Player Quick Pick: Saratoga Pick 4 for 7/18/2014
by Andrew Champagne
Friday marks day one of 40 at Saratoga Race Course. The fields and pools figure to be large, and as such, the Spa represents the perfect place for large Pick Four scores, and that’s what I’ll be searching for. I’ll be posting one Pick Four ticket every day this summer, and hopefully it’ll result in some fairly small tickets leading to big payouts.
Anyway, without further ado, here’s the late Pick Four for Friday...
RACE #7: Unfortunately, we start off on a chalky note. A large number of bettors may single #8 Joes Blazing Aaron (9/5), who could easily be the lone speed in the race. If he repeats his last effort, a six-length romp at Gulfstream, he wins for fun.
I’ll add some security with #2 Monument Hill (4-1) and #3 Tiz Sardonic Joe (7/2). Monument Hill is a consistent sort who always seems to run well fresh, while Tiz Sardonic Joe loves Saratoga and has been very successful at this level.
RACE #8: Turf sprints are devilish, and in a race with no true overwhelming favorite, the ‘all’ button wouldn’t be a bad option. My attempt to narrow things down trimmed the number of horses used to three. #3 Aventure Love (7/2) won at this distance last out at Arlington, #4 Kiss Me Lola (5-1) has a win and a second in two starts at this route, and #8 Shanagarry (6-1) has been facing better horses and boasts a bullet four-furlong drill at Woodbine last week.
I’m leaving off lukewarm 3-1 chalk #10 Ballerina Belle. The post is a killer, and while she’s never run a bad race, a 1-for-7 mark with five second-place finishes tells me she’s a bad bet in this field.
RACE #9: The Sir Cat is the third leg of the sequence, and I love one in here at a bit of a price. #2 Cabo Cat (4-1) is the lone closer in the field and comes off a win in a similar stakes race at Belmont.
That race may have set up perfectly for him, but this one figures to as well given the ample early speed present in this field. If you subscribe to the theory that pace makes the race, Cabo Cat is a must-play.
Just to cover my bases, I’ll also use the two favorites. #5 Tourist
(8/5) has two wins in two turf starts and may be the speed of the speed, while #1 Storming Inti (9/5) has had the misfortune of running into horses significantly better than what he’ll face Friday. Still, I like Cabo Cat on top, and he may make this wager pay a bit.
RACE #10: We close with another pretty tough betting race, one where I’ll again go three-deep. Most of the talent lines up to the outside, and I’ll use #8 Winter Wish (7/2; closed well last out in a race with two next-out winners), #9 Jet Majesty (3-1; huge rider switch for a trainer who excels with horses coming off layoffs), and #11 Chasing Paradise (4-1; a repeat of any of her two races at Belmont may be good enough to win).
Going three-deep in each leg results in a ticket that costs $40.50 for a 50-cent wager. Hopefully, it’s the first of many winning wagers this summer at the Spa. Good luck!
Anyway, without further ado, here’s the late Pick Four for Friday...
RACE #7: Unfortunately, we start off on a chalky note. A large number of bettors may single #8 Joes Blazing Aaron (9/5), who could easily be the lone speed in the race. If he repeats his last effort, a six-length romp at Gulfstream, he wins for fun.
I’ll add some security with #2 Monument Hill (4-1) and #3 Tiz Sardonic Joe (7/2). Monument Hill is a consistent sort who always seems to run well fresh, while Tiz Sardonic Joe loves Saratoga and has been very successful at this level.
RACE #8: Turf sprints are devilish, and in a race with no true overwhelming favorite, the ‘all’ button wouldn’t be a bad option. My attempt to narrow things down trimmed the number of horses used to three. #3 Aventure Love (7/2) won at this distance last out at Arlington, #4 Kiss Me Lola (5-1) has a win and a second in two starts at this route, and #8 Shanagarry (6-1) has been facing better horses and boasts a bullet four-furlong drill at Woodbine last week.
I’m leaving off lukewarm 3-1 chalk #10 Ballerina Belle. The post is a killer, and while she’s never run a bad race, a 1-for-7 mark with five second-place finishes tells me she’s a bad bet in this field.
RACE #9: The Sir Cat is the third leg of the sequence, and I love one in here at a bit of a price. #2 Cabo Cat (4-1) is the lone closer in the field and comes off a win in a similar stakes race at Belmont.
That race may have set up perfectly for him, but this one figures to as well given the ample early speed present in this field. If you subscribe to the theory that pace makes the race, Cabo Cat is a must-play.
Just to cover my bases, I’ll also use the two favorites. #5 Tourist
(8/5) has two wins in two turf starts and may be the speed of the speed, while #1 Storming Inti (9/5) has had the misfortune of running into horses significantly better than what he’ll face Friday. Still, I like Cabo Cat on top, and he may make this wager pay a bit.
RACE #10: We close with another pretty tough betting race, one where I’ll again go three-deep. Most of the talent lines up to the outside, and I’ll use #8 Winter Wish (7/2; closed well last out in a race with two next-out winners), #9 Jet Majesty (3-1; huge rider switch for a trainer who excels with horses coming off layoffs), and #11 Chasing Paradise (4-1; a repeat of any of her two races at Belmont may be good enough to win).
Going three-deep in each leg results in a ticket that costs $40.50 for a 50-cent wager. Hopefully, it’s the first of many winning wagers this summer at the Spa. Good luck!
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