Fornatale: Saratoga pick four play for Wednesday, Aug. 26

Let's take a horse-by-horse look at Wednesday's late pick four at Saratoga.

Race 7 ($25,000 claimer going mile on turf)

BIM BAM (#2) takes a huge drop for a barn having a quiet meet. He's unexciting, but he does have the right running style and this one-time graded stakes animal could be a factor with a glory days run. C

MILLS (#4) looks to be the best closer in the race on his current form. He is a flow upgrade out of his last race, when he was wide off a slow pace. I think he should have plenty of pace to run at and is an A-level contender to me.

PERMANENT CAMPAIGN (#5) had a little bit of trouble last time in the stretch, but didn't really quicken when he had the opportunity to do so. The switch to Irad Ortiz Jr. raises my eyebrow a bit. I think he's usable underneath at a price and will consider as a C.

MR ROSENTHAL (#6) should be in the early mix on the stretchout for the new barn. His local record and 0-for-7 mark at the distance do not inspire confidence. He can beat me today.

Venerable gelding COMPLIANCE OFFICER (#7) is a cool old boy with multiple back races that would bury this field. Both he and his barn have been cold in 2015. While he's racing for just $25,000 on Wednesday, you can't really call it a meaningful class drop when you use the DRF Formulator charts function to look closely at those fields. Still, I'll include as a C.

ESCAPIST (#8) is Compliance Officer's stablemate. He looks to be another pace factor on the stretchout but is not one I need on my tickets with all the other speed signed here.

DEPECHE CHAT (#9) is another cool old boy with an impressive lifetime mark (10 for 36). He's got recent form and figures that stamp him a threat. As it so often does, it will come down to the trip, which could be okay if Lezcano manages to save ground on at least one of this race's two turns. I'm calling him an A.

LUCKY KITTEN (#1) is another pace factor who has benefitted from favorable setups in the minor leagues. Coupled with a live-looking stablemate, so call him a B even though I don't love him.

Even more pace comes in the form of PAY IT FORWARD (#10). New barn is 0 for 9 off the claim at Saratoga over the last five years, with seven of those going off less than 6-1. Have a feeling this guy makes it 0 for 10.

BRANDED HAND (#1A) is dropping, gets a good set up, and isn't far behind these on figures. I'd like him more if he were uncoupled, but I'll still use at the B level.

Illinois-bred LAYTHATPISTOLDOWN has been thriving racing against suspect competition with favorable race flows. Jose Ortiz will use his tactical speed and try to get position, but my suspicion is that between the weight, the post, the likely price, and all the other speed that he is one to oppose.

Race 8 ($80,000 N3X optional claimer for fillies and mares at six furlongs)

MILAM (#2) is a closer in a race that figures to be won on or near the lead. All the layoff lines give plenty of pause as well. Javier Castellano sees fit to ride, but that's not enough for me here.

FRIVOLITY (#1) has run some fast races, but her best work has come at Laurel and on the Aqueduct inner. I'll be curious to read in the DRF Clocker Report about how she's been doing in the morning, but my inclination from here is to leave her out.

WAVELL AVENUE (#3) is another who is potentially pace compromised, but I see her as the best closer in here, so I will include in my grades. Sometimes, it's a good thing to cover all types of pace scenarios, even the ones you don't actually see happening. C.

Multiple graded stakes placed SWEET WHISKEY (#4) is the best speed and classiest horse in this field. She is a flow upgrade out of her last three races. She has to be used as an A or even A+.

MEDAGLIA D'ARGENTO (#5) is ambitiously placed off the claim and simply seems too slow.

KATIE'S GARDEN (#6) is an interesting item. She ran her best race here a year ago, but hasn't been seen in 10 months. Of course, she was off a big layoff last year, too, so we know she can get fit enough to win off works. Trainer John Shirreffs is having a fine meet. I'm using as an A.

Indiana-bred IRISH NUGGETS (#7) could potentially spoil the party for Sweet Whiskey. However, I have trouble envisioning her putting away that rival and still holding off the others.

AIREOFDICTINCTION (#1A) is in for a tag after running in a whole lot of stakes races in a row. Still, I'm not sure that's going to be enough to get her going in this spot, given the stakes-quality level of her competition.

Race 9 (John's Call, restricted stakes going 1 5/8 miles on the grass)

GLOBAL STRIKE (#1) is supremely obvious for all-world connections with a potential pace advantage. Last time, Global Strike probably cost Heyaarat second by coming out in the stretch and was DQ'd, giving Wednesday’s rival Da Big Hoss the victorty. That adjudication aside, Global Strike was still much the best. He's got to be an A, but we'll continue to dig deeper as he will not be an appealing price in a competitive race at an unusual distance.

Can't blame the connections for taking a shot with SHARP OMAR (#2), but he has a lot to find on form with the likes of Global Strike. Note his decent runs going long have all been aided by good setups.

MORNING CALM (#3) is a very consistent stakes-placed performer. It will be interesting to see if they place him forwardly (like last time when he was overmatched in the Bowling Green) or if he'll revert to his deep closing ways. If he is able to lay close and see out the trip, he could be interesting at a price. C.

HOLIDAY STAR (#4) was second in this race last year and arrives in good form. The race two back was an obvious prep and set him up nicely for his Cape Henolopen score (though I still can't believe Montclair didn't get up). Graham Motion can be trusted implicitly when it comes to turf marathons (last five years in a big sample he's 23 percent with a $3.31 ROI going 10 furlongs or farther on grass). I don't love that he's giving six pounds to the chalk, but I still think he's an A.

RUM TUM TUGGER (#5) goes out for another trainer who excels with turf marathoners, Motion's old boss, Jonathan Sheppard. Still, I could only include as a C out of deference to the master, but will likely leave out for cost considerations.

DA BIG HOSS (#6) gets a rematch with Global Strike, over whom he was put up last time. I'm struggling to see why he's going to reverse form Wednesday, but he certainly fits on figures and isn't far off on form. I believe there's more value opposing than in using.

ATHERTON (#7) would need a major boost to be competitive with these.

MANCHURIAN HIGH (#8) requires an awful lot of imagination, but hear me out: he was third in this last year (a neck to Holliday Star) and has run well in good company since. It's difficult to just explain away the recent subpar form, but at a huge number, I'll include for a penny. C.

Race 10 ($40,000 maiden claimer for fillies and mares, 1 1/16 miles on turf)

STARSHIP HOSTILITY (#1) simply looks too slow.

YOUR TURN (#2) looks too slow as well, but I do have a couple of trip notes (poor break last time, steadied hard two back). I'll probably save in the win pool if we're alive.

ARANA (#3) drops to a new low level and has some strong bits of form (check out that company line three back). You can safely toss the slop effort last time, which she might have needed anyway. The barn is cold at the moment, but that can change in a hurry. B.

BREAK AWAY (#4) is obvious off the near-miss last time where she made a visually impressive middle move and was only beaten a neck. She's an A.

SUMMER CHANT (#6) comes out of that same race, but I wasn't too impressed. Yes, she was invloved in the bumping incident in the stretch, but I believe she was empty at the time. Gut says there will be more value in opposing than including.

ZENNE (#6), a 5-year-old mare making only her second start would be a great story but will beat me.

With projected improvement for the race under her belt and normal maturation, CAPE ANN (#7) doesn't have to improve all that much from her debut for a barn that's won a lot of races up here over the years. C.

BELPIANA (#8) is logical as she's dropping again and owns one of the best figs in the field. She could be closer to the pace at this level. I'll use as a C.

VIOLET ROAD (#9) is a trip horse out of the last, where she idled early and showed some gameness in the lane battling through traffic. Perhaps the blinkers help her get away with more alacrity here. A.

LIGHTNING ROSIE (#10) could improve second-out on the drop for sharp trainer Tom Bush. Julien Leparoux lands elsewhere, but I'm still inclined to use. C.

POINTE CLASS (#11) might have a pace edge, but why is she dropping? Perhaps just to win a race at Saratoga I suppose – after all, trainer Todd Pletcher's numbers dropping from MSW to MCL on turf at Saratoga are excellent (3 for 9 with a $3.58 ROI). I have to use as an A.

KITTEN'S ANGEL (#12) might try a change in tactics from her far outside post. I think she might have to as there doesn't seem to be a lot of pace to set up a closer here. She comes back in two weeks, but trainer Mike Maker can be trusted with that move. All in all, I'm trying to beat.

MAMA RED HOT (#13) was an interesting trip horse out of the race two back, where she was wide throughout and galloped out well. She popped for second at a price last time, beating Kitten's Angel in the process. I don't love the setup she's likely to get here.

:: See Peter Thomas Fornatale’s pick three play in DRF TicketMaker and bet it with DRF Bets