Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mike Beer handicaps the Thursday, August 27 racing card at Saratoga, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 6.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Salt Spartan (6th race)
Sixth Race
1. Salt Spartan
2. Madagascar
3. Maximum Promise
SALT SPARTAN pulled a good trip, but he still finished well once switched clear in midstretch to win his turf debut here last summer; pressed the pace before tiring in a race that went to closers in his next start going longer, then steadied in early traffic, before almost going down on the first turn of his final start before the layoff; has been holding his own in some tougher races so far this year; drops and moves to a perfect inside post for this. MADAGASCAR faced the undefeated Carc Brothers in his NY debut at the end of May, then moved up into a way tougher spot off the claim in his next start; endured a difficult trip in that last one before gaining ground too late. MAXIMUM PROMISE finished ahead of the troubled MADAGASCAR at this level two back; he also tried tougher off the claim last time to no avail; drops back down.
Here are Mike’s thoughts on the other eight races on Thursday’s Saratoga card.
First Race
1. Fun Toph Fun
2. Beltandsuspenders
3. Daddy’s Ready
FUN TOPH FUN wasn’t rushed early, then raced greenly in the stretch while picking up horses in what appeared to be a useful debut run; ships in and drops for the second start. BELTANDSUSPENDERS failed to break sharply from the gate in her debut at this level, then rode the rail before finishing gamely for third without real threat; can easily build on that effort, though she will have to be more alert from the gate as she breaks from the rail this time. DADDY’S READY is by new sire Speaker’s Corner (2-20 with first-time starters so far), from the female family of crack sprinter Soviet Problem (15 for 20 in her career, ten stakes wins); debuts in a likely spot if ready.
Second Race
1. Ice House
2. Wingfoot
3. Bold Scholar
ICE HOUSE has shown speed to no avail in his first two dirt starts against much tougher horses; new gelding gets needed class relief and breaks from a perfect post. WINGFOOT failed as the favorite when dropped in class two back; was claimed out of that race, and he only improved mildly in the first start for Linda Rice; drops again. BOLD SCHOLAR was nowhere in his MSW debut here on dirt; was given a couple of months off after that, then tried routing on turf to no avail; wildcard dropping in class and switching back to the main track.
Third Race
1. Capitol Hill
2. Yinzer
3. General Partner
CAPITOL HILL has been running well while up against both race dynamics and better horses recently; still a bit pace- and trip-dependent, but he is going to be hard on this field if showing up with his good race. YINZER has used his early speed to finish first in each of his last two starts, including the NY debut last month with a new Beyer top; looks like a threat right back. GENERAL PARTNER shaped with potential early on as a dirt horse before being derailed a bit by layoffs; was facing a strong field when closing late ground in his turf debut when last seen almost a year ago; starts back as a new gelding.
Fourth Race
1. Alternate Reality
2. Bedard
3. Sequential
ALTERNATE REALITY earned the top figure of his career over this track and trip last summer; good effort off the layoff two back when going early to contest the pace in a race won by a closer; stretching back out off the claim and breaks from a nice inside post. BEDARD has settled for second in three straight on the way into this, including a couple of losses at short prices; was on a turnback last time when failing to hold a stretch lead; stretches back out to make his first start off the claim. SEQUENTIAL was up in class off the claim last time when running poorly; drops back to the level off the claim for a trainer having success at the meet from limited starters, but he has never been this far.
Fifth Race
1. Attachment
2. Brickyard Belle
3. Fractal Goddess
ATTACHMENT is a daughter of Vekoma (22% with 2yo first-time starters) from a versatile female family; has looked good breezing on the turf for Weaver – 2yo, first-time starter, turf, sprint: 29%, $3.73 ROI, 4 for 10 in that sample at Saratoga ($3.94). BRICKYARD BELLE is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning turf sprinter Joe Shiesty (101 Beyer top on grass); expensive purchase earlier this year debuts for an excellent barn and gets a hot rider. FRACTAL GODDESS is a half-sister to Snow Face Princess, a stakes winner sprinting on turf here as a 2yo for this same trainer/rider combination; breezing right along.
Seventh Race
1. Nodin
2. Blackjack
3. Its Saturday Night
NODIN made a wide move and raced greenly in the stretch before finishing a solid second at a big price in his dirt debut here three weeks ago; might be able to do even better if he can race more professionally, and he should be a price once again. BLACKJACK faced Booked in his career debut, then tried contesting the pace and paid the price while in a much tougher maiden race last time; subtle class relief, and he has speed. ITS SATURDAY NIGHT debuts for dangerous connections, and he is the first foal from this dam, who was a debut winner as a 2yo (on turf); Summers 25%, $2.44 ROI with first-time starters in dirt sprints over the past two years.
Eighth Race
1. Wood Island
2. River of Deceit
3. Legacy Lady
WOOD ISLAND made a solid impression breezing in May before selling for $250k; was entered for turf in the debut, but handled dirt just fine when flashing easy speed before coming to hand nicely on the lead, and then getting away again when asked in the stretch; enters back on turf in a stakes race that didn’t come up nearly as strong as it could have. RIVER OF DECEIT did everything but win her career debut downstate; had to tap the brakes behind a rival coming to the stretch of that race, then took a game run at the winner on the lead before settling for second; hardly overmatched by this field despite still being a maiden. LEGACY LADY dominated on the lead when sent off at a short price in her turf debut last month; connections entered her in Wednesday’s Bolton Landing against fillies, but this might be a better spot.
Ninth Race
1. Ortus
2. Leave Me
3. Manor Park
ORTUS was racing cheaply when posting his win on turf last year, though he did overcome early trouble in that spot; he handled stepping up to this level just fine in his next two starts, including a solid effort over this course and distance when holding a lead down to the stripes, only to get nailed late, right before the layoff; looked like he needed that first start back when making a run to contention to midstretch, before coming completely unglued; has speed, and this race does not appear to be as tough as that last one. LEAVE ME has been improving with racing as a 3yo; put in a nice late run to break his maiden when given some class relief last time, though he is capable of keeping closer to the pace. MANOR PARK couldn’t get over to save ground, but he still put in a good finish to close down maidens in his first start for this trainer two back; got in over his head in a stakes race last time; back in the right kind of spot.
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