8/8-Kevin "Brooklyn Cowboy" Cox Saratoga Selections

Just two chalky winners on a washed out turf day yesterday, but we cold decked a $196 Triple & $55 Exacta to go along with it.

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Today's Beatable Favorite(s): Race 1 - #1 Blakely's Wish NOTE: AS OF 11:44, THIS IS NOT AS BEATABLE FAVORITE.

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I'd like to leave this bit of info here for y'all. When we're using the DRF Formulator platform while writing our columns, if we say "Sprints", for the most part we mean any one turn race, and when we say "Routes", we mean any TWO turn race. ( For example, we consider a 1 1/8th mile race at Belmont an elongated sprint, and a 6 1/2 furlong race at a Charles Town a route. ) We feel this way, because in our eyes, it's the number of turns that necessitate more energy than being relaxed on a straightaway. Sometimes the sample size for our study can be too large to manually break down, so there may be a few from one category in another, but usually the end result is pretty much the same. Additionally, when it comes to layoffs, we consider more than 50 days in a dirt to dirt scenario a layoff, more than 58 days in D to T or T to D a layoff, and more than 67 days in a turf to turf deal a L/O. Furthermore, if we amend our selections for a wet track, and the track becomes fast, our original selections are in play.

#2 ROUTE SENSATION had an awkward onset in the debut back in June, and after showing some decent early foot, faded to finish a daylight clear third that day. Blinkers are now added to aid this one with a tidier onset, and gal gets off the rail a little bit. Should be no worse than 2nd before you place punters out there. #6 PRACTICALLY SUMMER played the fade when finishing next to last at first asking, but went for more than two times to $65,000 stud fee across the street last year, and 384 Tomlinson figure says to give her another chance. #4 ENDLESS VAL is a late foal, but needn't be much to land ta share in this grouping. BEATABLE FAVORITE: #1 BLAKELY'S WISH doesn't make out first cut, so why would we take 2-1?  NOTE: AS OF 12:01, DUE TO A KEY LATE SCRATCH, OUR AMENDED SELECTIONS WILL BE 1-5-6.

#6 PASSIVE MANAGEMENT (GB) gave a decent account of himself when closing out the triple during opening week up here in his bow, and sensationally bred animal is eligible to fare much, much better as he goes along. #5 BADGE OF WAR returned off a bit of a freshening to lose by just a neck against maiden claimers at the end of June, and the only time he was in a second off the layoff situation, there was a 20% improvement in the speed figure department. As this fella has done nothing but improve with each passing turf start, who quite knows where the ceiling is in that regards. #2 PROSPERO (IRE) was much better in the followup than the lidlifter, and now has blinkers added for today's second off the bench engagement. Just may appreciate the stretchout.  OFF TURF: 7-3-2-4-9(MTO)

#5 ROTKNEE can be a poster boy for New York breds, as this 5 year old "horse" ( You hang on to your Big Apples buddy ! ) owns a quintessentially perfect declining mark of 20:10-3-1, and that includes a wonderful 4 fer 4 record when returning off an absence on a track labeled 'fast'. We would take 8/5all day long here. #6 LOOMS BOLDLY has oodles of early zip, but has lost ground in the lane in his last quartet, so we'll keep beneath despite a nice mark at today's distance of ground. #4 FACTUALLY CORRECT is another zippy sort, and as he's hit the board and six of seven starts at today's dist., we have no qualms with including beneath.

#1 EIGHTY WEST was a lively runnerup when getting his working papers down in Louisville a month and a half back, and although we don't like the rail position, we see that he tried pretty hard when running on the inside in said race. The 413 Tommy says there is ample room to move northward, and fella gets the meet's third leading rider in the irons. #2 PLAY THE GRAY was in the back half of the pack when starting things out at Philadelphia Park back in June, but there have been a couple of bullet breezes since, and we like the confidence shown in shipping northward during their break in the calendar. #4 FRIDAY SURPRISE is another Keystone State shipper, and this chap outran his odds quite nicely when completing the Exacta from a disadvantageous post in the bow. 7/5 is a bit short to take however, as we see there is an asterisk next to the Tomlinson number, which tells us that the pedigree is still unproven. Nonetheless, will complete the only three we'll be using,

#6 BE YOUR BEST (IRE) get's some much needed class relief this afternoon, as this bay gal hasn't found the winner's circle in nearly two calendars. In the good news department, she's won both her starts on the Inner, and gets Irad, who guided her to a nice placing in a Grade One event back in December. #1 ASPEN GROVE (IRE) is another one who has been in some salty spots, and while she drew snugly, will need to find a seam late. #7 ELLE ESTE FORTE is ambitiously spotted after being snagged for 35k on 7/25, but as she has ascended the Beyer scale over her last troika, we'll toss her in.  OFF TURF: 1-4-8-6-3

#9 MEAN EILEEN takes her first afternoon trek to the frontside today, and does such with a few snappy gate moves in tow. Of course we dig the draw, and the pedigree is top flight as well, so the only knock would be the fact that Looie has been a bit chilly this meet. Mild edge. #7 MOONLIGHT PROMISES hasn't been seen since finishing a well beaten but daylight clear runnerup in the Aqueduct overture back in May, and it's worth noting that the winner from that day returned victorious when next to action. #3 POP IDOL was pretty lively in completing the triple north of the border on the 22nd of June, but as she is a touch better bred for the synthetic than the turf, there may be a slight regression today. Leaving in the unders.  NOTE: AS OF 3:41, DUE TO THE RACE BEING OFF THE TURF, OUR AMENDED SELECTIONS WILL BE 3-5-1.

#6 BOURBON SERENGETI was in the rear with the gear at 6/5 when returning off a half'a year hibernation, and although it's not a tremendous drop in class, this miss is in fact made available for purchase for the first time. It's encouraging to see Franco stick around for today's second off the bench/second time Lasix scenario, and there is a nice Drf Formulator stat in play. Over the last 1,826 days, Cox is 6 of 16 with maiden claiming female sand starters at 6-1 or less off of this kind of break; here's a positive return on investment with that sort as well. #7 AUTUMN'S TURN outran her parimutual offering in a big way when picking up 20% of the pot at 32 to 1 the only time she went from green to brown, and has blinkers removed today as well. #3 CLASSY MISCHIEF ( uncoupled entrymate with our secondary selection ) rounds out the top three.  NOTE: AS OF 11:49, DUE TO A LATE SCRATCH, THE #1 WILL BE OUR 3RD SELECTION.

#2 GOOD JUJU got up in time to pick up the lion's share versus starter foes down in Jersey a week and a half ago, and we don't consider this that much of a class hike, so a repeat is definitely within reach. From a trainer stat point of view, this barn is three or seven with mid level sand dirt equines who scored less than 22 days back, and the payoffs were $3, $4, and $8. #1A KUNSHAN BRIDGE has won two of her last three with a "For Sale" sticker attached to her butt, and also owns a nice mark at today's trip. Cross entered tomorrow, so check the changes. #9 RADICAL RIGHT has been a popular item at the claim box of late, but the one thing that catches our eye is the 5 for 13 ledger at today's dx., which stands out favorably against his 1-18 mark otherwise.  NOTE: AS OF 11:57, DUE TO A LATE SCRATCH, THE #5 WILL BE OUR 3RD SELECTION.  NOTE: AS OF 3:57, DUE TO THE TRACK BEING WET, OUR AMENDED SELECTIONS WILL BE 4-2-9.

#6 PATRIA shoots for the hat trick today, and as she's done nothing but improve over her last quintet of turf deals, who knows where the roof is with this one. #1 FANCYPANTS JULIANA has been a part of the superfecta in every single sod start, and draws the inside for the first time while picking up I. Ortiz. #7 MARCO T. has won her last pair outside of stakes company, and would be aided with any type of pace scenario up front.  OFF TURF: 3-6-4-2-5   NOTE: AS OF 4:08, OUR AMENDED SELECTIONS WILL BE 7-1-4.

#10 MORE MANGO didn't show a whole heck of a lot three weeks ago, but that was a salty event with a very slow pace up front, and not easy to close into. The try before that was a corker, as she nearly blew up the tote board for Jimmy Ferraro at about 50-1 when coming back off of a break in the action, and given the adjusted speed figures of the others signed on here, she is definitely worth a few shekels if able to get back to the penultimate effort. You can feel free to draw an upwards arrow alongside the #7 SIZZLE, as this guy has gotten better and better with each start, while never having missed the money. Flavor Flav hops on now, and the 6-1 morning line offering is definitely a generous one. #4 SWEET DUTCHESS bested slightly softer last out, and as that was her only outing on this course, we'd be silly to leave out.  NOTE: AS OF 4:12, DUE TO THIS RACE BEING ON THE DIRT, OUR AMENDED SELECTIONS WILL BE 8-2-3.

Saratoga Summer ( Current ):   39-202  ( $485.30 ) Beatable Favorites: 2-11  ( 18.2% ) Favorite's Win %:  68-202 ( 33.4% )( As of Thursday morning )

Aqueduct Spring/Summer ( Final ): 66-292 ( $454.70 )Beatable Favorites: 4-10 ( 40% )    Favorite's Win %: 118-292 ( 40.4% )

Saratoga Spring  ( Final ):                7-47      ( $31.20 )  Beatable Favorites: N/A                 Favorite's Win %: 19-47   ( 40.4% )

Aqueduct  Spring( Final ):                28-136 ( $278.70 ) Beatable Favorites: 1-10 ( 10% )    Favorite's Win %: 57-136 ( 41.9% ) 

Aqueduct Winter ( Final ):                85-377 ( $616.70 ) Beatable Favorites: 5-16 ( 31.3% ) Favorite's Win % 139-377 ( 36.9% )

All Triple Crown, Breeders' Cup, Selected Grade 1's and Travers full days ( These are also counted in the "Dirt Tracks" category ): (2013-2023 Final ) 83-496 ( $779.60 )

Dirt Tracks 2013-24 (All Final):4241-20632 ($34,946.80) +/-: -15.3% against a 16.1% takeout . Polytracks 2013-16 (All Final): 85-568 ( $819.20 ) 

Beatable Favorites : 474-1772( 26.8% ) Favorite's Win %: 7945-21369( 37.2% )

Cumulative Stats (All Final): 4261-21247 ( $35,897.30 ) +/-: -15.5% against a 16.6% takeout