Litfin's Saratoga plays for Wednesday, August 9

We're not having much luck with apprentice Julien Leparoux. He was aboard our bankroll play Harlanquin, who lost a photo at 9-2 opening week, as well as Lady of Venice, whose wide trip in the Diana cost us an exacta with Angara.

Good things come in threes, and evidently so do bad things, because we got Leparoux'd again in Monday's third race when our $50 win bet on 5-2 second choice Mister Supremo and Leparoux fell a nose short. Meanwhile, Leparoux seems to be having no problem at all winning other races in bunches, just so long as we're not on him.

What is one to do but shrug their shoulders and move on?

RACE 10

Elder Skatesman finished third, beaten two lengths, in his first two starts on the grass at Belmont Park in July. Those efforts are more than enough to make him very competitive in this field, and he is getting a big rider switch from J.L. Rivera Jr., who is 3 for 160 this year, to 19-year-old sensation Fernando Jara, who put up a flawless ride aboard Invasor in Saturday's Whitney Handicap.

The bet: $50 to win on Elder Skatesman.

Total wagers Monday: $50
Total return Monday: $0 (thanks again, Julien)
Total win/loss Monday: minus $50

Total wagers for meet: $500
Total return for meet: $111
Total win/loss for meet: minus $389