DeVivo: Pick three play at Saratoga for Monday, Sept. 7

Getaway day is often an opportune time to cash in on non-favorites. The past two closing day cards at Saratoga have produced seven winners that went off at odds between 5-1 and 38-1. With that in mind, I’m going to try and start a pick three with horses that figure to go off at double-digit odds.

Race 5: Although Bruce Levine is listed as the trainer of MR. ROESSINK (#2, 15-1), he’s probably still Jay Bernardini. Notably, the former Massachusetts-based trainer does quite well with route runners back in 10 days or less (12 for 45, 27 percent) with $2.26 return on investment. That includes a win and a second by this horse. I don’t think the outfit would have bothered to ship on short rest from Timonium if Mr. Roessink wasn’t sitting on a big effort at a distance he likes. PLAYING A JOKE (#9, 12-1) makes his first start off the claim for Mike Maker, who shows a 14-for-46 record (30 percent) with that angle in dirt routes with horses returning from a break of 31-60 days. TWICE MIKE (#5, 20-1) makes his first start off the claim for Jeremiah Englehart, who has been hot, winning with 5 of his last 13 starters.

Race 6: THEORY OF CHANGE (#1, 5-1) is a three-quarter brother to So Long George, who went 3 for 7 on turf and hit the board in the 2013 running of the Grade 3 Nijinsky. In addition, the last two years, Chad Brown is 6 for 19 (32 percent) with 2-year-old first-time starters in turf routes at Saratoga. Todd Pletcher excels with 2-year-old maidens switching from dirt to turf and sprints to routes (5 for 17, 29 percent, $2.20 ROI), so it’s worth taking a shot with KENTUCKY ROAD (#7, 8-1). Christophe Clement shows a 3-for-7 record with 2-year-old first-time starters in turf routes at Saratoga, which makes KUSAMA (#6, 6-1) worth including.

Race 7: The one favorite I will use in the sequence is UNCLE SIGH (#4, 1-1), who ran well taking a substantial drop in class following a five-month layoff and stays at the same level. I will also use COLORADO GRANDSLAM (#5, 5-1), who finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Uncle Sigh last time out and WHALE ROCK (#7, 10-1), whose trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin, is 4 for 10 at Saratoga with 3-year-olds back following a freshening of more than 45 days in sprints between 6 1/2 and seven furlongs.

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