There are days when I find a horse in the past performances that I love, and barring some unforeseen betting action that kills its price, am ready and eager to back it. Travers Day at Saratoga just isn't one of those days. Most races there Saturday are so deep and competitive, particularly some of the stakes, that I'm instead taking a watch-the-tote approach, planning to back the overlays I see in the betting.
Travers Day at Saratoga is special, and Saturday's Travers card is as loaded as one would hope it to be to support the Grade 1, $1.25 million centerpiece of the nation's biggest race meet. There are five other Grade 1 events on the card, as well as a Grade 2 race marking the return of Lady Eli.
I began this meet with a casual attitude – hoping that if Saratoga didn’t see me coming, I might have a chance. The last two years I found myself spanked, slapped, and spit out by the old Spa.
Brad Free's horses to watch at Del Mar for the week of Aug. 22.
Trip Notes for August 21-22: Fourstardave, Alabama, Pacific Classic
Ron Gierkink's horses to watch at Woodbine for the week of Aug. 22.
The marquee race of the summer might not be the most attractive race on which to wager. After all, favorites should dominate the $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar.
BreezeFigs Quick-Pix for Saturday, August 20th, 2016 by Bob Fierro and Jay Kilgore
Del Mar and Saratoga are co-hosting a 50-cent, all-stakes pick four Saturday, a wager that is attractive in that it encompasses the best races from the two tracks and can be played for a relatively small amount. The latter detail is in part due to the presence of Songbird in the Alabama, where she will be singled on most tickets, including my own.
Del Mar offers the race of the summer Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic, which lured 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome, the three-time champion mare Beholder, and the highly talented Dortmund, who gave California Chrome all he could handle in last month's San Diego Handicap.
