So another day passes at The Spa, another dilemma rears it’s ugly head!  Had 4 winners listed today, including a $93 pick 3 (races 5-7).  Unfortunately, I only had 1 winner on top ($5.20) and my two best bets ran second.  Not great, but not terrible enough for the dragon to get cocky!

Since day 1, when I keyed my top picks in exactas, I usually got burned when my second and third choices ran one two and I didn’t collect a thing.  So, my buddy Scott Rothbort did a complete analysis of my selections for the first 5 days and it was clear that we made the most money when we bet on exacta boxes of my top 3 choices.  However that wasn’t the best play today.  In most races, if you keyed my top choices up and down in exactas, you would have made out much better.  So what’s a frustrated handicapper to do?

Here’s some advice — stick to a plan and stay with it.  Maybe it’s better to key when you are ahead and box when you are trying to spread the ticket.  All I know is stick to your guns and you may stick it to the Saratoga dragon!  See you all on Wednesday!

Good and yielding today at Saratoga with races 3 and 5 off the turf.  Looks like the weather will be ok for the rest of the day so I’m picking with that in mind.

In race 6, The Fleet Indian, trainer Jimmy Jerkins puts the blinkers on Doremifasolatido (2) which is a winning move for this barn!  She has a class edge on the field and may not be the favorite.  I’m keying her in exactas with Karakorum Fugitive (#7) and Dance Gal Dance (#8) and will play her in doubles and pick 3’s.

In race 7, a 1 1/2 mile marathon on the turf for maidens, Lieutenant (#7) should like a soft course and can get the distance for trainer Allen Jerkins.  I’ll play an exacta box with En Fuego (#1) and use him in doubles and pick 3’s.  Here’s the entire card and good luck!

Race 1: 2 with 1 and 7

Race 2: 2 with 7 and 9

Race 3: 2 and 1A

Race 4: 7 (Best Bet) and 1

Race 5: 5 and 3C

Race 6: 2 (Best Bet) with 7 and 8

Race 7: 9 with 4 and 10

Race 8: 6 and 1

Race 9: 2 (Best Bet) with 6 and 9

Race 10: 1 with 10 and 2

So the dragon of Saratoga isn’t the only one who is breathing fire.  I’m finally starting to get hot, but I’m a long way from winning the battle.  Listed 6 winners in a row from races 2-7, 4 on top, and had a second day in a row of a flat bet profit.  Included in that streak was a cold pick 3 (races 5-7) for $73, a cold exacta in race 2 for $27, an exacta key in race 7 for $96 and a listed pick 4 (races 2-5) for $476!

See my picks to Monday at 12:30pm and I hope to continue the streak!