HORSE RACING: Andrew Champagne’s picks, analysis, bankroll

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. —

Best Bet: Star of Mystery, Race 9

Longshot: Heathguard, Race 7

Race 1:

Chanteuse

Martingale

Reliable Lady

#2 CHANTEUSE (6/5): Set the early pace in her debut, where she ultimately faded to finish fifth behind a talented stablemate. Seven furlongs is a tricky distance to debut at, and I’m expecting a step forward at second asking for powerhouse connections; #5 MARTINGAME (9/2): May have needed her last-out effort, which was her first outing in nearly five months. Chad Brown shipping horses in from Monmouth used to be a red flag, but he’s won with many horses that fit this profile in the past few years; #3 RELIABLE LADY (7/2): Comes back to the dirt after trying turf for the first time. She’s run fairly well on dirt in the past, and she could move forward if she overcomes the gate issues that have arisen in all three prior outings.

Race 2:

Stormquist

Paschal Moon

Giant’s Fire

#5 STORMQUIST (5/2): Cuts back to a sprint and drops down in class after several starts against optional claiming foes. This restricted claiming event looks much weaker, and anything close to her two or three-back tries would make him tough to beat; #3 PASCHAL MOON (4-1): Responded to the drop in class last time out with a solid second downstate. He was claimed out of that race by a barn that doesn’t claim many runners, and it’s fair to assume this one has found his friends; #4 GIANT’S FIRE (4-1): Hasn’t won in quite a while but exits several fast heats against higher-level competition. His lone win came at this 6 1/2-furlong distance, and he could sit an ideal stalking trip.

Race 3:

Military Road (MTO)

Repole entry

Tom Collins

REPOLE ENTRY (6/5): Either runner could win this. #1 STEADFAST RESOLVE goes second off the bench after making a middle move last time out, while #1A STORM READY has improved in all three starts to date and has posted several very strong speed figures; #5 TOM COLLINS (5-1): Hasn’t run for nine months, but gets Lasix for his 3-year-old debut and has plenty of back form. One of his 2023 efforts was a close-up third behind the classy Agate Road, and he’s a contender if he’s ready to fire off the bench; #4 PASSIVE MANAGEMENT (3-1): Debuts for Chad Brown and boasts a world-class turf pedigree. He’s by Dubawi and out of a Galileo mare, so he’s got every right to be a runner. The question is, should we read anything into a lack of works beyond four furlongs?

Race 4:

What’s Up Bro (MTO)

Twenty Six Black

Yarrow

#4 TWENTY SIX BLACK (3-1): Is one of several horses coming in off of a race here last month. He was second that day despite a wide trip, and he’s yet to run a bad race with Lasix. He’ll run with it again here, and that makes him a formidable foe; #6 YARROW (3-1): Has never finished worse than third in five local starts, including a close-up third last time out. This is his third start off the bench, and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Joel Rosario sees fit to ride back for Christophe Clement; #7 TUNISIAN SPRING (2-1): Had some traffic trouble last time out and may appreciate the outside draw in this event. His late-2023 form is very strong, and he’ll have a chance if he can channel it.

Race 5:

Saffa’s Day

Funny Joke

Cold as Hell

#9 SAFFA’S DAY (5/2): Takes a significant class drop that’s simply too hard to ignore. He was claimed for $80,000 two starts ago, runs for a quarter of that tag here, and could be in a prime position given his tactical speed; #5 FUNNY JOKE (8-1): Made her first start in more than a year last month and didn’t disgrace himself. He set a fast pace in the slop before fading, and he should be much sharper in his second start back; #8 COLD AS HELL (12-1): Merits a look underneath at a price given his back class. He’s spent this season going up against allowance foes, and his last start for a tag in late 2023 saw him run a strong second for three times the price he’s in for today.

Race 6:

Classic Time

Reteko

King’s Leap

#10 CLASSIC TIME (5/2): Just missed in an open maiden race last time out, one where he didn’t break well and still nearly found a way to win. He draws well in his second start, which is a restricted event that sure looks like a less-imposing spot; #2 RETEKO (9/2): Debuts after a strong series of downstate drills, and while this barn’s horses sometimes need a race to get going, there’s plenty to like. That last drill was the third-fastest of 109 at the distance, and first-call rider Javier Castellano has the call; #6 KING’S LEAP (10-1): Comes in from Finger Lakes for a barn who knows how to ride down the Thruway and get the money. This one sports a few bullet drills ahead of his unveiling, and while the pedigree says he may want more ground, the presence of Finger Lakes-based jockey Luis Perez may be a clue he’s ready to run right away.

Race 7:

Gun Maestro (MTO)

Heathguard

Mauritius

#9 HEATHGUARD (15-1): Has shown enough for me to break a long streak of chalk or near-chalk on top. He ran well when fourth last time out and goes second off a short break in a spot that sure seems to set up for a closer like him to come pick up the pieces; #7 MAURITIUS (4-1): Broke a long drought with a wire-to-wire score last time out against restricted claiming company. That stretch, though, featured several agonizing near-misses, and when this barn gets horses on the right track, they tend to stay in good form; #11 OUR COUNTRY (8-1): Hasn’t run in nine months but is a contender if he’s ready to run. He was last seen rallying to win a two-turn turf route at Aqueduct, and that day’s rider, Joel Rosario, sees fit to saddle up in this wide-open event.

Race 8:

Miss Justify

Bells Beach

Striker Has Dial

#1 MISS JUSTIFY (3-1): Gets the benefit of an inside draw in the Wilton, which is contested out of the one-mile Wilson chute. Inside speed usually does very well at this route, and if her last-out score is any indication, she’ll be prominent from the jump beneath top jockey Flavien Prat; #6 BELLS BEACH (5/2): Takes a big step up in class, but that’s not surprising given the ease with which she graduated out of the maiden ranks last month. She cruised home by nearly six lengths at Churchill Downs in a race that came at this distance, and a repeat effort would give her a big chance; #4 STRIKER HAS DIAL (3-1): Splashed home to win at first asking before running into Ways and Means here last month. She did, however, run a credible second and beat the third-place finisher by more than six lengths, and experience at this quirky route could prove valuable.

Race 9:

Star of Mystery

Pipsy

Baraye

#10 STAR OF MYSTERY (9/5): Takes a significant drop in class, which is a bit weird considering the Coronation Cup is a $150,000 stakes race. However, she most recently ran third behind the freakish Cogburn in the Grade 1 Jaipur after a near-miss in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai. Simply put, if she’s right, the race is for second; #4 PIPSY (6-1): Almost certainly bounced last time out in the Tepin, which was probably a bit longer than she wanted to go. Her two-back win in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly was excellent, and the presence of all-world jockey Frankie Dettori cannot be ignored; #8 BARAYE (10-1): Has run two smashing races in Kentucky ahead of a return to stakes action. Most recently, she topped an overmatched field by nearly six lengths in an off-the-turf event, and she certainly figures to be prominent from the jump here.

Race 10:

Adventurous Spirit

Over and Ollie

Guile

#8 ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT (5/2): Drops in for a tag for the first time in the Friday finale and merits plenty of respect. This one has been competitive against maiden special weight foes, but the aggressive connections have no problem going down the class ladder, and this seems like a logical, tough-to-beat favorite; #7 OVER AND OLLIE (6-1): Also runs for a tag for the first time, and does so in his second start off the bench. He has back form going long on the turf, and I’m expecting a return to that sort of level here after a dud last time out at Churchill; #11 GUILE (12-1): Doesn’t draw well here, but this one has every right to love the turf. He’s by Blame and out of a Distorted Humor mare, and he’s shown this sort of distance is well within his scope.

BANKROLL: $978.

Much was made about Saratoga no longer accepting cash for food and drink purchases ahead of the track’s opening on Thursday. If you’re on horse racing Twitter, chances are you saw a whole bunch of complaining about it.

I’m going to middle this, which is undoubtedly going to be met with some people saying I’m killing horse racing and others saying I’m lobbying for a job with NYRA. No, a no-cash experience isn’t ideal, and betting with cash without being able to use your winnings on a sandwich 50 feet away isn’t ideal. Having said that, I saw an actual argument saying that refusing to accept cash is an assault on American freedom, which…no. Just no.

I wish NYRA didn’t make that decision. However, it’s not like that’s going to significantly dampen the on-track experience, either.

THURSDAY’S RESULTS: This section started not with a bang, but a whimper. Neither key exacta horse was anywhere close in the lid-lifter, and I dropped $22.

FRIDAY’S PLAY: Most of the card seems chalky, but I love the seventh, which seems like a true “grass grab bag.” I’ll play $2 exactas keying #7 MAURITIUS and #9 HEATHGUARD on top of those two, #11 OUR COUNTRY, and #12 FRONT MAN, and I’ll use all four in an additional $1 box.

TOTAL WAGERED: $24.