Included was Shared Account, who won the Lake Placid Stakes (G2), returning $6.90 for the victory.

The three-year-old filly pressed the early pace, took command in midstretch, and held off a late run from Keertana for the win with jockey Edgar Prado aboard.

The “big news” on Friday was TVG and Betfair announcing they are sprucing up the purse of the Beldame Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park from $600,000 to $1 million if both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra show up.

The talking heads at TVG fawned all over the story throughout the day, so much so that I was tempted to call Zenyatta owner Jerry Moss and offer him $1.5 million to announce he was not coming so they would just shut up.

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I would love to see them hook up in the Beldame, but it does not seem logical that the connections of Zenyatta would ship the mare to New York a month before the Breeders’ Cup to run a one-turn nine-furlong race on dirt.

I certainly hope they do, but I am not holding my breath.

To purchase my full card report for Saratoga that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today click here.

Here is today's opener from Saratoga to get our day off to a good start:

SAR Race 1 Alw $48,000N1X (1:00 ET)

#8 Puregoodniss   12/1

#10 Paul's Ace   5/2

#1 Fort McCoy   4/1

#6 Love My Mondays   6/1

#8 Puregoodniss cuts back to a sprint and while I hate to back runners going from route to sprint on turf, this guy did run a decent third three back going seven furlongs at Belmont Park against $35K non winners of two. Last out the gelding set the early fractions and faded to finish seventh going long in a NY Stallion series race. Two back in the mud he missed beating state breds by a head in the mud. The gelding has three sibs that are turf winners and if this race happens to come off the turf and is contested on a wet track that would not hurt his chances. Either way his 12/1 ML looks good enough to give him a look in this spot.

#10 Paul's Ace was a game second last out at this level, beaten 3/4 of a length in his first go off a 2 1/2 month break. Two back he failed to fire when seventh behind repeat winner Kutais, who took a state bred Alw-2 optional claimer in his next start, then ran second in the NY bred Do It Fast Stakes on July 8. The colt has landed in the exacta in 4 of 6 trips over the weeds and he ran okay last fall in a runner up finish on turf with some give to it.

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:

SAR Race 10 Alabama S. G1 (4:50 ET)

#2 Wynning Ride   6/1

#5 Careless Jewel   5/2

#4 Don’t Forget Gil   6/1

#3 Funny Moon   4/1

#2 Wynning Ride is one of four fillies in this race coming out of the CCA Oaks (G1) last out and she checked in third, beaten three quarters of a length for the top spot. She tracked the early pace while down along the inside, made a move nearing the quarter pole and had the lead briefly, battling on gamely to the wire. I don’t think the rail was the place to be that day as most of the winners on the card were coming from the outer paths. She was making just her first start on conventional dirt and she looks eligible to move forward off that effort. Recent hall of fame inductee Bob Baffert sends this filly out and the trainer is always dangerous in the Big Apple, hitting at a 34% clip overall, 36% winners dating back three years at the Spa.

#5 Careless Jewel took the field gate to wire last out to win the Delaware Oaks (G2), which was her stakes debut as well as her first trip on dirt. The filly earned the top last out speed fig in the effort and the question is whether she can handle the stretch out here to 1 ¼ miles. She needs to avoid hooking up early with #6 Be Fair who has some early zip. The runner up and third place finisher in her last win came back to finish second and fourth in the Monmouth Oaks (G3) on August 15. She is by Tapit out of a Hennessy mare and I think she is going to be able to handle the extra ground.

#4 Don’t Forget Gil exits the CCA Oaks and did not have the best of trips. Maragh had to wait for some running room leaving the far turn and did not have a clear path through much of the stretch. She finished up well when finally clear and was only beaten a neck for the top spot. She has one of the more appealing pedigrees in the field if the track comes up wet, which is a possibility with rain in the forecast.

Wagering

WIN: #2 to win at 7/2 or better.

EX: 2,5 / 2,3,4,5

TRI: 2,5 / 2,3,4,5 / 2,3,4,5,8

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Monmouth Park:

MTH Race 9 Phillip H. Iselin S. G3 (4:50 ET)

#1 Researcher   7/2

#5 Coal Play   2/1

#3 Solar Flare   3/1

#7 Actin Good   6/1

#1 Researcher is coming off a runner up finish behind loose on the lead gate to wire winner Acting Zippy last out at Delaware Park. The winner came back to run a good second in the Majestic Light at Monmouth park, beaten just a nose for the top spot. Two back this gelding took on top runners in the Stephen Foster (G1) and while sixth, he was beaten just 2 ½ lengths for the top spot. Among those in that race were Bullsbay and Macho Again, the one-two finishers in the Whitney Handicap (G1) at the Spa on August 8, as well as Einstein and Asiatic Boy. He has won three of five on wet tracks and there should be some moisture in the racing strip today. The fact trainer Jeff Runco ships him here instead of finding another easier spot at Chuck Town means this guy is likely to rebound with a top effort here.

#5 Coal Play went gate to wire to win the Salvatore Mile (G3) last out, his third win in five trips over the Monmouth Park surface. The Nick Zito trainee owns a solid pace profile throughout and is the lone runner  coming in here with back to back triple digit Beyers on the resume. This colt also moves up on a wet track. He won the Majestic Prince here last fall over a muddy surface.

Wagering

WIN: #1 to win at 3/1 or better.

EX: 1,5 / 1,3,5,7

TRI: 1,5 / 1,3,5,7 / 1,2,3,5,7

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: #8 Puregoodniss   12/1

R2: #4 Bishop of Nola   8/1

R4: #1 Devil Approved It   10/1

R5: #6 Mannington   10/1

R5: 32 Greenspring   15/1

R6: #6 Cat Day   8/1

R7: #7 Asphalt   12/1

R8: #5 Double O Uno   8/1

R8: #3 Gathering Clod   8/1

R8: #10 Flexthegoldenpipes   8/1

R9: #6 Yankee Empire   10/1

Good luck today!