Illman: Saratoga pick three play for Sunday, Aug. 17
Let's try a pick three beginning with Race 3.
The first leg of the sequence is a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies going two turns on the turf. Using Ticketmaker, I'm going to spread with two 'A' plays and one backup while attempting to beat the three morning-line choices.
#1 SWEET MAYA chased the very talented Cavorting in her debut on dirt, is out of a turf-winning dam, draws a very comfortable inside post position, and should be forwardly placed under Joe Rocco Jr. She's 6-1 on the morning line and offers value not only in the win pool but in the multiple-race wagers. (A)
#9 TAMMY THE TORPEDO is out of a half-sister to the good turf runners Criminologist and Rescue Squad and makes her debut for the extremely dangerous trainer-jockey combination of Chad Brown and Joel Rosario. (A)
#7 COOL COMFORT was green in her debut sprinting at Belmont but still ran on pretty well in the stretch. Expect Abel Lezcano to put her right on the front. (B)
Race 4
I'll use one 'A' and one 'B' in the middle leg of the pick three and will try to beat the 8-5 morning-line favorite.
#3 MADAKET MILLIE was hounded by a 23-1 shot in her first start on dirt yet still finished best of the pace horses in a race dominated by closers. If Rosario can give her a breather on the backstretch, she should be tough in her second start off a short layoff. (A)
#1 UNBRIDLEDEXPLOSION finished ahead of Madaket Millie in that nine-furlong start July 23 and has no qualms with this distance. Expect her to be rolling in the stretch. (B)
Race 5
I'll finish the Pick three with two 'A' plays.
#2 RING KNOCKER ran faster than par in a rock-solid debut for a barn not known for winning first out. She should be even tighter for this assignment and is going to be a very tough customer. (A)
#7 BACK FLIP is by a red-hot sire in Super Saver and goes out for Todd Pletcher. She shows a series of good workouts, and the dam was a stakes-winning sprinter. (A)
Here are the Ticketmaker plays:
All A ($2 base):
1,9 with 3 with 2,7 = $8
A's + One B ($1 base):
7 with 3 with 2,7 = $2
1,9 with 1 with 2,7 = $4
A's + Two B's ($1 base):
7 with 1 with 2,7 = $2