Litfin: How I'd play Saratoga for Monday, Aug. 31
DRF handicapper Dave Litfin provides his betting line for contenders on Monday's card at Saratoga.
Dave LitfinAug 30, 2015
DRF handicapper Dave Litfin provides his betting line for contenders on Monday's card at Saratoga.
DRF handicapper Ron Gierkink's Horses to Watch list at Woodbine for the week of Aug. 31.
DRF handicapper Joe DeVivo provides insight into a pick three play on Monday's card at Saratoga.
This card is for the hardcore, the day after a massive 13-race Travers Day extravaganza. What’s more, it’s a tough one, too. There’s no single horse in any of the races on which I’d hang my shingle. Somewhat drained (mentally and financially) from Saturday’s pari-mutuel activities, I’m making one play on this card, the pick three covering races 6-8, and doing it in near-caveman style, with just one backup in two of the three races. Even if this sequence chalks out, it will cover the $48 cost of one $1 ticket, since I see no standouts in any of the races, though I suppose Ocean Knight could come in for serious race 8 support.
Contention runs deep Sunday at Saratoga in the late pick three, a three-race turf sequence, and the opinion here is to use three to five horses in each leg while emphasizing certain runners.
Stellar Wind looks like a standout in the Grade 3, $100,000 Torrey Pines, and I will single her in a pick three ticket that begins on race 2.
SOUPER COLOSSAL (#1, ML 3-1) is reaching his best form after getting off to a late start this year. Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. adds blinkers, and Souper Colossal can upset Divining Rod in this prep for the Pennsylvania Derby, Saturday's Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx. DRF Bets GamePlan is part of DRF Plus, get access here. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Trainer Phil D’Amato saddles Rocko’s Wheel (#7, ML 10-1) in Saturday's third race at Del Mar, the one-mile El Cajon Stakes. Since Jan. 1, 2014, D’Amato is winning at a 25 percent clip in route races, for a return on investment of $2.52. Check out the Positive ROI report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Below are my horse-by-horse takes on the 55 entrants in Saturday’s six Grade 1 stakes races at Saratoga (now 54 runners after the early scratch of La Verdad from the Ballerina). It would be a great lineup of high-quality racing even without the Triple Crown winner in the Travers. The six Grade 1 races comprise Saturday’s pick six with a guaranteed pool of $250,000, and the last four (races 8-11) make up the late pick four, guaranteed at $1 million.
Download DRF Plus handicapping reports for Saturday's races, including DRF Bets GamePlan, the Positive ROI Report, and Key Race Report.