Saturday horse racing Best Bets
We continue into the dog days of summer with the last weekend of July, but Team Tuley continues to look for value at tracks from coast to coast, highlighted by the Saratoga and Del Mar meets.
Last Saturday, John Lauro gave out Geaux Rocket Ride, who went off at 12-1 in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park and paid $27.40 to Win. Rampart race and sportsbook manager used Duane Colucci liked Kentucky Derby winner Mage, but used him to hit the $128 Exacta (for a $2 bet) underneath Geaux Rocket Ride and also hit the $154.60 Trifecta (for $1) with Arabian Knight running third.
They both joined me again today, along with Ed Sehon (aka Mr. Ed, who has his separate Saratoga piece at VSiN.com/horse-racing, as we have plays at Saratoga, Laurel and Del Mar.
Good luck today (and every day!).
Laurel Park Race No. 5 (1:55 p.m. ET/10:55 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #6 Freeze the Fire (4-1 morning line) in 7-furlong sprint. “Precocious son of Friesan Fire ready to take another step forward in restricted Maryland-bred contest. Jockey Jorge Ruiz, who was aboard colt for maiden score, gets leg up once more from veteran conditioner Cathal Lynch. I’m betting on promising speedball. Wager: Win.”
Laurel Park Race No. 6 (2:22 p.m. ET/11:22 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes a the trio of #8 Bonded (7-2), #10 Invective (4-1) an #11 Reconvene (3-1) in wide-open turf route. Wager: Exacta box of 8,10,11.”
Laurel Park Race Nos. 7-10 (2:48 p.m. ET/11:48 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes a $0.50 Pick 4 (cost $48)
Race 7: ALL (1,2,3,5)
Race 8: 2,4
Race 9: 2,4,6
Race 10: 2,3,4,6
Saratoga Races No. 8 and 10 (4:26 p.m. ET/1:26 p.m. PT)
John Lauro likes the chalk in the Saratoga stakes race. In the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (Race 8), he likes #4 Elite Power (4-5) and In the Grade 2 Jim Dandy (Race 10), he likes #2 Forte (7-5 morning line). “Elite Power should continue his winning ways in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt. In the Jim Dandy, I look for a big effort from Forte for Todd Pletcher. Look for him to rebound in a big way. I’m doing a parlay, and also with my Del Mar picks.” [Editor’s note: if your book doesn’t offer the parlay option, you can accomplish same thing by betting each horse individually and roll over your profits.]
Saratoga Races Nos. 8-12 (4:26 p.m. ET/1:26 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes a $0.50 Pick 5 (cost $64)
Race 8: 1,2,4,5
Race 9: 3,4,10,11
Race 10: 2,5
Race 11: 7,8
Race 12: 7,10
Saratoga Race No. 10 (5:45 p.m. ET/2:45 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #2 Forte (7-5) in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes. “I rarely like chalk, but I believe trainer Todd Pletcher will have his beast ready in this spot with the addition of blinkers. Irad Ortiz Jr. is on fire and will have him in the right spot. Bet 2 to Win and key 2 over 1 and 5 in Exactas, Trifectas and reverse.”
Dave Tuley likes #1 Disarm (6-1 morning line). “I also like Forte (but liked him better in the Kentucky Derby as I had a lot on him in futures before he was scratched the morning of the race), but in short fields like this, I love to look at the longest shot on the board, especially in stakes races like this. These are all quality animals and the favorites get overbet, especially since people think it’ll be easier for the favorite with the short field, thus making the longshots an overlay in many cases. Wager: Win and Place as we expect price to drift higher.”
Del Mar Races No. 8 and 10 (8:39 p.m. ET/5:39 p.m. PT)
John Lauro also likes two plays in the Del Mar races (see Saratoga races above) with #6 Defunded (8-5) in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap (Race 8) and #2 Spirit of Makena (4-1) in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby. “I watched the replays of the San Diego horses and, unless I missed something, Defunded should be an easy winner for fun. In the Bing Crosby, we get a bit of a price on Spirit of Makena as this should be his coming-out party and he’ll be right into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint to take on Elite Power.”
Dave Tuley likes #1 Slow Down Andy (5-1 morning line). “We don’t want this one to slow down as we think Slow Down Andy can steal this on the lead from the rail. Catch me if you can! Wager: Win and Place (if morning line or higher).”
Del Mar Races Nos. 8-11 (8:39 p.m. ET/5:39 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes a $0.50 Late Pick 4 (cost $75)
Race 8: 4,6,10
Race 9: 2,4,6,9,13
Race 10: 4,5,9,11,12
Race 11: 4,5
Del Mar Race No. 10 (9:39 p.m. ET/6:39 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #4 The Chosen Vron (4-1 morning line) in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes. “I can’t say enough about this winning streak. He crushed statebreds, now steps up again, ran respectable in the Pat O’Brien here last year. Jockey Hector Berrios knows this horse well and he should carry his momentum to the winner’s circle. Berrios and trainer Eric Kruljac combine for 27% winners and a whopping $6.13 ROI at Del Mar. Bet 4 to Win and key 4 over 5,9,11,12 in Exactas, Trifectas and reverse.”
Dave Tuley likes #9 Sibelius (6-1 morning line). “There’s tons of speed in this 6-furlong sprint, so we like this 5-year-old gelding to be able to stalk the front-runners and get the jump on the deeper closers in the stretch. Wager: Win and Place (if morning line or higher).”