TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

Hit the opening day DD last year & hopefully will do it again this year.

Race 1 DD 17 with 457

#2 couldn't hold off the chalk down the stretch & ran 2nd. #7 didn't fire.

Race 2 boxing 6-9

Damn..ran 2nd & 3rd!

#9 got 2nd @ 10-1

Race 5 #1 Bold Victory hopped at the start & lost all chance to catch the runaway winner his last. Moving up to the big time today but attracts Javier @ 13-1

Small WPS play

CORRECTION : DYLAN  DAVIS RIDES #5

Didn't matter who rode since Bold Victory didn't fire. 

Prat won easily on #2 Dust Devil who got claimed for 20k.

Race 7 #11 Need Some Money WPS

Nope in Race 7

Race 8 WPS #5 Kingfish Stevens

Kingfish couldn't catch Irad on the chalk & settled for 3rd.

Race 9 #Closing Act has won both her races a month apart for Asmussen. This will be her 3rd. ML of 10-1 was ridiculous IMO. She could be a good one.

Tri key 6 with 25711

Closing Action finished a closing 3rd but the maiden #2 Beck's Joker won with Javier @ 22-1!

Well, that's the first shocker of the meet.

The finale has a Honk for Donk play (4 & 5) but the myth has only made money in 2 of the last 13 opportunities. I make a small wager on these chances but it's been cold as an fyi. 

All of the races have been tough today & the 10th has maiden claimers which tells me all the owners are not afraid of losing their filly. So, it will take you 40k to claim one.

Irad on #14 @ 10-1; Prat on the chalk #7; Javier on #12 & Johnny V on #4 for Donk boxed

Trainer Tom Amoss said it's real hard to cap Saratoga for players & even more difficult for trainers.

TOUCHDOWN!!!

Irad wins on #14 @8-1 

Tri 14-7-12  $235

Ex 14-7 pays $72

Ready for tomorrow!!!!

Unreal  Prat got 2nd....

Needed Irad in that race ....

@bigred84

 Yea Prat came flying home from way back to grab 2nd. I would have preferred Javier holding on to 2nd @ 19-1. It would have made the ex/tri juicier.

Too many scratches today at the SPA for me to make any serious plays. I'll pass & start capping Saturday's card.

In the Diana tomorrow, Chad Brown trains 4 of the 5 entrants including In Italian. Do you think any of the 3 will try to burn out In Italian in a speed duel? Not likely IMO. A couple weeks ago in Cali, Baffert had all 4 entrants in a stakes. Big barns & rich owners control the industry. Check this out..

Look at the trainer leader board on Equibase & the sheer volume of runners the leaders are sending out. It's only July, but already Brad Cox has had 451 starters. Todd Pletcher 494, Mike Maker 572, Robertino Diodoro 516, Steve Asmussen ¨C wait for it ¨C 1,264.  The entire 2020 foal crop was only 18,454.

So these 5 barns have raced 19% of the new foals. It makes it so great when a small barn can slay one of these Goliaths. 

no doubt....