Today's Best Bets

Saratoga Race Course Monday, August 6, 2006 Meet Total ... 23-106

Stop by the equidaily.com HOMEPAGE for all the day's racing headlines from across the country and around the globe. Bookmark it and stop by regularly!

Don't forget to check out the Challenge page where we started the month with a mythical $1000 bankroll and attempt to increase that amount as the Saratoga season continues.

AOL USERs -- or anyone who feels they're experiencing problems receiving this page in a timely fashion each morning, please bookmark, if the Best Bets archive page. We believe that going through the archive page to receive our daily picks should solve the problem presented by AOL's caching process.

Yesterday

2-10. Couldn't keep the ultra-hot streak from Saturday alive through Sunday. But we had a couple winners and a handful of OK gimmicks using the selections.

Announced attendance was 61,996 -- which, of course, was inflated by 'spinners' on cap giveaway day, but there was legitimately a very big crowd on-hand. Not 60K+, but a large crowd. It was yet another nice day weather-wise, sunny, warm, and the humidity backed off a little bit.

Today

Hall of Fame induction ceremonies take place at the Fasig-Tipton pavilion just up East Ave form the racetrack. Among the 2007 inductees are trainer John Veitch [Alydar] and jockey Joses Santos [Funny Cide]. The action starts at 10:30am.

Later on at the same venue is the first of two nights of yearling auctions. The public can attend and view the proceedings and it's usually fun to wander through the backyard and look at the horseflesh as they're paraded through moments before attracting goofy sums of money for untested 1YOs. The auction starts Monday and Tuesday at 7pm.

Some rain is moving through the area as of early Monday morning and off-and-on showers are predicted throughout the day. Keep your eye on that for possible surface changes.

FIRST RACE
Chunk of Love...Looks like there will be plenty of speed to shoot at and this one should be rolling late.
Jules for AJ...claimed out of a near-miss here on 7/29, now goes first-out for Contessa.
Marco Groom...Could be dangerous on the cutback.
Mutakaway.

SECOND RACE
Sweet Way...Didn't live up to his SoCal form in first start for Mott but we'll give him another chance.
Brantley...Looks like the one to catch.
Double Dinghy Day...Typically in the hunt.
Madame Brillon.
On dirt: Pleasant Rhapsody/Milk Town, Sweet Way, Michele the Great, Madame Brillon.

THIRD RACE - Weekend Surprise
Allude...Albertrani/Darley runner has looked good in last two.
Dicey Girl...Undefeated in two tries. The water gets a little deeper here but she could be this good.
Featherbed...G1-placed last year. Making third start of season for Pletcher. Dangerous.
Gem Sleuth.

FOURTH RACE
Show 'Em All...Half-sib to Showing Up and Gimmeawink makes debut for Clement. Working well and could be a good one.
Zee Zee...Making first start. Trainer hot and last couple of works are interesting.
Pletcher entry...Return to Paradise is eligible to improve. Nellie Trent seems bred to be OK here.
Nightnightnight.

FIFTH RACE
Dutrow entry...Same jock named on both so only one will go but both Premium Wine and Phone home look capable.
Joaquin Memphis...Look for a rebound to the prior good form with the return to a dirt sprint.
Running Dog...Has missed the board in awhile.
Precise Alloy.

SIXTH RACE
Unrestricted...Some very nice breeding here for win-early connections. A long string of works.
Mister Fusaichi...This guy has already been first under the finish line -- but was DQ'd. Gets high-marks though on that experience edge.
Runaway Banjo...Maybe the turf-to-dirt move will provide a wake-up.
Do I Havea Witness.

SEVENTH RACE
Chatain...We've liked this guy since Day One. He clearly has the talent to compete at the graded stakes level so he should find this bunch to his liking.
Disco's Son...8/2 work says he'll be rolling early.
Bound Notebook...Capable on best.
Sinkwich.

EIGHTH RACE - Hall of Fame G2
Marcavelly...His record over 'firm' turf is very good. A solid work in prep for this. But do take note that there is a possibility of rain. With the weather we've been having, some rain probably would be a bonus for the turf course -- but if we get enough the course might be downgraded from 'firm'.
Nobiz Like Shobiz...A contender in the 3YO division, so if he takes to turf he might have a class edge on these.
Distorted Reality...Seems to be improving.
Ambassador.
On dirt: Nobiz Like Shobiz, Marcavelly, Sahara Heat.

NINTH RACE
Brown Eyed Belle...Has some good early speed. Blistering work on 7/26. Might run these off their feet.
Western Sweep...If the top one falters this one could pick up the pieces.
Guts Game...Toss the turf experiment.
Cool Paradigm.

If we are interested in both halves of an entry -- in event of a scratch -- it is noted that way [in other words, both halve are named]. If only one-half of the entry is named, then we prefer that half and will move to our next pick listed [rather than the other half of the entry] in event of a scratch.

Archives of daily Best Bets picks and plays pages: 2006 ... 2005 ... 2004 ... 2003

Take this sheet to the track with you--It's FREE!
Simply turn on your printer and then hit the Print button on your browser...This page will print out and you'll have a Best Bets tip sheet to take to the track.

And read what your fellow visitors to Best Bets have had to say about this site...

Note to novices: Check out our track terminology page for definitions of track and wagering terms.

Note: Pages on this site are labelled with the equidaily.com logo. Some links are for information only and lead to pages at other sites. equidaily.com is responsible only for the pages on this site. equidaily.com assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Always check with official sources to verify info.

E-mail any questions, comments, or suggestions: