BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $994.18

A trip down Memory Lane over the weekend had me reading a bunch of old articles from my full-time days in Saratoga. I was on-site in the press box in 2012 and 2013, sitting behind the likes of Paul Moran, John Pricci, and newspaper handicappers and writers from publications I grew up reading.

The summer of 2012, for a variety of professional and personal reasons, was incredible. The summer of 2013, for a variety of professional and personal reasons, felt like a forced march. It was the 150th anniversary of racing in Saratoga, and celebrations included bloated race cards six days per week with speeches and ceremonies at seemingly every possible turn.

In one of the last columns he wrote before we lost him to cancer, Moran wrote one of the best lines I’ve ever seen a turf writer produce. Feel free to steal it (after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery)…

“What’s the most dangerous place in Saratoga?,” he asked. “Between (then-NYRA CEO) Chris Kay and a microphone.”

SUNDAY’S RESULTS: My air travel was smooth, but my wagering hit turbulence. My Pick Four fizzled early, and I didn’t have anything behind seventh-race single Brunch With Amy. I dropped $35 after scratches.

WEDNESDAY’S PLAY: My day goes through #3 SENZA PAROLE, who figures to be a pretty heavy favorite in the fourth. I’ll have a $40 win bet on her, and I’ll single her to start $10 doubles that end with #3 AMELIA’S ECHO and #4 MARGARITA MOLLY in the fifth.

TOTAL WAGERED: $60.

Want to leave a tip? Click here to send it via Venmo!

SARATOGA SELECTIONS AND ANALYSIS

Best Bet: Senza Parole, Race 4
Longshot: Overseer, Race 9

R1

Little Trilby
Smart Uncle
Coutach

#6 LITTLE TRILBY (6-1): Ran a clunker when a distant fourth at this level in June. He was favored that day after a two-back win at the Grade 1 level, and while the last-out clunker was disappointing, he’ll be a major player in the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard if he can get back to form he’s shown not long ago; #2 SMART UNCLE (9/5): Rallied from way back to take the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick last month, and he’ll look to be the first to pull off the Smithwick-Sheppard double since 2019. That last-out effort was a good one, but it’s worth noting he does pick up eight pounds in weight off of that score; #4 COUTACH (8-1): Sure looks like the main speed in here, and he’ll likely look to lead them for as long as he can. He was third at this route last time out, and while there are some stamina questions, the race shape will likely work in his favor.

R2

Be You
Whatchatalkinabout
Pentathlon

#4 BE YOU (5/2): Takes a pretty big class drop out of stakes company, and he didn’t run badly in those races, either. Most notably, he won the Toboggan downstate before running third in the Grade 2 Carter. Flavien Prat hops aboard for Todd Pletcher, and he gets Lasix for the first time in a while, too; #2 WHATCHATALKINABOUT (2-1): Channeled his early-2025 form with an impressive score in mid-July, and that day’s winner came back to win impressively against similar. A repeat of that would give him a big chance, but he hasn’t run two “A races” in a row in quite some time, and he’ll likely be a short price; #5 PENTATHLON (6-1): Does his best work at this seven-furlong distance and is another getting some class relief. This barn has been cold this summer, and that’s not ideal, but he’ll likely provide a bit of value, and given some of his prior races at this trip, I don’t think he’d be a surprise.

R3

Hadrian’s Wall (MTO)
Protect and Defend
Donnadoyawanna

#5 PROTECT AND DEFEND (7/2): Did everything but win last time out at this distance, when he lost a brutal bob on the wire. That turf course was very firm, and he was up close to the pace in a stark departure of his usual style. A similar type of effort would put him right there in what hits me as a pretty wide-open event; #6 DONNADOYAWANNA (3-1): Stretched out to a marathon distance last time out and ran the best race of his career to date. He was second that day and adds blinkers on the cutback for Todd Pletcher. He wouldn’t be a shock, but Pletcher runs two in here, and 3-1 feels like a short price off of one OK effort; #2 DUTY (8-1): Gets back to his desired surface after tiring to fourth in an off-the-turf event a few weeks ago. He’ll likely be on the lead beneath aggressive jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., and if there isn’t much competition up front, he could get comfortable at a bit of a price.

R4

Senza Parole
With the Angels
Strong State

#3 SENZA PAROLE (6/5): Ran better than the form line may indicate last time out. She made the lead after getting first run turning for home, but she was run down by a deep closer in a race that fell apart. The third-place finisher came back to win a stakes race, so it’s aged well, and she looks like strictly the one to beat; #4 WITH THE ANGELS (9/2): Is a tricky read. She runs with Lasix for the first time in a long time, and her best race is quite good. However, it didn’t seem like she had an excuse last time out, and given the so-so runs two and three back, I’m wondering if her best days are behind her, not in front of her; #6 STRONG STATE (7/2): Seems like the deepest closer in a race with early speed signed on, and she capitalized on that scenario last time out in mid-July. That day’s third-place finisher won at next asking, and the faster they go early, the better her chances figure to be.

R5

Margarita Molly
Amelia’s Echo
Twirly

#4 MARGARITA MOLLY (5-1): Looks like the main early speed in this event out of the Wilson chute, and that could make her dangerous. She ran well to be second behind a next-out winner two back at this route, and her lone win to date came with today’s jockey, Kendrick Carmouche, along for the ride; #3 AMELIA’S ECHO (7/2): Hasn’t won in a while but takes a drop in class for this one. Manny Franco sees fit to ride for a barn that’s enjoyed some success at this stand, and she likely didn’t sit her desired trip when rating far back early on going 5 1/2 furlongs last time out; #5 TWIRLY (4-1): Is a plodding-type, which could work to her benefit here in a race without much early zip signed on outside of my top pick. She comes back to the dirt, and her lone other prior start to date for a tag on the main track was a wire-to-wire win at this distance downstate.

R6

Vapor Trail (MTO)
Berta’s Stitch
Inclusivity

#3 BERTA’S STITCH (2-1): Takes a class drop out of straight maiden races to compete in this optional claiming event, which he qualifies for due to his sale price. He was third against similar in his debut despite breaking slowly, and the rider switch to Flavien Prat is a big one; #4 INCLUSIVITY (3-1): Didn’t show much speed in his unveiling at Ellis Park, but he rallied to salvage second money for a barn whose horses tend to need a race to get going. Improvement is certainly logical, and I’d have probably picked him on top in a race on the Mellon turf, but deep closers in inner turf races often need a lot to go right; #9 EPIC PRAYER (8-1): Debuts for Amelia Green, whose numbers with first-time starters aren’t good. However, there’s some pedigree here, as he’s a half-brother to a stakes-placed 2-year-old, and he’s been working fairly well ahead of his first afternoon outing.

R7

Sea Isle City (AE)
Tappin Magic
Comets Choice

#12 SEA ISLE CITY (7/2): Ran well to be second in her turf debut last time out behind a very well-meant 2-year-old. There are no such monsters in this spot, and while she needs two scratches in order to draw in, I think she’s the one to beat if she’s allowed to run; #1 TAPPIN MAGIC (9/5): Undoubtedly had a nightmare trip in her debut, when she was fourth in the race my top pick exits. I don’t think she’d have won with a clean journey, but she certainly would’ve been much closer. She could win, but the inside draw worries me, as she may need to work out a trip (which she wasn’t able to do last time out); #10 COMETS CHOICE (15-1): Was fifth last time out despite a wide trip and has had trouble in both of her prior outings. She was only beaten three lengths in early-August, though, and she did show considerable improvement switching to the turf.

R8

Braverthanubelieve
Grace and Grit
Rina’s Revenge

#5 BRAVERTHANUBELIEVE (2-1): Hasn’t run in nine months but showed talent as a 2-year-old and comes in off of some very fast works. This isn’t an easy spot for the level, and I’m not crazy about the likely price, but the presence of John Velazquez, combined with everything else on paper, makes me believe she’s well-meant; #2 GRACE AND GRIT (6-1): Hasn’t missed the exacta in six starts since being sold in February and sent to Amelia Green. She’s an easy horse to root for who was best of the rest when second behind stakes winner Hot Currency at this route last month. As tough as this spot is, that one would be a heavy favorite here; #9 RINA’S REVENGE (10-1): Hasn’t been seen in the afternoon since March, but she drops in out of stakes company, gets Lasix for the first time, and may benefit from a speed-heavy race shape. She was an impressive debut winner going one turn here last summer, and she may get a similar setup here (albeit against a classy bunch).

R9

Hot Property (MTO)
I Can See That
Overseer

#9 I CAN SEE THAT (3-1): Suffered a tough beat last time out, when he returned off a long layoff, stalked the pace, and was beaten by a nose. There isn’t much speed signed on in here, and she should be sharper second off the bench. That could give him an ideal spot on or near the lead with soft fractions being put up, and that’s often a winning trip in two-turn inner turf races; #3 OVERSEER (15-1): Is another going second off the bench, and he was a fast-closing third going shorter at Monmouth. That came against a weaker group, yes, but he stretches out to a distance he’s won at before, and he’s another that’s got some tactical speed. I think he’s live at a price; #7 PRINTER’S ALLEY (7/2): Was third in the race my top pick exits and was wide turning for home after stalking the pace early. He gets Manny Franco here, and a move forward would give him a shot, but I’m not sure how much room he has to improve compared to my top two.