McGee: How I'd play Saratoga on Friday, Aug. 7
Race 2
I’ll start the day by using a favorite wagering angle: keying a contender in the third and fourth spots in superfectas. That’d be HUSHHUSHMUSHMUSH (1), who somehow has remained a maiden in 17 starts while racking up a huge pile of in-the-money finishes. I’ll use win candidates TEN TWENTY (4), MIND MAGIC (5), TOUCH OF PARADISE (8), and SUNNY AFTERNOON (11) when fashioning dime supers (and salting in a few other fringe players) that simultaneously requires one of them winning and Hushhushmushmush hitting the board again.
Races 3-5
I’ll start a pick three that requires either of the two inside horses – MATUSZAK (1) or ROMAN FIRE (2) – to prevail on the class drop in race 3.
Then I’ll play safe in race 4 by spreading with 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8.
Ending in race 5, the “A” tickets will roll with GAP YEAR (2), whose early races at 2 were remarkable, and the dangerous Marty Schwartz import ZVARKHOVA (9), and I’ll “save” by using 1, 3, 7, and 11 as “B” options.
Race 7
Barclay Tagg is off to a good start at the meet and jams the ultra-consistent TOWN EXTENSION (1) in for a tag. The gray horse draws well to the rail and should loom a major threat once they straighten up. I’ll play him straight and start some late multi-race play.
Race 8
Don’t know what kind of price BUGLE (6) will be, but she’s liable to be overlaid, given many fellow players will believe she beat weak 1x competition in her latest. I’ll still give a long, hard look to her because she’s a 3-year-old of real potential.
Race 9
Chad Brown, huh? Well, of his Hall of Fame quintet, I think NIGHT PROWLER (4) is best, especially if he continues to go forward in the manner he has all year. I will tie him up in exactas and trifectas with two of the other well-drawn Browns, TAKEOVER TARGET (2) and STARTUP NATION (3).