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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Wednesday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read
Good Magic dominated the Haskell Invitational (G1) on Sunday at Monmouth Park and likely will be the betting favorite for the Travers (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 25.

We backed the Chad Brown trainee in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at nearly 10-1 but he had to settle for second and we came back with him in the Preakness (G1) only to see him lose the early battle with Justify and weaken late to finish fourth.

Getting $3.00 to win on him Sunday did not exactly get the pulse racing.

What might get the pulse racing is the potential showdown at the Travers which looks as if it will feature a solid group of runners although Triple Crown winner Justify is heading to the breeding shed.

Among the others being pointed toward the Mid Summer Classic are Hofburg, Tenfold, Gronkowski, Catholic Boy, King Zachary as well as the filly Wonder Gadot, winner of the first two jewels of Canada’s Triple Crown.

It is never a dull moment at Saratoga and coming up Saturday we have the $1.2 million Whitney (G1) for older runners, a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). There are four supporting stakes including the $500,000 Test (G1) for three-year-old fillies.

Wednesday’s feature is the $100,000 Shine Again for fillies and mares that have not won a stake in 2018 other then state bred. The race drew a competitive group of eight led by Your Love.

The Chad Brown trainee is the 2-1 morning line favorite and is looking for her first stakes win. She was second in the Safely Kept and against optional claimers in her last two starts.

We have to worry about the weather yet again as there are scattered thunderstorms in the forecast and so far early in the meeting Mother Nature has not been cooperating.

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package for just $99.95. It gives you a month of Saratoga which is running six days a week and my Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday.

To purchase my Saratoga Report for Wednesday 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 (1:33 ET)
#4 Lady Vicki 6-1
#7 Heaven's Creation 8-5
#5 Eight Minute Ellie 5-2
#6 Bridge of Sighs 8-1

Analysis: Lady Vicki came off a 3 1/2-month break with a gate two wire score in the slop to graduate for a state bred $25,000 foes. The Beyer is coming up on the light side while she owns the top last out BRIS speed fig. The filly was making her first start since landing with the Gargan barn that is 22% winners with runners making their second start off a 45-180-day layoff. She has proven and bred to handle a wet track which we might see today.

Heaven's Creation makes her first start here for the Bruce Brown barn after a runner up finish against $30,000 non-winners of two, no match for a 7 1/4 length winner. In her first start against winners she set the early fractions and could not hold off the winner late in a runner up finish behind repeat winner Economies of Scale, who came back to beat restricted $40,000 claimers in her next outing on June 21. She fits here dropping in for a $16,000 tag but does have a habit of landing for minor shares.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 4,7 / 4,5,6,7
TRI: 4,7 / 4,5,6,7 / 3,4,5,6,7

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:

SAR Race 8 The Shine Again (5:02 ET)
#8 Your Love 2-1
#7 Heavenly Score 3-1
#5 Cairenn 9-2
#4 Come Dancing 7-2

Analysis: Your Love stumbled coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace, was in stuck behind foes in the stretch and had to wait briefly, got bumped and then finished up well when clear for the runner up spot. She figures to move forward off that effort for Brown who is 21% winners with runners making their second start off a +180-day layoff. Two back she came with a good late run to finish second in the Safely Kept behind Berned who has won a couple of stakes this year. She has landed in the exacta in all three of her trips over wet tracks which we might see today. She should get a good tracking trip sitting off what could be a lively early pace.

Heavenly Score is back on dirt after a game third in her last outing in the Intercontinental (G3) going seven furlongs on turf off a 4 1/2-month break, beaten a neck and a nose. The winner La Sardane came back to win the Perfect Sting in her next outing on June 30. She won 4 of 10 last year and ran second in the Cicada on the inner track at the Big A. The Terranova barn is 17% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from turf to dirt. She fits well in this spot and picks up Saez who was aboard for her last two wins.

Wagering
WIN: 8 to win at 2-1 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 4,5,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 4,5,7,8 / 4,5,6,7,8

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
R2: #6 Bridge of Sighs 8-1
R3: #3 Rough Justice 8-1
R4: #6 Terrible Day 8-1
R7: #1 Accabonac Harbor 10-1
R9: #11 Banana Thief 8-1
R10: #5 Musicality 20-1
R10: #13 Money Laundering 12-1

Good luck today!

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