose Ortiz hints that he’s well-meant; #3 DISCOTHEQUE (9/2): Broke his maiden at 17th asking two back, then nearly made it two in a row when beaten a head at this route last time out. I’m still a bit skeptical (he beat absolutely nothing in that July 17th race), but it’s possible he’s the best he’s ever been, and while he’s won just once, he’s also finished second 10 times.

R7

She’s Country
Combat Move
Morning Prayer

#7 SHE’S COUNTRY (2-1): Comes off a layoff for this division of the New York Stallion Series, and she’s the one to beat if she’s ready to run. George Weaver does well with comebackers, and her tactical speed should be a big advantage going two turns on the inner turf; #4 COMBAT MOVE (6-1): Gets wheeled back quickly for this one and may finally get a chance to run on the lawn, which she’s bred to love. She’s shown talent in two starts on dirt, and I think she may be even better on the grass, which could make her a major player; #3 MORNING PRAYER (7/2): Was put up after what hit me as a pretty terrible disqualification last time out. However, she just missed two back, and that day’s third-place finisher came back to win at next asking. There’s some talent here, and she may not have to move forward much to contend.

R8

Suited Connectors (MTO)
Paula’s Choice
Not Tapping

#3 PAULA’S CHOICE (5/2): Drops in for a tag at second asking after a one-paced fifth in her debut. Making a first career start going nine furlongs isn’t easy, and the top three ran well that day. She adds Lasix, blinkers, and Jose Ortiz, and it also helps that she doesn’t seem to run into a very strong group in the Wednesday finale; #4 NOT TAPPING (8-1): Has run into some trouble in all three of her prior races. She was wide last time out and didn’t have much pace to chase. There is at least a little more speed signed on (at least on paper), and if she’s able to save ground, she could show improvement; #5 BOUNDING ALONG (6-1): Goes dirt-to-turf first off the claim by Rick Dutrow, and the presence of damsire Blame indicates she may move forward on the lawn. She just missed in her debut, which came at this level going seven furlongs, and Dutrow’s one of the best in the game with new acquisitions.