Saratoga August 15 - The Locks

Saratoga races on Mondays where as usually Belmont and other fall/spring meets will be dark.   Adding to suggestions for attending Saratoga....as mentioned getting up the night before is important because you do want to be at the track in morning.   The morning you can see the real hard work of the track workers and the horses themselves.  Grab a coffee and  you have the choice of watching works at the main track or across Union Avenue at the Oklahoma training track.   Watch horses work-out...bring your stop watch and you may be surprised the times you track may not match what the clockers publish....take that as some inside information for when that horse runs again. Watch young horses get schooled at the gate.  


This week after watching the workouts...you could have head over to the Fasig - Tipton facility and preview some of the horses going through the auction ring.   Many people think that this is off-limits to the general population but its not.   Just act like you know what you are doing...go to the office pick up a catalog and pore over it like you know what sires go with what mares.  You should try to have some understanding of what sires are good and what dam-sires are good.  Then you can go over to a barn and ask the young sales company staff to pull a horse out of the barn for your closer inspection...just ask by the #.....  once out feign to jot down some notes about the horses confirmation (body, leg structure).  Make sure you look from the front and ask the sales staff to walk the horse for you......  recently we inspected horse flesh each that went through the ring for $200k+  - didn't really intend on buying but did want to see what these sires' yearlings looked like for future reference.   My brother and I at one of the first auction previews we went to.....Keeneland November of breeding stock...pulled, Ruby Slippers, a multi-million dollar mare out of the barn to look at...it was a bit naive for us to do but funny looking back at it.


As to today's races --- only picking a few ideas here...


1st  Wise Stop - will be the speed...question will be whether will be pressed on the lead - if not may win at 12-1.
2nd Grimmer - race after layoff could merely be a workout for this....at 12-1 may be able to match these so-so horses.
3rd Golden Weekend 4-1 only one out of the money start in 2011.
4th Miss Vindictive 10-1 and Poppy's Day have good 2011 in the $$ %.
5th Lets try to beat the 8/5 chalk with Devilish Silver at 6-1 and Dubai's Connection 6-1, DC has shown that wants to win by going 3 wins in 6 tries in 2011 but may have been hard used by Wesley Ward and Margolis is just trying to get the horse back to form.
6th Jack's Work at 7-2 will come off pace which may be the play as there are many that want the lead and pace will be pressured.  at 5.5f will JW be able to make up enough ground?
7th Font at 12-1 looks to improve from last outing at Saratoga, Northern Coast has 3 wins in 4 starts including same distance, same course within last 2 weeks
8th The Saratoga Special Grade 2 for 2yos....Stat is the chalk for Pletcher at 7/5...at 5-1 I like Union Rags who has been working lights out for this one.


Good Luck!!