Day one at Saratoga has come and gone and I’m still standing…barely.  Listed 5 winners out of 9 races (the 10th was taken off the turf so the picks didn’t count), but only 1 on top.  However, I listed winners in the first 4 races, including a $95 exacta box in race 1, 3 doubles and 2 pick 3’s ($274 and $132) in races 2-4.  Hope you collected because I didn’t.  I forgot one of the basic rules of betting difficult races — hedge your bets and don’t press unless you are way ahead.  In race 1, I keyed my best bet but forgot to box and missed the exacta.  I also didn’t play doubles or pick 3’s with my third choices because I played bigger bets with my top two choices.  Winning money at the races is not just about good handicapping, it’s about being a smart bettor, which I wasn’t today.  I think I learned my lesson and I hope you will remember that when betting at Saratoga during the rest of the meet.

At the end of the day, the Saratoga dragon won the battle because I basically threw water on myself.  Let’s see how I do on Day 2!