Friday’s feature from Saratoga Racetrack

Padding Your Bankroll: Friday August 7

Friday’s feature at Saratoga is the $94,000 Johns Call Stakes, a 1 5/8 mile turf marathon that drew a field of eleven and is the middle leg of our Pick 3 play.

It looks like the key to padding our bankroll today, as the turf race is a wide-open affair, and although I went four deep, I just as easily could have gone eight deep.

We have three longshots on our $24 ticket, and if we can get at least one of them home we can cash a generous ticket.

The play of the day is one of the cheaper races on the card, a $16,000 claiming race, which is carded as the third race on the day.

The Wesley Ward trainee Miss Fleetfoot is dropping into what looks like a soft spot, and anything close to her 7/2 morning line looks attractive.

Today’s Play of the Day from Saratoga:

SAR Race 3 Clm $16,000 (2:06 ET)
#2 Miss Fleetfoot 7/2
#1 Eclectic / #1a Boowoogeemalia 5/2
#4 Dressmaker 5/1
#7 Red Hot Jazz 6/1

Analysis: #2 Miss Fleetfoot is returning off a three-month break for the Ward barn that claimed her out of a win for $20K and brought her back to win for a $25K tag in the slop at Churchill going a one-turn mile. The filly has won 5 of 8 in her career and finds a great spot here tagged for $16K. It does not really look like a negative drop as the Ramsey’s like to put them in where they can win. Ward is 19% winners with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff.

#1a Boowoogeemalia is also returning off a three-month break and looks like the tougher of the entry sent out by Dutrow with CVel listed on both so only one will go. The filly beat $30K non-winners of two last out at Belmont Park in a sharp effort. Her entry mate #1 Eclectic set the early fractions and weakened to finish fourth last out against $25K foes in the mud in a race taken off the turf. The cut back to seven furlongs should suit here as she won two and three back going six panels. Dutrow is 26% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from route to sprint.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 2/1 or better.
EX: 1,2 / 1,2,4,7
TRI: 1,2 / 1,2,4,7 / 1,2,3,4,7

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Saratoga:

Starting in Race 7: $1: 2,3 / 5,9,10,11 / 1,7,9 = $24

SAR Race 7 Md Sp Wt (4:21 ET)
#2 Heirness, #3 Flower Exchange

#2 Heirness has a couple of bullet works on the morning tab as she makes her debut for the Chad Brown barn that won with a two year old first timer on July 31 here at 9/2. The barn won with 2 of 3 two-year-old firsters here last summer. The filly is by Five Star Day (16% winners with debut runners) out of a French Deputy mare that has dropped two other foals to race, both winners, top earner Smooth Air ($1.1 million). She looks like she is ready to fire and the barn goes to their go to guy Lezcano, who hits at a 33% clip riding for the barn.

#3 Flower Exchange set the early fractions and weakened to finish third last out in her debut at Churchill Downs. She was 17/1, a high number for a firster sent out by this barn. He had two in the race, which was won by a Eddie Kenneally firster that was sent off as the chalk. That filly was Cowgirl Mally, who came back to finish third here on opening day in the Schuylerville (G3). The barn is 26% winners with second time starters and with her early zip, she is a logical contender in here for a sharp two-year-old barn.

SAR Race 8 Johns Call S. (4:55 ET)
#5 Always First, #9 Rogue Victory, #10 Lord Kipling, #11 Mission Approved

#5 Always First gets the nod off a sharp win last out against optional claimers at Del Park going 1 3/8 miles on the turf. It was the gelding’s first win since taking the Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland last fall going 1 1/2 miles. This guy has been facing mostly tougher and Voss finds a good spot for him here in this stakes, which is restricted to non-winners of a graded stake in ’09.

#9 Rogue Victory made a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot last out against Alw-3 optional claimers at Monmouth Park. The winner of the race was Tastefully Smart, who came back to beat Alw-3 optional claimers again in his next outing on July 29. This guy has not been beyond 1 1/16 miles in his career, but he is by a Belmont Stakes winner (1 1/2 miles) and looks to be heading in the right direction form wise. Worth tossing in the mix here if we see most of the 12/1 ML.

SAR Race 9 Clm $60,000 (5:30 ET)
#9 Nemo Landing, #1 Emma’s Posse / #1a Proud Ruler, #7 Gulf Cat

#9 Nemo Landing is in for a tag and switching back to the main track here after two unsuccessful trips on turf. This gelding broke his maiden in his debut going six furlongs at Oaklawn park, then was fifth in his first start against winners. That was a strong field he met that day where he was beaten five lengths for the top spot. The winner was Kensei, who won the Jim Dandy (G2) and Dwyer (G2) in his last two starts. The runner up Hollywood Hit beat Alw-2 optional claimers in his most recent outing, and Slater’s Peanuts came out of the race to win a stake at Prairie Meadows in his next start. Three decent looking drills on dirt since his last start and the barn is 2 for 8 (with a +ROI) moving runners from turf to dirt.

#1 Emma’s Posse beat $50K claimers two back in the slop at Churchill Downs and is looking to rebound off a fourth place finish versus $50K starter allowance company last out. His entry mate #1a Proud Ruler has Mott’s go to guy Kent aboard and has caught wet tracks in each of his last three starts. Four back he broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park versus $80K maidens.

Price Plays From Saratoga:
These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.

R1: #2 Meander 10/1
R2: #2 Punta Nizuc 15/1
R5: #6 Uvada 15/1
R5: #7 Jersey Shore Girl 8/1
R7: #6 Awesome Vow 20/1
R7: #11 Speckledbird 8/1
R8: #9 Rogue Victory 12/1
R8: #10 Lord Kipling 12/1
R9: #9 Nemo Landing 15/1
R10: #6 Musical Splendor 8/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!