Andrew Champagne

Saratoga Race Course Analysis, Selections, and Bankroll: 8/18/18

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $534.20

Today’s card at Saratoga may be the best one of the meet to this point. Several of the top 3-year-old fillies in the country will be in action, and the card also boasts a number of intriguing races for 2-year-olds. There are plenty of great wagering opportunities on tap, and it’s a pleasure to handicap programs like this that reflect what Saratoga should always be: One of the last remaining cathedrals in horse racing.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS: Shang Shang Shang scratched scratched scratched, so our $20 cold double was refunded.

SATURDAY’S PLAY: I’m going to take a stand against #3 MIDNIGHT BISOU in the Alabama. She’s a very nice horse, but the distance is a big question mark, and I can’t endorse her at her likely price. I’ll play doubles starting and ending in that race that use #4 SHE’S A JULIE and #8 TALK VEUVE TO ME. My $8 doubles starting in the eighth single #6 RUSHING FALL, and my $4 doubles ending in the tenth use #3 NEOCLASSIC, #4 REFLECTED STAR, and #11 EXPECTED RULER (assuming, of course, that the race stays on turf). Additionally, I’ll play a $1 Pick Three starting in the eighth that uses those horses.

TOTAL WAGERED: $34

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Best Bet: Rushing Fall, Race 8
Longshot: Noble Nebraskan, Race 2

R1

Azzedine
Causeur
End of an Era

#2 AZZEDINE: Drops further down the ladder after falling as a 7/5 favorite earlier in the meet. This doesn’t seem like a distinguished field, and it seems like one he’ll beat with his usual race; #8 CAUSEUR: Had an eventful trip last time out, so it’s easy to draw a line through that race. He has back races that would make him a contender here, and we may get a price given the recent clunker; #9 END OF AN ERA: Adds blinkers for his local debut after an OK performance at Delaware Park. The blinkers could get him more involved early, and the presence of speed rider Kendrick Carmouche could also signal that he’s going early.

R2

Standard Deviation (MTO)
Noble Nebraskan
Medina Ridge

#10 NOBLE NEBRASKAN: Is bred up and down for turf and has a solid series of works ahead of his debut. George Weaver can win with first-time starters, and we may get a price in what seems like a wide-open event; #9 MEDINA RIDGE: Is another bred to be a strong grass horse. He’s by War Front, out of a Smart Strike mare, and goes out for a barn that’s had success with firsters on turf; #6 SOUTHERN BRIDGE: Was fifth in his debut earlier in the meet, and was beaten just two lengths that day despite a wide trip. Improvement is logical at second asking for a patient barn. DIRT SELECTIONS: STANDARD DEVIATION, GOOSE DRANK WINE, PERCEIVED.

R3

Forge
Nigel’s Destiny
Helooksthepart

#1 FORGE: Did everything but win last time out in a very fast race for the level. He was claimed by Mike Maker that day, and he retains the services of jockey Javier Castellano; #7 NIGEL’S DESTINY: Is the only runner in this race with multiple wins at the seven-furlong distance. He was third behind a next-out winner in an allowance event downstate, and his last start for a tag was a win; #5 HELOOKSTHEPART: Didn’t fire last time out in a race several of today’s foes also exit, but is a closer in an event with plenty of early speed signed on. He may be past his peak, but the race shape will almost certainly benefit him.

R4

Ahead of Plan
Principled
Cromwell Avenue

#7 AHEAD OF PLAN: Has a purchase price ($475,000) that jumps off the page given his very modest pedigree. He’s worked well of late and figures to be tough if he runs to those drills; #2 PRINCIPLED: Is the other logical first-time starter. He’s by Medaglia d’Oro and out of Grade 2 winner Teen Pauline, who set the five-furlong track record here at Saratoga in her 2012 debut; #8 CROMWELL AVENUE: Didn’t do much running in his debut, which was won by an impressive 2-year-old named Nitrous. He didn’t have a great trip that day and could improve here at a price.

R5

Our Girl Abby
Tee Up
Richie’slilwildcat

#3 OUR GIRL ABBY: Got the dirty end of a photo finish last time out but has a right to turn the tables on that rival here. There’s lots of early speed in this race, and she’s shown an ability to rate; #6 TEE UP: Was the winner of that photo finish following a perfect trip and smart ride by Joel Rosario. A repeat isn’t out of the question, but Rosario’s in California and there’s much more early speed signed on today; #4 RICHIE’SLILWILDCAT: Has won two small stakes races and ships in for a prominent Midwest outfit. She’ll likely make the lead, and it wouldn’t be a shock if she wires the field, but she may have to work hard out of the gate to get to the front.

R6

Wild Medagliad’oro
Most Mischief
Fed Fever

#5 WILD MEDAGLIAD’ORO: Close well to be second in his debut after racing very wide most of the way. If there’s any hesitation here, it’s because he’s bred to go much longer (and ran like it in his unveiling), but this certainly seems like the weaker split of the same race (the fourth has the same conditions); #3 MOST MISCHIEF: Improved at second asking when third behind Nitrous despite a trip that didn’t do him many favors. He has an experience edge on this group, which could prove valuable; #7 FED FEVER: Was bet in his debut but raced very wide and likely wasn’t fully persevered with. He’s continued to work well and has every right to step forward with a start under his belt.

R7

Lovely La La
Hollywood Cat
Way Smart

#8 LOVELY LA LA: Was much the best in her maiden win downstate, and that day’s third-place finisher has since come back to win. The pedigree says two turns won’t be an issue, and speed’s always a plus on the inner turf course; #3 HOLLYWOOD CAT: Flopped when fourth as a 3/2 favorite earlier in the meet, but the turf course was very wet that day. If the ground is on the firmer side, she has a big chance to improve for a proven barn; #4 WAY SMART: May have moved a bit too soon last time out at this level, but still ran an OK third. She’s yet to run a truly bad race and has shown some flexibility in her running style.

R8

Rushing Fall
Thewayiam
Significant Form

#6 RUSHING FALL: Was very rank last time out and still only missed by a neck in what doubled as her first career loss. She wants to rate and should be able to do that behind several others in this field; #1 THEWAYIAM: Hasn’t run a bad race this year and was a good second in the Belmont Oaks. The rail draw isn’t ideal for a closer, but she was only a length behind Rushing Fall earlier this year at Keeneland; #4 SIGNIFICANT FORM: Was fourth in the Belmont Oaks in a race that may have been longer than she wants to go. The cutback in distance should help her, and she’ll likely be on or near the lead given her ample tactical speed.

R9

Talk Veuve to Me
She’s a Julie
Midnight Bisou

#8 TALK VEUVE TO ME: Chased Mia Mischief and Monomoy Girl earlier this year, but cruised in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks and showed she could go two turns. This field isn’t heavy on tactical speed, and she’s worked really well here of late; #4 SHE’S A JULIE: Romped in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks and is another that shouldn’t be too far back early. Take out the Fair Grounds races, and you’re left with a much better resume; #3 MIDNIGHT BISOU: Was second in the CCA Oaks, but had every chance that day and just couldn’t stick with Monomoy Girl. It seems like she struggles going further than a mile and a sixteenth, and I’m not sure this is the trip she wants.

R10

Brimstone (MTO)
Reflected Star
Expected Ruler

#4 REFLECTED STAR: Gets a tepid nod in a wide-open finale. He’s shown early speed and was claimed out of his last race (a weirdly-run event) by a barn that’s done great work this year with a fairly small outfit; #11 EXPECTED RULER: Just missed at 25-1 last time out against much better, and is a major player if he draws in off the AE list. His effort two back has aged well, as he was third behind next-out Grade 3 winner Sandy’z Slew; #3 NEOCLASSIC: Has won two of his last three, and in those wins, he topped many of today’s rivals. If there’s any hesitation here, it’s because he seems to prefer one-turn routes to two-turn trips, and he gets the latter here. DIRT SELECTIONS: BRIMSTONE, BITUMEN, CALIFORNIA SWING.

Saratoga Race Course Analysis, Selections, and Bankroll: 8/17/18

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $534.20

Earlier this week, a strangely uplifting hashtag emerged on Twitter. People took to using #ShareYourRejections, and seeing the ways people have overcome setbacks served as a much-needed reminder that social media, at its best, can be incredibly uplifting.

I shared my story as part of the hashtag, and I also linked to a series of stories I wrote up a while back for AndrewChampagne.com entitled “The Failure Files.” If that helps someone going through something, or even makes someone laugh that could use a chuckle, I think it’s worth it to share my story. If you feel compelled to check it out, go to my Twitter page (@AndrewChampagne).

THURSDAY’S RESULTS: Nobody went with Souperfast in the fifth, and while the two closers I keyed in exactas ran OK, they had to settle for third and fourth due to the unfavorable race shape. We dropped $30.

FRIDAY’S PLAY: It’s a little tough to take too much of a stand given the weather forecast, but I’ll save my action for the late daily double, assuming the featured Skidmore Stakes stays on the turf. I’ll play a cold $20 double using likely favorites #2 SHANG SHANG SHANG and #1 AMERICAN RULE. Given the large fields signed on, I’m hoping to get a bit more of a payoff than the win odds on either horse would dictate.

TOTAL WAGERED: $20

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Best Bet: American Rule, Race 10
Longshot: Mascarello, Race 8

R1

Mesotherm (MTO)
All Clear
Hubbadahubbadaboom

#8 ALL CLEAR: Ran well in his turf debut when second behind a next-out winner. The Gargan barn has done well to this point in the meet, and speed rider Carmouche should ensure that he’s prominent early; #6 HUBBADAHUBBADABOOM: Has shown lots of speed and comes back to turf. His lone turf start came on the quirky Kentucky Downs course, so it’s easy to throw out. Good luck with the name, Larry; #4 WET YOUR WHISTLE: Ran well when fourth at this level and route last time out and adds blinkers. This will be just his third career start, so he could still have room to grow. DIRT SELECTIONS: MESOTHERM, ALL CLEAR, HUBBADAHUBBADABOOM.

R2

Frostie Anne
Land Mine
Pink Twist

#1 FROSTIE ANNE: Is wheeled back on short rest after an easy wire-to-wire score last weekend. She’ll look for her sixth win in a row, and she’s been in tremendous form for most of the past year; #5 LAND MINE: Was second against open company earlier in the meet, and that was her first start since July. She could step forward second off the bench, and it helps that she doesn’t necessarily need the lead in order to run well; #6 PINK TWIST: Clearly relished two turns when winning by nearly three lengths earlier this month. The Terranova barn has strong numbers with limited starters to this point in the meet.

R3

Giant Boo Boo
Wheresthebarber
Shuffling Madness

#5 GIANT BOO BOO: Sure seems like the lone speed in the race, and in a maiden claiming field that doesn’t seem strong, that could be enough. Jose Ortiz rides back, and he’ll likely be the one to catch; #7 WHERESTHEBARBER: Was second in a similar spot at big odds earlier in the meet. That was by far the best race he’s ever run, and he’ll likely need to repeat it to compete with my top pick; #3 SHUFFLING MADNESS: Was one-paced when fourth at this level earlier this month. He hit the board in a pair of maiden claiming events at Belmont and could rally for a piece of it.

R4

Unbridledadventure (MTO)
Fast Track Kathern
Hoponthebusgus

#4 FAST TRACK KATHERN: Has won three of her last five starts and two of three since going to the turf. Michelle Nevin claimed her earlier in the meet, and her runners are firing regularly; #3 HOPONTHEBUSGUS: Stretches out in distance after misfiring last month going much shorter. She’s won going long in the past, and she has a solid two-turn race to her credit last year at Aqueduct; #6 CODRINGTON: Gets a pass for her last-out effort given the extremely wet turf course. Assuming things are a bit drier, she stands a chance over a course she’s won at in the past. DIRT SELECTIONS: UNBRIDLEDADVENTURE, LA FEE VERTE, DIAMOND JEN BRADY.

R5

Kadens Courage
Steam Engine
Icey Cash

#4 KADENS COURAGE: Has worked well ahead of his debut and earned a bullet on August 10th. This is a wide-open field, but he’s got a big shot if he runs to the work tab; #9 STEAM ENGINE: Makes his debut for Brad Cox, who can win with any type of runner. If there’s any hesitation here, it’s because offspring of sire Mineshaft often want much more ground than today’s distance; #2 ICEY CASH: Has several strong works of late for a barn whose horses sometimes need a race to get going. Javier Castellano sees fit to ride, which can’t be ignored.

R6

Hannah’s Smile
Saratoga Treasure
Broman entry

#8 HANNAH’S SMILE: Generally runs the same race every time out and may be helped by the likely race shape. She’s a closer in a race with lots of early speed, and she should be going the right direction late; #3 SARATOGA TREASURE: Won her debut at this route last summer and comes in off of two solid efforts at this level downstate. She’s another that will be running well turning for home; BROMAN ENTRY: Is in the top three partially because of strength in numbers and partially in case this race gets taken off the turf. All three of these horses can run on a wet main track, and if that situation arises, I’m hoping more than one runs. DIRT SELECTIONS: BROMAN ENTRY, SILENCIA, SCORPION BOWL.

R7

Dancing All Night
Cilantro
Palladian Bridge

#5 DANCING ALL NIGHT: Ran a very good race in defeat last time out, especially since that was her first start in nearly a year. She could sit just off the pace and get first run on the pacesetters at the top of the stretch; #10 CILANTRO: Was impressive in breaking her maiden at Tampa, but she hasn’t run since. Having said that, she has a few solid local drills for a barn that must be respected; #8 PALLADIAN BRIDGE: Set a fast pace earlier in the meet, but still hung on for third. She figures to be the main speed, and she hasn’t run a bad race in almost a year.

R8

Stretch’s Stone (MTO)
Honor Up
Mascarello

#9 HONOR UP: May have been a turf horse all along. He prevailed in a swiftly-run race downstate after trying very tough company on dirt earlier this season. A repeat effort could be enough to win what seems like a wide-open race; #5 MASCARELLO: Is a price on the morning line, but has won three of his last five for a very capable barn. Luis Saez rides, and he hasn’t finished worse than second in a pair of local outings; CASSE ENTRY: I most prefer #1A CATCH A CAB, who won three in a row before a race that was too bad to be true. He’d benefit from a fast pace, and Jose Ortiz comes back aboard. DIRT SELECTIONS: STRETCH’S STONE, WICKED MACHO, HOLY WEEK.

R9

Shang Shang Shang
Swamp Rat
Sir Truebadour

#2 SHANG SHANG SHANG: Scratched out of the Bolton Landing to run here against males, and she exits a Group 2 win at Royal Ascot. She’s got plenty of early speed and has worked well of late; #8 SWAMP RAT: Made up a lot of ground in his debut, where he won going away at odds of 24-1. There’s plenty of speed signed on, and that could set up for him; #12 SIR TRUEBADOUR: Exits a Grade 3 win at Churchill Downs and tries turf for the first time. He’s bred to love it, but will need to negotiate a trip from the far outside post. DIRT SELECTIONS: SHANG SHANG SHANG, SIR TRUEBADOUR, LEXITONIAN.

R10

American Rule
The Chamo
Metaphorical

#1 AMERICAN RULE: Caught a tough field in his lone start to date, which was won by eventual graded stakes winner Kanthaka. He drops way down in class for his first start since December, which is usually a red flag, but it just seems like he’s much better than this bunch; #10 THE CHAMO: Was third at this level earlier in the meet and put forth a bullet work last week. Joel Rosario rides back, and he could get a good stalking trip; #3 METAPHORICAL: Drops down in class after running for double this price in each of his last two outings. One of those races saw his run second at Belmont, so he could be competitive going down a level.

Saratoga Race Course Analysis, Selections, and Bankroll: 8/16/18

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $564.20

During Wednesday’s races, I noticed the Saratoga feed advertising ways to host fantasy football drafts at the track. There are many marketing measures put forth by tracks that I completely disagree with, but I actually like this idea. Many of the same traits evident in fantasy football success (competitiveness and spotting candidates for improvement and decline, to name two) are also necessary to make money at the betting windows, so this seems like a natural fit.

Additionally, with more and more leagues offering cash prizes to winners, the gambling juices will be flowing, which could lead to opportunities to create new fans. Longtime followers of the sport are often quick to lament marketing measures that don’t necessarily produce handle or repeat customers. This one might, and I hope data is made available at the end of the meet so that we can see if it worked.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS: Our early Pick Four went up in smoke when two horses used in the second leg came up on the losing end of a three-horse photo, and win-place play Texas Music tired badly in the stretch of the fourth. We dropped $28.

THURSDAY’S PLAY: I’ll focus on the fifth race, which strikes me as one of the best betting races of the meet to this point (assuming it stays on turf). I’ll key #4 TUSK and #10 ASTOUNDING on top of $3 exactas that use those two, #6 GIANT RUN, and #7 LUCKY RAMSEY in the second spot. Additionally, I’ll box Tusk and Astounding on their own in $2 combinations, and I’ll put $4 to win and place on Tusk (since he’ll likely be the bigger price of my two top selections).

TOTAL WAGERED: $30

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Best Bet: Doyouknowsomething, Race 2
Longshot: Tusk, Race 5

R1

Throw the Fade
Cheyenne entry
Somebody

#3 THROW THE FADE: Runs for a claiming price for the first time and has been gelded since his last start. Either of these changes could wake him up, and I’m willing to toss his most recent effort; CHEYENNE ENTRY: I prefer #1 MANTLE, who ran OK at this level earlier in the meet. He showed an ability to rate that day and may improve in his third career start; #6 SOMEBODY: Is another horse whose connections are making many changes. He’s been gelded, and he’ll add blinkers here on the drop from two straight maiden events.

R2

Doyouknowsomething
Securitiz
Let Me Go First

#3 DOYOUKNOWSOMETHING: Seems like the lone early speed horse in this compact field, and that alone could put him in the winner’s circle. Add in a significant class drop, and you have a horse that could prove very tough to catch; #5 SECURITIZ: Is another taking a significant drop, and he has plenty of back races that would be more than enough to beat this group. However, such a drop off of a five-month layoff is cause for concern, and this barn hasn’t had a great meet to this point; #2 LET ME GO FIRST: Hasn’t run in a while, but has spent time going against higher-class foes. He chased Grade 3 company last month at Monmouth, and he could appreciate shallower waters.

R3

Picco Uno
Bonita Bianca
Absatootly

#5 PICCO UNO: Won this race last year and looms large once again. Her last-out win downstate was impressive, and a repeat of that effort likely puts her in the winner’s circle once again; #4 BONITA BIANCA: Returns to the state-bred ranks after misfiring last time out at Delaware Park. Her races at this level have been strong, and she could complete a Jason Servis-trained exacta; #1 ABSATOOTLY: Seems best of the rest and gets Jose Ortiz. She has a flexible running style, but she may need to show some speed from the rail.

R4

No Stone Unturned (MTO)
Tradeable
Ruvies in Time

#5 TRADEABLE: Was beaten a half-length at boxcar odds in her debut, but in hindsight, she never should’ve been that kind of a price. She’s bred up and down for turf, and a repeat of that effort likely wins; #10 RUVIES IN TIME: Didn’t do much running in her debut, but she’s another bred to love the grass. She’s by The Factor and out of a Tapit mare, and this barn’s horses often improve with experience; #7 LOVE AND LOVE: Was an OK second in her debut downstate. That was far from a fast race, but she’s bred to be OK and gets Luis Saez. DIRT SELECTIONS: NO STONE UNTURNED, SASSY AGNES, DEVIL’S FLAIR.

R5

Ekhtibaar (MTO)
Tusk
Astounding

#4 TUSK: Gets my top pick in what seems like an excellent betting race (provided it stays on turf). He’s done his best running on grass and won impressively here last year; #10 ASTOUNDING: Has won his last two turf starts and has only finished worse than third once in seven races run on grass. He’s certainly a contender, although he’ll need to work out a trip from his outside post; #7 LUCKY RAMSEY: Has hit the board in all seven of his starts this year and was claimed back by Mike Maker last time out. He could sit a stalking trip and get first run turning for home. DIRT SELECTIONS: EKHTIBAAR, BAD STUDENT, TUSK.

R6

Pink Sands
Chamber
Curlism

#7 PINK SANDS: Makes her first start since November and comes in off of two straight bullet workouts. She disappointed in a few races as a 2-year-old, but her pedigree says she’ll get better with age; #2 CHAMBER: Is by Tapit and out of a multiple Grade 1 winner named Sightseek, making her one of the best-bred fillies in the country. Her workouts look sharp, and she could be good enough to win on debut; #9 CURLISM: Has several strong works on the tab and draws a cushy outside post. This barn hasn’t made much noise this meet, but conditioner Ralph Nicks can win with first-time starters.

R7

Hollywood Handsome
Adulator
Admiral Blue

#5 HOLLYWOOD HANDSOME: Takes a big drop in class to run for a tag less than five months after finishing second in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap. This is a much weaker field than what he’s been running against, and the recent workout hints that he’s ready; #2 ADULATOR: Hasn’t won in a while but drops in class and stretches out to two turns. His two-turn races are arguably the best ones he’s ever run, and he sports a win at this route; #8 ADMIRAL BLUE: Showed speed at this level and route last time out before fading to second. He figures to be on or close to the lead early on.

R8

Piedi Bianchi (MTO)
Altea
Emmy Performance

#7 ALTEA: Has hit the board in a pair of Grade 3 races and drops to run against allowance foes. Anything close to her run in last month’s Lake George, where she led briefly and wound up finishing second, would make her a formidable foe; #4 EMMY PERFORMANCE: Was the victim of a paceless race last time out and should get more speed to run at here. She’s bred to be very good, and she could be going the right way late at a price; #6 QUIVERY: Makes her American debut and gets Lasix for the first time. Her prior connections thought enough of her to run in a Group 1 race last October, and she won two in a row to start her career. DIRT SELECTIONS: PIEDI BIANCHI, COOL BEANS, MISS MIMOSA.

R9

First Forever (MTO)
Espresso Shot
Mike’s Girl

#2 ESPRESSO SHOT: Has a solid work tab ahead of her debut for a trainer that’s quietly done great work with debuting runners. She’s bred to be OK, and she may not have to be much against this group; #7 MIKE’S GIRL: Was a one-paced fourth in her debut last month for one of the top barns on the grounds. She could improve at second asking, especially given the slightly-friendlier post; #4 PLINK FREUD: Runs for a barn whose first-time starters often aren’t cranked up, but she’s by Freud, whose progeny tend to take to the turf. DIRT SELECTIONS: FIRST FOREVER, ESPRESSO SHOT, BANK EXAMINER.

Saratoga Race Course Analysis, Selections, and Bankroll: 8/15/18

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $592.50

I have a lot of respect for my readers, and as such, I’m going to make a promise to you. That promise is as follows: With the exception of this one paragraph, I promise to never, EVER, call the 10-furlong Grade 1 race for 3-year-olds coming up later this month the Runhappy Travers.

This is not a slight on the horse or his connections (past and/or present). Runhappy was a brilliant sprinter who, for a five-month stretch in 2015, was probably the second-best male horse in training behind American Pharoah. Additionally, former owner James McIngvale has shown himself to be one of the most giving people around, especially in times of crisis. Having said that, Runhappy was never a 10-furlong horse, so even in an age where everything that moves is sponsored, this seems like a reach.

MONDAY’S RESULTS: We got washed out of the late Pick Four, and this was a good thing. Single (and subject of a small win bet) Flowers for Lisa got a perfect trip on the front end and looked home at the top of the stretch, but was run down and had to settle for second. We dropped $10.

WEDNESDAY’S PLAY: I’ll focus on the early Pick Four, again assuming all races carded for turf stay there. My 50-cent ticket starts in the second and is as follows: 3,6 with 1,3,4 with 1,7 with 3,4,7. I’ll also put $5 to win and place on #1 TEXAS MUSIC in the fourth race (my longshot of the day).

TOTAL WAGERED: $28

ANALYSIS/SELECTIONS

Best Bet: Tossup, Race 2
Longshot: Texas Music, Race 4

R1

Cool as You Like
Quick On the Draw
Our Whim

#4 COOL AS YOU LIKE: Drops way down in class for Michelle Nevin off a long layoff, which is normally a red flag. However, this is far from a distinguished group, and the recent works hint that she’s ready to run; #2 QUICK ON THE DRAW: Is another dropper coming off an extended break. She has a win over this surface, which is a plus, but this barn has struggled of late with horses coming off of long layoffs; #1 OUR WHIM: Is impossible to endorse on top given her lack of a win in the past two seasons, but she’s been competitive at this level and could rally for a piece of it.

R2

Tossup
Elegant Zip
Miss Flambe

#3 TOSSUP: Broke badly in her debut, but managed to run second in a $100,000 stakes race. Her pedigree suggests she’ll get better with experience, and if she gets a clean start, look out; #6 ELEGANT ZIP: Was second earlier this meet in her unveiling for a trainer whose horses sometimes need a race to get going. I’m not crazy about the field she ran against, but she could improve and beat these; #5 MISS FLAMBE: Debuts following a steady string of local workouts, the most recent of which was an OK five-furlong drill. If she runs to that work, she could sneak into the money.

R3

Greatreviews
Posse Needed
Breaking Bread

#4 GREATREVIEWS: Is 3 for 4 on fast dirt tracks and seems like the one to beat if the track doesn’t take considerable moisture. Her races two and three back were sharp, and I can toss the last effort based on the muddy surface; #3 POSSE NEEDED: May be this race’s lone closer and comes in off a win downstate in the mud. Irad Ortiz, Jr., had some options here, and this is the one he chose to ride; #1 BREAKING BREAD: Makes her first start for Jorge Navarro and returns to the site of her lone win to date. She’s been competitive against good groups and could improve on the trainer switch.

R4

Hexameter (MTO)
Texas Music
Avery Maeve

#1 TEXAS MUSIC: Didn’t break well earlier this meet and lost all chance due to her need-the-lead running style. That was against a better group, and she was bet that day. A clean break would make her the one to catch; #7 AVERY MAEVE: Hasn’t won in nearly two years and goes out for a cold barn, but takes a considerable class drop. She’s run well here in the past and could come running late; #6 BOWL OF KISSES: Tries turf after winning two in a row on the main track at Belmont. She doesn’t have much in the way of a turf pedigree, but she figures to be prominent early. DIRT SELECTIONS: HEXAMETER, BOWL OF KISSES, TEXAS MUSIC.

R5

Don’t Tell Addie
D’s Sis
Bull Feathers

#7 DON’T TELL ADDIE: Hammered for $125,000 earlier this year despite a very modest pedigree and has worked well at Churchill Downs. Steve Hobby almost never runs horses here, so it’s telling that this one shows up here; #4 D’S SIS: Is bred to be a good one. She’s by City Zip and out of a Giant’s Causeway mare, so she may want turf, but the works indicate she may be a runner; #3 BULL FEATHERS: Got shuffled back a bit in her debut and may have gotten something out of that race. She could improve at second asking for a patient barn.

R6

Imperatore
Turco Bravo
Tapin Mojo

#4 IMPERATORE: Was beaten less than a length at this route earlier in the meet and was claimed out of that event by Charlton Baker. Joel Rosario hops aboard, and he’s got plenty of tactical speed; #6 TURCO BRAVO: Hasn’t won in a while, but always seems to fire and drops a bit in class. He was a solid second when running for a $25,000 tag last month; #3 TAPIN MOJO: Is a very tricky read, given that he hasn’t raced in nearly two years. He has back races that are good enough, but whether or not he’ll channel that form is anyone’s guess.

R7

Peter’s Kitten
Soar From Shadows
Charreada

#10 PETER’S KITTEN: Ran well in her debut, when she was second going long at Churchill Downs. It’s not easy to debut at that distance, but she ran a big race and showed speed that could come in handy on the inner turf; #6 SOAR FROM SHADOWS: May have gone a bit too far last time out and cuts back to a distance she’s run well at in the past. We may get a bit of a price given the recent clunker; #8 CHARREADA: Is bred up and down for turf and tries the surface for the first time. Shug McGaughey has very strong numbers with similar stock, and she could be running well late.

R8

Professor Snape
Still Krz
Its All Relevant

#7 PROFESSOR SNAPE: Gets a tepid nod in a confusing race. He won first time off the claim for Gary Gullo last out at Delaware Park, and it helps that he doesn’t necessarily need the lead to run well; #2 STILL KRZ: Put it all together last time out at Belmont Park at a slightly higher level. He’ll certainly be prominent early, and given the aggressive connections, the drop doesn’t scare me; #1 ITS ALL RELEVANT: Hasn’t run since September, but is working well and has been gelded since that effort. The rail draw isn’t ideal, but Luis Saez signing on can’t be overlooked.

R9

Shang Shang Shang
Drynachan
Elsa

#3 SHANG SHANG SHANG: Won a Group 2 at Royal Ascot in June and sports a recent bullet workout ahead of her return. A repeat of the race across the pond would make her very tough to beat; #2 DRYNACHAN: Was impressive in her debut, when she rallied to win going away earlier in the meet. Unlike others in here, she doesn’t need the lead, which could help; #6 ELSA: Was impressive in victory at Laurel Park, where she won by nearly four lengths. She’s been working well, and Joe Bravo’s made the most of his mounts to this point in the meet.

R10

Rucksack (MTO)
Overnight Success
Heza Kitten

#10 OVERNIGHT SUCCESS: Drops in for a tag and tries two turns for the first time, and either of those changes could wake her up. He set a solid pace last time out and has the tactical speed to clear most of the field from his outside post; #3 HEZA KITTEN: Drops back in for a tag and has been gelded recently. His start two back at this level was very good, and he’ll likely be running well late; #9 CALL THE CAT: Has questions to answer coming off the long layoff, but he’s a new gelding, the recent works are OK, and he’s protected from being claimed, which is always intriguing. DIRT SELECTIONS: RUCKSACK, OUR HONOR, CHATEAU.

THE DARK DAY FILES: How Can We Appropriately Honor Fourstardave?

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

Saturday’s feature at Saratoga was the Grade 1 Fourstardave. Named for one of the most beloved horses in recent Saratoga history, the race was won by another local favorite, Voodoo Song. Voodoo Song was previously best known for winning four times at the 2017 Saratoga meet, and this quickly inspired some in racing to compare the two horses.

I like Voodoo Song. He’s a cool horse and a great story, having risen from the claiming ranks to become one of the better turf horses in the eastern part of the United States. In a sport that desperately needs cool stories, his is a cool story. However, comparing him to Fourstardave does the latter a great disservice.

Records in sports are made to be broken. They’re how we measure greats of varying eras, and there are some that, try as competitors might, will likely never be approached. For example, we’ll never see a pitcher throw three no-hitters in a row and break Johnny Vander Meer’s mark of two, and we’ll never see an NBA player go for 100 points in a game, like Wilt Chamberlain once did.

All of this leads up to this one indisputable fact: Fourstardave holds the most unbreakable record in horse racing. No horse will ever win a race at eight consecutive Saratoga meets, and horses outlined on the hood of Ferraris will drive them before one of their fellow equines wins one at nine in a row. Shoot, the only horses with careers that long nowadays are converted steeplechasers, and those races are probably even harder to win than ones on the flat!

From 1987 through 1994, Fourstardave made at least one appearance every summer in the Saratoga winner’s circle. He was never a top-tier thoroughbred. He was never beating the likes of contemporaries such as two-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Lure, and an argument can be made that he wasn’t even the most accomplished offspring of sire Compliance and dam Broadway Joan (full brother Fourstars Allstar won the Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas). That lack of high-profile form is probably why, the further you get from upstate New York, the less people you find that fondly remember Fourstardave.

What he did have, though, was longevity unmatched by any horse that ever summered at the Spa. As a comparison point, let’s look at Wise Dan, the latest model of the “hard-knocking, hard-trying, ornery gelding” that the racing gods molded out of clay and gave to us for our betting and viewing pleasure. During his Hall of Fame career (and yes, Wise Dan bashers, he’s a Hall of Famer), he won a race at Saratoga in three straight seasons. He was in training for a 2015 return before he was officially retired.

Had Wise Dan won that season’s Fourstardave, it would have given him four straight years with a win at Saratoga. This is nothing to sneeze at, and would look great on a plaque across town at the Hall of Fame. However, and let this resonate…such a total would have only put him halfway to Fourstardave’s lofty total.

Unless scientists find ways to turn horses into indestructible robots, no top-tier horse will run long enough to even get halfway to Fourstardave’s record. It’s simply a different sport now, and horses that appear at four or five Saratoga meets are getting harder and harder to come by.

As the years roll on, Fourstardave’s accomplishments should be growing in magnitude because of that fact. However, it seems as though the opposite is happening, at least in some circles. While he was given an edible key to the city of Saratoga Springs upon his retirement, and even paraded inside local hot spot Siro’s, Saratoga’s Hoofprints Walk of Fame (in principle, a very good idea) does not have a spot for him as of yet.

Former Saratogian colleague Mike Veitch (one of the smartest, kindest men I’ve ever known) is on the selection committee. He and I have had a few conversations about Fourstardave’s credentials over the years, and from those, the information I’ve been given is that his resume does not have enough wins over top-tier competition for the committee’s liking.

This is a fair, accurate assessment of his body of work. As I’ve mentioned, Fourstardave wasn’t close to the top horse of his era. Having said that, if the purpose of the Hoofprints Walk of Fame is, as stated online in a recent NYRA release, to honor the most prolific and notable horses to compete at the track, how can one justify Fourstardave’s exclusion? It is physically impossible for any horse to be as prolific as Fourstardave was from 1987 to 1994. His wins spanned three Presidents, for crying out loud! And notable? The track the Hoofprints Walk of Fame sits outside of has a Grade 1 race named in his honor, and one of the side streets near the backyard bears his name, too.

If the purpose of the Hoofprints Walk of Fame is to honor prolific and notable horses, there is not a justification for Fourstardave’s exclusion. For the sake of this conversation, I don’t think it matters that he couldn’t beat the likes of Lure (to be fair, many others couldn’t, either). Over the course of his career, he accomplished something much, much greater. He gave fans a horse to follow and root for, one that wasn’t immediately retired at the first sign of trouble or handled with kid gloves because the connections couldn’t stand the thought of losing. We need more horses like that, and we need to appropriately honor the ones that have come and gone.

I don’t know if my voice carries to Saratoga from my little one-bedroom apartment in northern California. I’d like to think that it carries at least a few ounces of weight, and it’s my hope that the Hoofprints committee gives Fourstardave his due next summer.