Monday the 13th Saratoga 4

[bellsbendboy]

7) CHEROKEE FLARE looks the days best for Frankel. Half to Latent Heat et. al. Juddmonte homer gets blinkers and a so-so field of sophomores. Cherokee Run colt made the races at two and tried to win each time, sans the sealed surface downstate. Shipped west he disappointed twice on the turf, going two bends and shows up here with a very salty work tab with the move July 30 especially enticing. Scratched from a similar spot going six panels he sits dead red if the hood moves him up. Plenty of speed signed on so we will add 'Joppa who figures a perfect trip and any of his last few makes him competitive and although he is zero for ten he has faced a dozen or so stakeswinners.

8) NY, eight pole heat with three ten timers but we will hope the paper is correct and the pace will be hot enough for DRIZZLY to get up. Stone cold closer has been on the board in nine of his last twelve and while he could not get to Pay Attention in last, he does get a bit of weight today. Garcia sticks and several are coming off the shelf and those types generally show speed. A risky single.

TROY T D VANCE is pure racehorse. A graded winner coming off the shelf for very solid layoff conditioner. Homebred ran two big efforts in the Bluegrass when last seen and may have found a home sprinting on the weeds. Also FIRST WORD another Juddmonte homer who cuts back after blistering work and scratched out of a dirt sprint opening week. And Silver Timber who handled easier with a good set up, has worked back very well and drops some poundage.

10) Five long in a very bad field. GOLD PAGEANTRY who drops but is one for a million, Classic Impact ditto, Russian Affair who has had an eventful summer since switched to the grass, Any Minute Now who had trouble last nine days ago and DELTA PARK who was part of an entry and scratched out of the same race. Call it 4,10 / 7 / 3,4,5 /1,3,5,6,8 Good cappin. BBB

[bellsbendboy]

Had a decent edge each of the last three days and came away empty. Lost the Arlington pick three when Irridescence (SAf) would not change leads, after determining both Citronnade and Honey Rider could not win.

Then got greedy at Saratoga Sunday making multiple late pick 4 wagers without a winning ticket, yet both singles won! Knew that QUOTA had outworked older MSW Officer Rocket as an unraced 2yo, but DRF trackman Litfin made her his best bet and the price evaporated.

Yesterday had a strong opinion that the Godolphin would not turf, and, that Loushe (who Litfin selected) in the last would certainly not get the second bend. In leg one Joppa Flat's looked home as the favorite but Tagg's colt came and got him late. Do not know if Coa dropped his stick or just elected not to use it! Cherokee Flare our top selection was blinkered, off a bit slow, then between horses which is never good. Would give this one another chance as second time hood after this type of trip a terriffic angle, but would need more than 7-2.

Drizzly came onto the track in a lather and could not close into very soft late splits ( last five panels in some 1:04 ) after closing in his last couple much faster. Deep closers are the worst plays in racing but with two runoffs, both coming off the shelf he figured a decent chance, at decent odds. Big effort from the runnerup Indian Hawke for ice cold trainer and jock. Dutrow is dynamite off the claim and he wins the shake for this one.

Could find no reason to assume Afrashad would turf (Smoke Glacken-Whitesburg cross, Texas bred, initial launch on poly etc.) yet could not narrow sufficiently. Homebred T D Vance ($8.60) wins it for top shelf layoff conditioner as the secret is getting them fit and TD's work schedule spot on. Working over the deep training surface on; June 9th, 16th, 22nd, 29th July 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th and August 4th! While it was difficult to single this one, it would be hard to not have a winning pick 4 ticket, if you went that way.

Went five deep in the last eschewing distance challenged Loushe, whose pedigree and past performances scream sprinting on firm turf. Gold Pageantry ($11.80) gets a perfect trip and concludes a $1 pick four that returns some $700, which seems quite fair although the parlay was higher.

Not a very good attempt here but three days in a row too tough for us. About halfway thru this demanding meet and will bag a nice one soon. BBB