Today's Best Bets

Saratoga Race Course Thursday, August 18, 2022 Meet Total ... 78-255 [$523.40]

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Merrow's picks can also be found on most Saratoga racing says at the Capital OTB Handicappers' Report. Also on a rotating basis throughout the Saratoga meet in the hard copy of the Albany Times-Union.

Turf picks are turf only - unless otherwise indicated.

2022 Best Bets Picks/Plays archive.

Yesterday

4-10. Winners in R2 [5.10], R3 [3.70], R5 [28.00], R9 [2.60]. Also, R2 ... Ab-Cd-Bc 5.10 x 20.60 t 29.60 A scr; R3 ... ACx 3.70 x 9.40; R4 ... CAx x 15.00; R5 ... AEC 28.00 x 135.50 t 560.00; R9 ... ABx 2.60 x 7.80; R10 .. BDAC x 49.40 t 126.00 s 519.00.

Attendance: 24648. Weather was ... variable. Funny day. Started sunny and comfortable. Got a little bit humid mid-card. A brief shower right around R6. Then overcast and slightly cooler.

Today

FIRST RACE
Sensibleconslusion...Touch of class relief might be beneficial.
Lucky Mucho Man...Kind of a blah effort in a similar event last time.
Olympic Dreams...Has the potential to out-class these -- but hard to get excited about the debut -- which was on turf.
Uncle Water Flow.

SECOND RACE
Caragate...Moves to next condition of a win - but looks capable in here. Check Mia Bea Star in Wed's R8 for a little bit of a barometer here.
Bustin Bay...Confident move up and Irad hops onboard.
Epona's Dream...Looks competitive here.
Ifihadachance.

THIRD RACE
Get the Candy...Might take them all the way.
Sassy Melissa...Better than latest.
Jill's a Hot Mess...Ran well vs similar last time.
Fontanafredda.
Dirt: 7-5-3-6.

FOURTH RACE
Stage Left...Coming in off of a nice win here on 7/23.
Flamingo Hawk...Similar to top pick - but scored vs a little bit lesser.
Mexican Wonder Boy...Capable.
Rejected Again.

FIFTH RACE
Hey Eugene...Win-early sire. Worked 10.2 before auction. Sib Focus First started career 2,1,8,1,2,1.
Childers...Has win-early sibs.
Clear the Deck...Experience counts.
Forbidden Secret.

SIXTH RACE
April First...Seems like a spot to go with a debut runner.
Recognize...Has some win-early sibs and might be interesting stretching out and moving to turf.
Orange Freeze...ML fave but sibs aren't particularly inspiring.
Satrah's Dialed In.
Dirt: 2-4-8-5.

SEVENTH RACE
Veterans Beach...Class move is beneficial going NY-bred Alw to open clmr.
Charles Chrome...Seems the one to beat.
Immortalization...Moves to a better level.
Boom Boom Kaboom.
Dirt: 9-8-7-6.

EIGHTH RACE
Nabokov...Moves back to proper N1X level.
Complete Agenda...Fired an improved Beyer here recently.
Winit...Improving through first four.
Perceived.

NINTH RACE - $150K NYSS
Robyn and Eli...Hard to know what to make of the latest. Prior tries seems good enough.
Howdyoumakeurmoney...Hmm. Only hit the board once this year - but seems to fit here.
Dream Central...Comes out of wins in two similar events.
Busy Morning.
Dirt: 2-8-6.

TENTH RACE
Uragano...Might have the edge moving in for a tag.
Lookin Grand...Beaten as fave when dropped in for a tag last time.
Loz...Also moving into a claimer.
Toga Dancer.
Rush to Honor.
Dirt: 1-6-8-7-5.

If we are interested in both halves of an entry -- in event of a scratch -- it is noted that way [in other words, both halves 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: 2013 ... 2012 ... 2011 ... 2010... 2009 ...2008 ... 2007 ... 2006 ... 2005 ... 2004 ... 2003

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