At the Gate – Thursday

The storms came on Wednesday, delaying racing for 45 minutes and rain earlier in the morning washed the races off the turf, but things are looking better for the remainder of the week.

Don’t forget the $1.25 million Travers (G1) is coming up on Saturday and there are five supporting Grade 1 races and three of the races are Breeders’ Cup Challenge races.

We still have two good cards over the next couple of days, and Thursday’s feature is the $100,000 Riskaverse, a one-mile turf test for three-year-old fillies that have not won a stakes race at a mile or over.

A field of nine were entered for turf, which may still have some give to it after heavy rains fell on Wednesday afternoon.

Of course, trainer Chad Brown will be well represented, sending out the 7-5 morning line favorite Catch a Bid and recent maiden winner New and Improved (6-1).

As you can see below, I am going with the newcomer Hotsy Totsy, who makes her U.S. debut for the Christophe Clement barn. The filly was third in a 27-horse field in the Sandringham Stakes at Ascot on June 21.

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package. It gives you a month of Saratoga/Belmont Park Reports daily and my Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday.

To purchase my Saratoga Report for Thursday click here .

Here is the second race (the opener is a steeplechase race) from Saratoga to get the day off to a good start:

SAR Race 2 Clm $16,000N2L (1:22 ET)
#7 Lucky Bet 5-1
#2 Internet of Things 1-1
#5 Curlin's Knight 4-1
#1 Eddy Dirt 6-1

Analysis: Lucky Bet is back on the main track after setting the early fractions and tiring to finish seventh last out against state bred Alw-1 foes in his turf debut. He broke his maiden two back in his first trip going long, taking the field gate to wire to win by 13 1/2 lengths. He makes his second start off the claim by the Levine barn and finds a good spot here taking on non-winners of two for a $16,000 tag. The barn is 25% winners moving runners from turf to dirt.

Internet of Things was the beaten chalk last out on turf and is back on dirt. Two back on the main track at Belmont Park going a mile he stalked the early pace and finished evenly in a fourth-place finish. He graduated three back thanks to a DQ in the slop. His numbers two and three back are tops in here, but he is going to be a light price on the class drop.

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 2,7 / 1,2,5,7
TRI: 2,7 / 1,2,5,7 / 1,2,4,5,7

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:

SAR Race 9 The Riskaverse (5:06 ET)
#10 Hotsy Totsy 3-1
#6 Catch a Bid 7-5
#8 New and Improved 6-1
#3 Ionic 5-1

Analysis: Hotsy Totsy makes her U.S. debut here for the Clement barn. The filly checked din third last out at Ascot in the Sandringham Stakes which had a field of 27, beaten 1 1/2 lengths with my man Spencer in the irons. She was far back early and made a good late run. Two back at seven furlongs on the all-weather at Kempton this gal was on the lead and wired the field by six lengths. She put in a good work on Aug. 16 over the turf and Rosario takes the call. Lasix is added as well. She beat 17 in her maiden breaker and she looks as if she should be able to handle this group.

Catch a Bid broke her maiden in her debut on turf at Belmont Park and then was beaten just a neck last out against Alw-1 optional claimers last out here at 1 11/6 miles The winner Varenka came back to finish in a deadheat for the win in the Lake Placid (G2). Her two speed figs are tops in her and she is the logical one to beat her but is going to be a punt price.

Wagering
WIN: #10 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 6,10 / 3,6,8,10
TRI: 6,10 / 3,6,8,10 / 2,3,6,8,10

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Saratoga
R1: #3 No Wunder 15-1
R3: #6 Beau Belle 8-1
R4: #6 Soul Fight 10-1
R5: #6 Let It Slide 10-1
R10: #1 Deft 8-1
R10: #5 Sandy Lane Kitten 10-1
R10: #9 Foti 12-1

Good luck today!