BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $977.25

SATURDAY’S RESULTS: Big Invasion ran second, and my three horses in the ninth were nowhere. I dropped $39.

SUNDAY’S PLAY: I’ll try to extract value from #8 WAYS AND MEANS in the Spinaway with daily doubles and the late Pick Three. She’s a single in $5 doubles that start in the eighth with #7 MISS KRISTY and #8 DIAMOND STATUS, and in $5 doubles that end in the tenth with #1 JET CITY WOMAN and #9 DARK POOL. Finally, I’ll use all of those horses in a $2 Pick three ticket.

TOTAL WAGERED: $28.

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Friday: 2-for-12
Meet: 85-for-280

Best Bet: Olympic Dreams, Race 3
Longshot: Miss Kristy, Race 8

R1

Appellate
Weigh the Risks
Stents and Statins

R2

Mim
Bon Adieu
Marley’s Ghost

R3

Olympic Dreams
Brown entry
Film Star

R4

Magnolia Midnight
Rally Squirrel
Atras entry

R5

Cowes
Piccata Prince
Magic Beach

R6

Genetics
Alpine Princess
Caitlinhergrtness

R7

Ski Patrol
Harry Hood
Indian Mischief

R8

Miss Kristy
Diamond Status
Serpe entry

R9

Ways and Means
Brightwork
Sugar Hi

R10

Dark Pool
Jet City Woman
Whiskey Lullaby

BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $1,016.25

FRIDAY’S RESULTS: Disarmed had an absolutely awful trip and didn’t have a chance after getting cut off multiple times at the top of the stretch. I dropped $22 after scratches.

SATURDAY’S PLAY: I think the ninth is the best betting race of the day, so that’s where I’ll turn my attention. I’ll box #5 SANDY’S GARDEN, #6 ATHENA BEACH, and #10 RICHIES PRINCESS in $4 exactas, and I’ll use that trio to end $5 doubles that start with #4 BIG INVASION in the eighth (the Harvey Pack).

TOTAL WAGERED: $39.

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Friday: 3-for-10
Meet: 83-for-268

Best Bet: Big Invasion, Race 8
Longshot: Typhoon Fury, Race 7

R1

Baraye
Life’s an Audible
Tammy Lynn

R2

Accretive
Tonal Impact
Uncle Moonlight

R3

McKulick
Amazing Grace
Tamarama

R4

Rodriguez entry
Ocean’s Reserve
Awesome Native

R5

Jersey Pearl
Dazzling Blue
Alva Starr

R6

Agate Road
Walley World
Ocala Rocket

R7

Enlighten
Typhoon Fury
Dive Bomber

R8

Big Invasion
Dancing Buck
Thin White Duke

R9

Athena Beach
Richies Princess
Sandy’s Garden

R10

Saqeel (MTO)
Tallahatchiebridge
Internal Capital

R11

Rattle N Roll
Tyson
Proxy

R12

Camcha
Lem Me Drink
Sperss

BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $1,038.25

THURSDAY’S RESULTS: I got victimized by a backwards exacta, as one of my key horses ran second. After scratches, I dropped $24.

FRIDAY’S PLAY: I’ll play the Grand Slam, since my best bet of the day comes in the payoff leg. I’ll try to get some value out of that runner with this $2 ticket starting in the sixth: 3,5,8 with 3,8 with 1,4 with 8. In addition, I’ll have a $10 win ticket on that ninth-race single, #8 DISARMED.

TOTAL WAGERED: $34

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Thursday: 3-for-10
Meet: 80-for-258

Best Bet: Disarmed, Race 9
Longshot: Proven Hope, Race 10

R1

Hard Par
Reverend Moon
Vesture

R2

Dolomite
Snarky
My Mane Squeeze

R3

Security Code
Fancy Joke
Khali Magic

R4

Carl Spackler
Mendelssohns March
Activist Investing

R5

Locked
Drum Roll Please
Tornado Road

R6

Miss Maximus
Unicorn Cake
Focus Pocus

R7

Coppa Girl (MTO)
Tamarama
Expand the Map

R8

Morning Cup
Fight Fiercely
American Law

R9

Disarmed
Vacation Dance
Feathers Road

R10

Proven Hope
Deputy Connect
Justice Department

BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $1,062.25

My plan was to get back to doing extensive full-card analysis for the Thursday program. Between an insane week at work to this point and the slog that’s been the 2023 Saratoga meet, that didn’t happen. It might come back this weekend, though that sounded way more enticing before the underwhelming Saturday overnight came out.

One note before we move on: If you haven’t read Wednesday’s edition of The Saratoga Special, you should. Joe and Sean Clancy both have phenomenal columns on this summer’s cursed meet and the state of horse racing in general.

They won’t want to hear this, I’m sure, but without the Clancy’s taking a chance on me as an intern for part of the 2011 Saratoga season, I’m probably not where I am today. They’re awesome people and fantastic writers who hit their assignments out of the park this past week.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS: I tried to bet the jump race, which, of course, got cancelled.

THURSDAY’S PLAY: I’ll focus on the fifth, which boasts a massive 14-horse field. I’ll start with $3 exactas that use #8 NICKEL NICKEL and #14 SCREAMING UNCLE on top of those two, #1 BARGAINING POWER, and #10 DISAPPEARANCE. I’ll also box my top two picks for $2 more. Finally, I’ll have an $8 win ticket on Nickel Nickel, whose 15-1 morning line price hits me as an overlay.

TOTAL WAGERED: $30.

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Wednesday: 5-for-8
Meet: 77-for-248

Best Bet: Life Talk, Race 2
Longshot: Nickel Nickel, Race 5

R1

Deep Conviction
Madaket entry
Sassy Princess

R2

Life Talk
Paradise Lane
Classy Mischief

R3

Fancy Joke (MTO)
Howdumakeurmoney
Masterof the Tunes

R4

Ramsey entry
Falcone entry
Sweet Heidelberg

R5

Screaming Uncle
Nickel Nickel
Bargaining Power

R6

Tivy (MTO)
Charging
Brennan’s War

R7

Gala Brand
Nomos
Spirit Prince

R8

G Munning
Bank Frenzy
Cicciobello

R9

Giroovin
Inevtabl Conection
Ice Road

R10

Wishing On a Star (MTO)
Lady Hamilton
Miss M M

BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $1,062.25

A few items before we get started. First, more detailed analysis is coming back for Thursday (I simply didn’t have a lot of time early this week).

Secondly, if you haven’t read Ryan Metzger’s Paulick Report letter to the editor, you should. It’s powerful, and as I told him, I wouldn’t change a single solitary word of it. The time for inaction in horse racing should be over, and that needs to be shouted from the rooftops even if grumpy people in my Twitter mentions don’t want to hear about it.

Finally, I’d be remiss to not mention the passing of Jonathan Sheppard. You’ll hear a bunch of stories about him this week, I’m sure, and all of them will be amazing. Here’s a tip, though: The best one involves Richard Migliore and is best told by him. Find him and ask about it. You won’t regret it.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS: The favorite I tried to beat won the fifth. After scratches, I dropped $14.

WEDNESDAY’S PLAY: I haven’t done this all summer and I don’t have a ton of strong opinions elsewhere on the card, so let’s bet the jump race. I don’t love the heavily-favored entry and actually prefer the second choice, #5 BARBADOS. I’ll have a $30 win bet on that one.

TOTAL WAGERED: $30.

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Sunday: 2-for-11
Meet: 72-for-240

Best Bet: Cupid’s Heart, Race 4
Longshot: Dontbelate, Race 6

R1

Barbados
Go Poke the Bear
Hudson River entry

R2

Stonestreet entry
Bento
Waskesiu

R3

Call Her Bluff (MTO)
Entrepreneurship
Leslie’s Loot

R4

Cupid’s Heart
Huntress for Hire
Adeliese’s Smile

R5

Gilmore (MTO)
Ramblin’ Wreck
Let’s Go Big Blue

R6

Printrack
Dontbelate
No More Talk

R7

Paris Style (MTO)
She’s Mo Bubbly
Absolute Control

R8

Olga Isabel
Leave No Trace
Movie Moxy

R9

Miz Sense (MTO)
Gala Brand
Brocknardini

R10

I’m Just (MTO)
Prix de West
Impazible Prince