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August 19

Saratoga
Lake Placid (race 8)

LAJATICO
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: Aug. 16, 3rd
Finish: 1^st by 1 1/4
Beyer: 88
A fast pace over a closers-friendly course did not foil this vastly improved front-runner, who wired second-level allowance foes with a career-best Beyer Figure. Turf sprint filly is in peak form, and longer distances are ahead at Santa Anita.

DEL MAR, Calif. - There will be a pick six carryover of $147,012 in the general pool and another $31,502 in the single-ticket jackpot going into Wednesday's card at Del Mar following a sequence on Sunday that was so inscrutable all tickets were busted after four legs.

In fact, just one ticket managed to have 5 out of 6. It was worth $31,502.60.

There was a mandatory payout in the pick six on Saturday, so the pick six began anew on Sunday. A robust $275,184 in fresh money was wagered on Sunday.

It’s a beautiful Sunday in Saratoga and the plan for me is to watch from afar for the first half of the card and make my way over for the second half. When you’re here for most of the meet, it’s not a bad idea to take the occasional half-day off.

As for my plays today, I’ll be focusing on the late Pick Three.

Race 8:

Race 4:
Chubby Star (#3)
Has been steadily rounding into form over his past three starts.
Got briefly shuffled back before he was tentatively ridden late against a tougher field last time.
Chris Englehart gets a 98 Trainer Rating with claimers dropping in price.
9-2 on ML
---

DEL MAR, Calif. - The pick six paid $20,139 to 58 ticketholders at Del Mar on Saturday on the blockbuster Pacific Classic program.

On a day with a mandatory payout, the bet began with a carryover of $258,750 from Friday. Bettors added $1,395,225 to the pool on Saturday.

The winners of the pick six races were Moonshine Memories ($9.40), Hunt ($8.80), Collected ($8), Edwards Going Left ($5.40), Dream Dancing ($15.20) and Powder ($8.60).

Consolation tickets with five winners paid $107.20.

I’m all in today on Vyjack in the Del Mar Mile (race 8). Surely, he needed his last start after being away eight months, and with a strong pace likely to develop, he’ll be in prime position under Flavien Prat once they turn for home. He’ll be my single in an all-A pick four to end the card.

Before then, I’ll try to get ahead by starting the card with a $10 pick-three part-wheel ($30 total) going 1 x 1 x 3:

Saturday’s card at Del Mar is fantastic, featuring three graded stakes races, highlighted by the Grade 1 Pacific Classic. The Pacific Classic is headlined by the highest-rated horse in the world, Arrogate; Arrogate’s most recent start in the San Diego Handicap was an unmitigated disaster, so it will be fascinating to see which Arrogate we get on Saturday – both from a racing and wagering standpoint. I’m most interested in betting the Del Mar Handicap, which happens to be the race carded just before the Pacific Classic.

RACE 7 – DEL MAR HANDICAP

DEL MAR, Calif. - There is a carryover of $258,780 in the pick six at Del Mar on Saturday, a day with a mandatory payout.

The pool of new money could surpass $1.3 million on a program with built-in interest. Arrogate, the world’s leading racehorse, will be favored in the $1 million Pacific Classic, which will be part of the pick six.

The pool must be distributed on Saturday, even if no one correctly selects all six winners.

The pick six covers the sixth through 11^th races on a program that begins at 2 p.m., Pacific.