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Real Writing on Racing 💯

🎪 The beautiful weather continues though yesterday was the first day that felt like autumn is on the way.

🎪 The final steeplechase race of the Saratoga season went to a familiar face, just the winner wasn’t the one that you’d have expected. Keri Brion exploded on the scene last year and while she wasn’t quite as dominant in 2022, she still did very well. *(according to her Twitter account, she is now training Cross Border, presumably to transition him to a potential jumping career which is really cool) In this final heat for the jumpers, Brion wound up running first and second with 12-1 Theocrat (Ire) and veteran Bernie Dalton surging late to run by then hold off the favorite Freddy Flintshire. I was shutout for the season in jump races as my final bet was not to be, I wagered on the favorite early but cancelled when the price got way too low (off at 6-5). However I do enjoy steeplechase racing, the people are top notch, and the current set up on running the first race of the day on Wednesday’s seems to work well. A huge part of the allure of Saratoga is history and tradition and the jumping set adds positively to that atmosphere.

🎪 Jose Gomez on Ragtime Blues dueled early inside Bronx Bomber, eased back to get outside that one, reengaged at the top of the stretch and edged away late to get the job done for Kelly Breen. Bronx Bomber was just second best, second choice Casalsa chased and quit. Ragtime Blues was claimed but the claim was voided by the track vet. Bronx Bomber had 22 claims dropped with George Weaver winning the ‘shake’.

🎪 The fourth was an allowance NW3x going 9 furlongs on the inner turf, won in wire to wire fashion by Bye Bye Melvin for Johnny Velazquez and Graham Motion. The two Brown horses who went off at second and third choices, Flop Shot (Ire) and Value Proposition never fired, running fourth and fifth.

🎪 Inflation Nation (Ire) figured to go off favorite coming out of a good effort in the same class last out on July 22. Bet down to 4/5, the 2yo Speightstown colt sat a good trip under Dylan Davis for Clement, moved to the lead coming into the home straight and held off a determined runner up in first time starter, Mo Saturdays.

🎪 Race 8 was a seven horse field when it was drawn, it was down to a four horse field by the time they reached the starting gate. Short Summer Dress, trained by Diodoro, was sent off at 2/5, battled on the lead before being headed at the top of the stretch, continued to fight on through the lane before weakening late, finishing third. Stablemate, Invaluable (the ‘other Diodoro’) sat last early, drifted wide coming off the turn and ran by her three rivals in the stretch to score at 4/1. The entire field was claimed though the vet voided the tag on the runner up, Melting Snow. Short Summer Dress had 25 claim slips dropped for her. She’s a Black Belt was scratched in the paddock for having illegal shoes on.

⭐️ Be Your Best (Ire) was among the most impressive maiden winners on the grass in the 2022 Spa meet and she backed up that debut with a decisive rail skimming win in the PG Johnson. Jose Ortiz tucked her into a sweet spot behind the pacesetting Recognize, who was lightly prompted by longshot Damaso, right from the gate. Ortiz patiently waited for a seam to run through approaching the stretch and when Recognize drifted just a touch, Be Your Best (Ire) shot up the inside and drew clear with an emphatic 3 3/4 length win. Next stop Breeders Cup? Whichwaze, despite flashing speed in her winning synthetic track sprint debut, sat at the back of the pack, weaved through some minor traffic and was going best at the end, managing to grab the runner-up spot.

🧮 We will have a Breeders Cup Classic Futures pool 2 special out on Sunday afternoon with plenty of time for you to read and still get your bets in. Check with your ADW or local track starting today at noon eastern to make sure they offer the wager. Click here to see BC Classic Futures Pool number 1.

🆒 A really interesting look at the home of top stallions Curlin, Ghostzapper, Kantharos and many others, Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa by the ubiquitous Sid Fernando. Click Here to check it out. It’s a great read.

🏇🏻 Kentucky Downs kicked off its short but sweet racing season yesterday with Law Professor getting back to the grass and pulling off a 9-1 upset in the featured Tapit going 1 mile 70 yards. Favored In Love (Brz) made no impact finishing 5th. Dark day today in the booming Franklin, Kentucky metroplex (two for one specials at the local gas station hotdog stand!) but action resumes again tomorrow with 11 races including three stakes. The first two are $500,000 stakes for 2 year olds and then the $1,000,000 WinStar Mint Million (Gr III) that decidedly doesn’t look remotely like a million dollar race with the entire field combining for one graded win this year, a grade III upset at 35-1 in the FG stakes by Cavalry Charge. What a time to be alive! Yo racing powers that be… promote this race as the perfect example that you don’t have to be a billionaire or even have a really good horse to win a million dollar race! 43 starts- 1 graded win 💵💵💵

📺 TVG has transitioned into FanDuel TV and TVG2 is now FanDuel Racing with a lot of grumbling from racing types, many of whom also spent years grumbling about the actual racing coverage on that network. The world is moving towards streaming and racing has been doing that for years via ADW’s streaming of the track feeds. Of course it’s tougher on the older people who aren’t as tech savvy as the younger generation but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that a huge swath of sports viewing is streamed, PPV or some combination in the near future (Google - NFL Thursday/Prime). Here is some free advice for the racing leadership of America, develop shows that can be streamed that feature your product and focus on wagering not everything but. We have racing 364 days a year, not just Saratoga, Del Mar, Keeneland and Derby week, it’s the other 300 days that need the boost. Hire and train people that actually have a clue about what they are talking about (wagering and horsewise), that will do the work and provide valuable information (a select few qualify presently) for your customers, not just regurgitating what they can find in past performances themselves. Stop worrying about offending racing participants, frankness is desired among your customers, both current and future. There is a huge market out there that you’ve missed, but they aren’t dumb and you won’t find them doing things the ‘same way we always did’. End of free advice rant.

Day 37 (3 racing days to go)

Prioress Gr II $250,000 6f dirt 3yo fillies

1. Wicked Halo - Gun Runner filly won Adirondack (Gr III) over surface last year, comes in having won two straight non-graded, small field, stakes in a row at Churchill though at longer distances than todays six furlongs. Clearly capable and fast enough though rail draw isn’t ideal, 5-1 is a good price on her on the cutback.

2. Hot Peppers - likely pacesetter as the speed of the speed in here. Her speed figs are light despite a strong record overall, including 2 for 2 at six furlongs. Trainer having well documented poor meet which might be overstated at this point. There might be just enough other speed to keep her honest though it would be wise to see how the track is playing. Also as noted former OTB channel dignitary Tom Amello points out when a dirt race follows two straight turf races and it’s not super hot out, it tends to hold a lot of moisture, potentially leading to the “post 2 turf race dirt sprint speed pop” like yesterdays finale.

3. Lady Scarlet - erratic filly tried turf sprint last out, finding lots of trouble before finally capitulating. Her best can win as she has run TG 2.5 and 4.5 at this, her best distance but it’s tough to know when those big efforts are coming. Do not let her fall off your radar though, at double digit odds she is very playable.

4. Mischievous Diane - faltered in latest when chasing the pace, similar trip awaits today, not sure she is good enough at the point. For all his good work, trainer Handal is still looking for his first graded stakes win, and though I am sure he will breakthrough soon, I don’t think today is the day.

5. Bank on Anna - experienced NYB filly comes into this off of a state red stakes win against older. Finally got back to her top TG fig of 6.25 in that race 21 days ago. Probably need a small move forward off of that and she may be shuffled back further than her usual stalking position but she is not without a chance. Serpe has had a quietly productive meet (12-4-1-1)

6. Angitude - lightly raced filly cuts back from opening day attempt at wiring the field in the Wilton going a mile. Has ability but likely to be over-bet in this spot where she needs to improve to win, based on her human connections. Fading at a relatively short price

7. Sterling Silver - has flashed ability in state-bred stakes but hasn’t been good in her last two against tougher competition.

8. Half is Enough - 3 for 3 at todays distance albeit on the B circuit, ran well when stepped up in company in the Victory Ride (Gr III) but that race was not highly rated. Tried turf to no avail last time out and will need to be better than what she has shown as her best to be in the hunt here. Trainer does have good turf to dirt numbers but she is still tough to endorse today

9. Smash Ticket - scratched

10. Union Lake - makes her stakes debut today after winning two in a row at the maiden and entry level allowance conditions. Earned very good TG last out (5 when beating two next out winners) which puts her in the mix if she shows any improvement from that. Trainer Terranova having an excellent year and has been winning 27% over the last 90 days even if he has only managed 3 wins in 23 Spa starts. Potentially will lose ground on the turn from outside post in race filled with speedy types but she can beat these on her best.