NYRA TRACK BIAS REPORT and Horses To Watch:
Note: My main purpose is to identify a real track bias but I'll also point out
when I think a track was slightly biased. But when using track bias as a
handicapping aid, it's the strong bias, such as a dead rail closer's track, or a
strong speed bias gold rail track that
can help pick overlaid winners. Note on general profiles: There are speed tracks
and there are sustained tracks, and some tracks have no real profile. A
sustained track is a track that allows horses to rally from a stalking position
and is fair to closers, but horses can go wire to wire if strong enough or if
they get away with an easy lead. A speed track favors front runners and horses
that press or stalk the pace and very few horses rally to win from off the
pace. A good sustained track example would be Parx. Most track vary from
one day to the next but can have similar profiles that last for days or
weeks.
NYRA - AQUEDUCT/BELMONT/SARATOGA
12/15: main track + closers, similar to the the way the
track played this week, hard to call it a bias but at the same time, it did seem
tiring. Closers won the first six races and some made strong wide rallies on the
final turn. Two horses did go wire to wire. The final times were pretty fast
this week, especially for this time of the year. Jockey Sofia Vives, from
Ocala Florida, was one of the top riders at Woodbine this year. She both with of
her starts, one with a first time starter, with wide moves from off the pace.
The 22 year old was the top apprentice rider in Canada last year but she's
continued to win since losing her weight allowance and she now has 3 wins in 7
starts at the Aqueduct meet. It looks like she has live hands and horses run for
her.
12/14: main track no bias...I thought the track was a bit
tiring and similar to Friday's track, but it's hard to call it a bias since
there were 3 wire to wire winners...however, those three winners were allowed to
set a modest pace. This was certainly not a speed favoring track. What happens
in New York, if the rider's think that the track is tiring, there's a tendency
to try to stalk instead of using the horse hard out of the gate, and that can
result in the pacesetter setting a modest pace.
12/13: main track no bias, perhaps somewhat tiring.
12/12: main track no bias. Horses To Watch: Speightful Lily set a solid
pace under pressure and drew off in a sharp performance.
12/8: main track no bias
12/7: main track no bias
12/6: main track no bias
12/1: main track no bias
11/30: main track no bias...Horses To Watch: Unlimited
Potential dueled for the lead through wicked fractions in the 1 mile starter
allowance race and drew off gamely.
11/29: main track no bias
11/24: main track no bias, speed did much better than the last few
racing days but track played fairly
11/23: main track + closers, sealed off track
11/22: main track + closers...Horses To Watch: Forever To Go made her
first start on dirt and set a fast pace under pressure over a track that
appeared to favor closers and dug in gamely for the place.
11/21: main track no bias
11/17: main track + closers, turf no bias. Horses To
Watch: Calling Card, is a 2yo colt by first crop sire Complexity, a GR1
winner who won 5 of 10 career starts. Complexity, who stands in New York, is off
to a strong start as a sire and his stud fee has already been doubled from
$12,5000 to $25,000. Calling Card raced well on turf in his first two starts,
although I don't think he has a strong turf pedigree. In the last race Sunday,
Calling Card made his third start and his first start on dirt and broke a bit
awkwardly to be about 10 lengths behind at the first call, made a bold move on
the turn passing horses rapidly and drew off impressively to win by 17 lengths
while geared down in the final sixteenth - looks like a NY bred stakes winner at
the very least.
11/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/10: main track + closers, turf no bias
11/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/8: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/3: main track no bias, turf no bias. There's been a
drought in the Northeast which has made the turf courses more speed friendly
than normal, but not really speed biased...the turf courses tend to favor
closers a little bit more than the last couple of weeks.
11/2: main track + speed, turf no bias
11/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
1031: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/26: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/25: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/24: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/19: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/18: main track no bias, turf no bias, turf course very
firm and fast
10/17: main track no bias but again, not speed favoring,
may have been a bit tiring, turf + closers
10/13: main track + closers, turf + closers
10/12: main track no bias, again, not easy to go wire to wire, but generally a
fair surface, turf + closers
10/10: main track no bias, not easy to go wire to wire, but overall, a fair
surface, turf + closers
10/6: main track no bias, again, the track played fairly
and may have been a bit tiring, closers did well. Turf + closers.
10/5: main track no bias, track played fairly and perhaps a bit tiring,
certainly not speed favoring, turf + closers. Horses To Watch: Chancer
McPatrick 2yo colt now is now 3 for 3 with wins at 6, 7, and 8 furlongs,
continues to impress, and will probably be the favorite in next month's BC
Juvenile...once again he was sluggish early and rallied from far back, making a
strong sustained five wide move on the turn to engage the leader nearing
midstretch, then he kicked clear. He reminds me of Zenyatta and his sire line is
very similar to the great mare.
10/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/3: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses To Watch:
Candy Quest, a 2yo filly who had sharp workouts, debuted going 6 furlongs on
turf for trainer Mark Casse (who is currently 5th in the country in earnings)
and looked professional stalking and waiting behind horses before angling wide
and drawing off to beat the Pletcher trained 4-5 shot by two lengths in a
promising debut.
9/29: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
9/28: main track races 1-9, + closers, races 10 and 12, +
speed, turf + closers. This was a tricky day with the track starting off
"good", then turning muddy sealed and then turning sloppy sealed. I
think the sealed track was somewhat tiring most of the card but speed held on in
the last two dirt races. However, the additional rain was probably a factor by
that time. The two turf races were raced on "good" turf and favored
closers.
9/27: main track no bias, turf + closers.
9/26: main track + speed, not a severe bias, turf no bias
9/22: main track ++ speed, turf no bias
9/21: main track no bias but all winners but one (going a mile) were forwardly
placed, turf no bias
9/20: main track + closers, turf no bias. The track changed
suddenly and appeared far more tiring than the last first four days of the meet.
This was an odd aberration because the other days have favored speed. Times on the track remain slow,
so they have the track prepared for the cooler fall and colder winter
weather.
9/19: main track + speed, not a severe bias but the recent
trend continued, turf no bias. Horses to Watch: Modica was forced to
steady twice, still finished gamely.
9/15: main track + speed, turf no bias
9/14: main track + speed, not a severe bias but the rail
was good and speed did well. One winner, going a mile, rallied to win from off
the pace but the other 5 dirt races had three wire to wire winners, one winner
that battled for the lead throughout, and another winner that stalked the pace
and drew off.
9/13: Belmont at The Big A fall meet, main track no bias,
turf no bias. Final times on the main track were slow.
9/2: main track + closers, track seemed tiring and the
rail dull; turf no bias
9/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/31: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/30: main track + closers, not a severe bias, turf no bias
8/29: main track + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
8/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/23: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses To Watch: Senza Parole won
her 2yo debut impressively and is a potential star if she comes back to the
races next year.
8/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/21: main track no bias, turf, no bias, only 1 turf race
and turf was rated good but looked on the soft side
8/18: main track + closers and stalkers, not a severe bias,
off track
8/17: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses To Watch: Jonathan's Way,
another first out winner for red-hot new sire Vekoma, got off to kind of a rough
start when bounced around early, made a powerful 4 and 5 wide move circling
horses on the final turn and drew off impressively.
8/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/10: main track no bias, off the turf
8/8: main track went from fast to muddy sealed to sloppy sealed; no bias...turf,
no bias
8/7: main track no bias, off the turf
8/4: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/3: main track no bias, sealed off track, off the turf
8/2: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + closers
8/1: main track + speed, the rail was very good; turf + closers. On dirt,
horses that were racing wide and closed some ground may be worth following as
this was a stone cold inside rail day. A longshot won from far off the pace but
hugged the rail.
7/31: main track + speed, sloppy sealed
7/28: main track + speed and stalkers, turf no bias
7/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/26: main track + speed, turf + closers. Horses to
Watch: Rhetorical, a 3yo gelding making his first start, broke slow and
outward, hustled up and was wide on the first turn, stalked the pace, swung six
wide turning into the stretch and hit a new gear in midstretch, drawing off
quickly and galloped out with a lot of energy. Son of one of the top turf sires,
Not This Time, was impressive.
7/25: main track + speed and stalkers, turf no bias
7/24: main track + closers, similar to Saturday and Sunday,
a mild bias; turf + closers
7/21: main track + closers, similar to Saturday (7/20)
where the track seemed somewhat tiring, although not a severe bias. Turf +
closers. Horses To Watch: Sandrone raced well from an outside post
in a 5.5 furlong turf sprint, pressing the pace against a Linda Rice horse, Java
Buzz, who came back sharp off a 15 month layoff...Trainer Brad Cox made a smart
claim, claiming Hush Of A Storm from trainer Bill Morey for
$45,000. This is a consistent 6 year old that races well on synthetic and turf
and came up with a strong off the pace win in the 11th Race, racing wide
throughout from a tough outside poste.
7/20: main track + closers, not a strong bias, one horse
did go wire to wire after setting a leisurely pace, but the track seemed more
tiring than the other days this meet, turf + closers
7/19: main track no bias, but all winners on or near the lead, turf no bias
7/18: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/17: main track no bias...off the turf. Horses To
Watch: Hue, who was my top pick in the 6th race, looked good. He broke
alertly, tracked the pace, then rallied strongly once he switched leads to draw
off quickly. Maybe Cox will bring him back in a claiming race for 2 wins this
meet.
7/14: main track no bias, turf + closers. A deep closer
finally won on the main track, Unstable Prince rallied from 9th to win a N3L
$25,000 claiming race in the 8th race and the pace was not that fast. A mare
rallied from 4th to win a 7 furlong race and the pace wasn't that fast.
7/13: main track no bias, turf no bias. So far this year,
the track is much different than last year. If you look over my track bias notes
from the early part of the Saratoga meet 2023, there were quite a few + closers
tracks. The trend for many years is to have the track a bit deep and tiring.
During the short Belmont Stakes meet last month the track was fast and speed
favoring. So far after 3 days, it's also fast and although I wouldn't call it a
speed bias, it does look like deep closers have little chance on the main track.
In races where closers won, the pace was hot, and most winners were close to the
pace on the main track.
7/12: main track no bias, but both days so far most of the
winners were reasonably close to the pace, usually stalking on the outside; turf
+ closers and stalkers
7/11: Saratoga summer meeting opening day. The main track
was dry and looked somewhat speed favoring early in the card but I'll call it
"no bias". They were off the turf.
7/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/6: main track no bias, but all six winners were
positioned in 2nd either pressing or chasing the pace and they were all two to
four paths off the rail; turf no bias
7/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/29: main track + speed, turf no bias. All of the dirt
races were won by either the favorite or second choice with four odds-on choices
so perhaps it was just a coincidence, but the track certainly appeared speed
favoring as 5 of the 6 winners went wire to wire and the other winner pressed
the pace in second and drew off.
6/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/27: main track no bias, off the turf
6/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/22: main track + speed, good rail, turf no bias
6/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/20: main track + speed, turf + closers
6/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/14: back to Aqueduct for the remainder of the Belmont at
The Big A meet. main track no bias, turf no bias.
6/9: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias but
only one winner, Az U Chase Me, rallied from off the pace to win over a track
that was sloppy sealed and turned to muddy sealed; all the other winners were
either on the lead or stalking the pace close up.
6/8: main track + speed and stalkers; turf no bias. Horses To Watch: General
Partner returned sharp running a GR2 type of speed figure for trainer Chad
Brown and he looks like a nice sprinter/miler type who could make some noise
this year...Imagination was very wide throughout while chasing a
blistering pace...Valentine Candy had a similar trip as Imagination,
racing very wide chasing a wicked pace and actually out-finished him...Honor
Marie got bounced around in a chain reaction started by Sierra Leone, was 10th
and last until the three quarters, rallied wide on the turn and finished
willingly against the bias...Sierra Leone big lug was 10th with a quarter
of a mile to go, raced wide on the final turn, was pushed very wide turning for
home and finished gamely against the bias for the show...Mindframe left
well and stalked the pace three wide around both turns, looked like a winner
turning for home but veered out sharply under a left handed whip, then had to
make a left turn to try and regain the ground he lost and was a game second in
his third lifetime start and his first stakes race.
6/7: main track + speed, turf no bias
6/6: Saratoga 4 day special meet. main track + speed and stalkers, turf no bias
5/27: main track ++ speed, turf no bias. Main track started
fast, thunderstorms hit and the track turned sloppy sealed after the 4th race
but speed was good all day.
5/26: main track no bias, turf no bias. Times on the Outer Turf course were
extremely fast, not sure what to make of it. Ever So Sweet, a 3yo filly in the
Brad Cox barn wired her field in her 3yo return equaling the 1:06.4 course
record, and then Your Man Alex, a NY bred first time starter rallied from 7th to
win in 1:07.3.
5/25: main track + closers, tracked seemed somewhat tiring,
turf, outer turf + speed, inner turf + closers
5/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/19: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
5/18: main track + speed, turf + closers and stalkers
5/17: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/16: main track no bias, muddy sealed
5/12: main track + speed, muddy sealed
5/11: main track + closers, tracked seemed tiring; turf no bias
5/10: main track no bias, muddy sealed
5/9: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/5: main track no bias, started fast and turned to an off
track, turf no bias
5/4: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/28: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/26: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/25: main track + speed, probably not a severe bias, turf no bias
4/21: main track + speed and stalkers, turf no bias. Horses
to Watch: Allied Attack perked up in turf debut but was pinned in behind
horses most of the stretch, angled clear with late run...LI'l Lang set a
fast pace under pressure in his turf debut and didn't tire badly...Big
Prankster had traffic problems in that turf sprint.
4/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/19: main track no bias
4/18: main track no bias
4/14: main track no bias
4/13: main track, + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias, but drying out track
didn't look particularly kind to closers. Horses To Watch: Bob John Ray a
nicely bred NY bred colt in the Chad Brown barn, was far back in his debut and
rallied gamely late. In this, his 2nd career start, he stretched out to a mile
and made a strong five wide move on the turn then sustained his rally gamely to
the wire over a track that appeared to be favoring speed. I think this colt
could be a statebred stakes winner on turf or dirt.
4/12: main track + speed and stalkers, sealed off track. One horse, Screw
Loose,
rallied from 7th to win a sprint by a nose but the pace was blistering and the
horse that set the fractions just missed
4/11: main track no bias, breezy day
4/7: main track no bias
4/6: main track no bias, but it could have slightly favored closers. Two horses
went wire to wire but horses rallied to win from 9th, 8th, 6th, and 6th, so they
had the track playing fairly, and a little tiring, for this 11 race Wood
Memorial card.
4/5: main track no bias
4/4: main track no bias
3/30: main track + speed, leaders or the horse pressing the pace won 8 of the 9
races and the other winner stalked the leaders in good position. Horses To
Watch: Jackie The Joker was very wide throughout and made a nice wide run
on the final turn while racing against the bias. Magical Way was 4
wide throughout and wider turning for home and finished 4th while racing against
the bias.
3/29: main track no bias
3/28: main track no bias, sloppy sealed. Speed and stalkers
did well but a few horses did rally from off the pace.
3/24: main track no bias
3/22: main track no bias
3/21: main track no bias
3/17: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias
but deep closers seemed at a disadvantage as the horses that left the gate and
raced in proxmity of the leaders won almost every race, which could just be
coincidental
3/16: main track no bias
3/15: main track + speed
3/14: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias
3/10: main track no bias, muddy sealed - I don't think it
was a good day for deep closers, so perhaps a mild speed bias
3/9: main track races 1-5 fast, + speed and pressers, races 6-9, sloppy/muddy
sealed, + closers. Odd day but they sealed the track halfway through the card as
the rain started and the track played completely differently for the last four
races.
3/8: main track no bias
3/7: main track ++ speed, muddy sealed - this was one of the most speed favoring
tracks we've seen at a NYRA track in a long time, 7 wire to wire winners and the
other winner pressed the pace
3/3: main track no bias, muddy sealed, outside paths
preferred
3/2: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, riders avoiding rail again,
3/1: main track no bias, but outside paths preferred again
2/29: main track + closers, outside paths preferred, riders particularly
avoiding the rail in the stretch
2/25: main track no bias. Horses to Watch: PANDAGATE,
has developed nicely for Clement and can win a few more NY bred stakes races...CHAMPIONS
DREAM finally came back to show some of that early potential in his 9th
career start and his second start for Rick Dutrow, dueled for the lead with a
nice horse from the outside post and held gamely for the show,
2/24: main track no bias
2/23: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, outside
posts preferred
2/19: main track + speed
2/18: main track no bias
2/17: main track + closers and stalkers, off track
2/16: main track no bias
2/11: main track, + closers and stalkers, not a severe bias
but no wire to wire winners and track seemed a bit tiring
2/10: main track no bias
2/9: main track no bias
2/4: main track no bias, off track...fractions and
final times were extremely slow
2/3: main track no bias, muddy sealed, riders staying off the rail. This was a
mixed bay, three horses went wire to wire, four horses that rallied to win from
off the pace came from pretty far back
2/2: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
1/28: main track no bias, sloppy sealed - once again,
riders on the winners moved their horses to outside paths
1/27: main track no bias, muddy sealed - rail may have been dull, hard to say,
but jockeys on the winners kept their horses in outside paths, even when on the
lead
1/26: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
1/19: main track no bias, slow times again
1/18: main track + speed and stalkers, but not a severe bias; times were very
slow on this cold day
1/14: main track no bias
1/13: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
1/12: main track + closers, dull rail
1/11: main track + closers, dull rail
1/7: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, track very slow
again. Horses to Watch: Crimson Light, the even money first time starter
in race 4, hopped at the start and slammed into the fence and spotted the field
a ton of lengths...but won. If you haven't seen this race, go to the video and
watch it, it's quite amazing. Race 4. https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/replays
1/6: main track no bias; the track was several seconds
slow, rail seemed okay, speed did pretty well but overall, no bias
1/5: main track no bias; the track was very slow, not unusual during the colder
weather here
1/4: main track no bias
2024: 1/1: main track no bias
12/31: main track no bias
12/30: main track races 1-4, no bias, races 5-9, + closers. The track was listed
as muddy early but then good then fast by the 5th race and it seemed to get more
tiring as it dried out.
12/29: main track + closers, muddy sealed
12/28: main track no bias, muddy sealed
12/17: main track no bias
12/16: main track no bias
12/15: main track no bias
12/14: main track + closers, perhaps not a strong bias but
on an 8 race card, a horse went wire to wire in the 2nd race, but the last 5
races were won by closers
12/10: main track no bias, sealed off track
12/9: main track no bias
12/8: main track + speed, similar to the previous day, not a strong bias
12/7: main track + speed, not a strong bias
12/3: main track + speed, sloppy sealed, speed did well
with 5 frontrunners winning in 9 races; not a severe bias perhaps but a couple
of the horses that won on the lead are not exactly the brave types. Horses to
Watch: Dufresne didn't leave this time and raced very wide over the sealed
speed favoring off track.
12/2: main track ++ speed, muddy sealed. Horses to Watch: El Capi, a 2yo,
was impressive winning his debut in 1:21.4 for 7 furlongs, but with the track
fast and speed favoring, it's hard to say how good he is, but he certainly
looked fast and was geared down late.
12/1: main track no bias
11/30: main track no bias
11/26: main track no bias
11/25: main track no bias
11/24: main track + closers
11/19: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses to
Watch: Leslie's Rose, a well bred 2yo filly in the Pletcher barn, left
alertly and toyed with her rivals to win in good time; she's bred to run long on
turf.
11/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/17: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/12: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/11: main track no bias, turf ++ closers. Horses to Watch: DREAMPOINT got
back on turf and made it two in a row on turf with a strong wide rally from post
10. This late bllomer, a 5 year old has come into his own for trainer Rachel
Sells, but the turf season is ending and his dirt form isn't that good.
11/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/9: main track + speed, turf no bias. Speed did very well on the main track
with 5 wire to wire winners in 7 races, another winner stalked the pace in
second and took over, and one horse rallied to win a 1 mile race from off the
pace. However, it could be coincidental - the 1st race winner set a slow pace,
the 2nd race winner figured and set a pretty modest pace, the 5th race winner
was 11-1 but the 6/5 favorite stumbled at the start and the winner got an easy
pace, and two other wire to wire winners were 3/5 odds. Horses to Watch: NECESSARYANDPROPER
chased a loose on lead winner and held the show; bred to stretch out and that's
the spot I'd be interested in...NEEDED stumbled at the start, raced four
and five wide on the turn and closed willingly on a day when speed did
well.
11/5: main track no bias, turf no bias...Horses to Watch: CURLIN'S
GIRL well bred 2yo who is bred to run all day made her debut in a 6 furlong
turf sprint, broke slow, rallied wide on the turn and finished strongly despite
lugging in while racing greenly and should relish more distance.
11/4: main track no bias, turf no bias...Horses to Watch: SIERRE LEONE,
high-priced 2yo son of Gun Runner in the Chad Brown barn, made his debut at a
mile, looked big and green throughout, rallied wide on the final turn, lugged in
somewhat in midstretch but straightened out and drew clear with big strong
strides, a nice looking prospect.
11/3: main track + closers, inner turf + closers, outer turf no bias
11/2: main track + closers, turf + closers...Horses to Watch: WINIT came
off a 9 month layoff as a new gelding and ready to roll, disputed the lead and
held gamely for the place...FULL SCREEN set a lively pace under pressure
against the bias and held the show.
10/29: main track no bias, muddy, sealed, turf no bias
10/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/27: main track + speed and stalkers, although it could have been
coincidental, there were only 4 dirt races, turf no bias
10/26: main track + closers and stalkers, turf + closers
10/22: main track no bias
10/21: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
10/20: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
10/19: main track + speed, turf + closers
10/15: main track no bias, off track, sealed, no turf
racing
10/14: main track no bias, off track, sealed, turf no bias,
only one turf race
10/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/12: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
10/8: main track no bias, drying out.
10/7: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, turf + closers. Horse to Watch:
General Partner carved out a quick pace in the Champagne and held gamely for
the place.
10/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/5: main track ++ speed, turf no bias. Horses to Watch: Six Fortyfive finished
third in debut but this nicely bred NY bred colt should appreciate added
distance...Cupid's Heart strong closing sprinter went a mile here and
finished gamely against the bias.
10/4: main track no bias, but could have been slightly
speed favoring, hard to gauge; turf + closers. Horses to Watch: Three Rivers
was used hard chasing a blazing opening half; this speedy filly is bred to run
long and could benefit from softer fractions stretching out on turf or dirt...Gala
Brand was 11th behind a slow pace and rallied wide with a game finish.
10/1: main track no bias
9/28: main track + speed and faster than normal
9/24: main track + speed, sloppy sealed
9/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/17: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/15: main track no bias, turf + closers.
9/14: Opening today, Belmont at The Big A, main track, no
bias, turf no bias. On the main track, all of the winners raced close to the
pace; the track was slow so it appears that they have it in winterized mode,
which makes sense because the racing will be at Aqueduct for a long time now and
through next spring, as Belmont Park goes through extensive renovations which
include removing the current grandstand and clubhouse and replacing it with a
new structure. I think they want to try and open Belmont by next fall but that's
not a certainty at this point.
9/4: main track no bias, turf + closers. Horses to
Watch: Crimson Princess came off a layoff, was 10th, moved four wide on the
final turn and finished gamely.
9/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/2: main track + speed, turf + closers
9/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/31: main track + closers, turf ++ closers. Horses to Watch: Bad Larry
showed speed for the first time in his career, set a lively pace against the
bias and held the show...TIVY was aggressively sent to the lead from post
9, set a solid pace against the bias and held well while clearly second
best.
8/30: main track ++ speed, started muddy sealed and dried out throughout the
day; off the turf
8/27: main track + closers, turf no bias.
8/26: main track no bias, sealed track started out as a
drying out track then turned sloppy/muddy after a rain storm, speed did well but
hard to tell if it was a bias; turf no bias
8/25: main track races 1, 2 and 4 no bias, races 5 through
10, ++ speed, sealed wet track; the main track appeared to be playing fairly for
the first three dirt races as it was listed muddy-sealed but after that it was
clearly very speed favoring as it was changed to sloppy-sealed; turf, no bias. Horses
to Watch: 2yo Fierceness by City Of Light, gunned to the lead in his
debut and drew off impressively.
8/24: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses to Watch: Artemus
Citylimits pressed a :21.1 first quarter and continued pressing the pace,
didn't tire that badly...Senbei had all sorts of traffic problems...Consumer
Spending got blocked badly in the stretch.
8/23: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses to Watch:
Shesasmalltowngirl raced wide from post 12 close to a hot pace in a 5.5f turf
sprint and was the only leaver that held well in a pace-fallout race...Perfect
Munnings took a sharp drop and ran a huge race, was claimed and looks like a
good claim... dropped for trainer Linda Rice, who is aggressively spotting her
horses, apparently trying to catch leading trainer Chad Brown.
8/20: main track no bias, turf good, + closers. Horses to Watch: Lady Firefoot was off a layoff from post 9, raced wide; could
improve next time out, especially with a drop in class...Munny Rockette
well bred million dollar purchase raced wide pressing a quick pace and held the
show in a fine debut...Buchu got bumped and checked at the quarter pole
while in tight quarters; might be live at a price.
8/19: main track ++ speed, turf + closers.
8/18: main track + speed, muddy sealed
8/17: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses to Watch: No Deli had an
eventful trip on turf, was 10th and last, finished gamely for the place.
8/16: main track no bias, turf + closers. Speed and
stalkers did well on the main track but I don't think it was a bias. There were
some short fields after scratches and the horses that worked out good trips won.
Horses to Watch: Three Rivers, who won her debut at Belmont in June, came
back to score impressively, pressed the pace while racing wide, then she drew
and was geared down while recording a quick time for Hall of Fame trainer Bill
Mott. This is a well bred filly who has the pedigree to run on turf and to
stretch out.
8/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/12: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/11: main track + speed, good rail; turf + closers. Horses to Watch:
Vettriano raced four and five wide through in his debut, made a promising
move before flattening out but held okay; bred to appreciate more
distance.
8/10: main track + speed. Horses to Watch: Secret Lover broke slow in
debut then got checked when put in tight between horses, finished willingly (ran
third in his next start on 8/26).
8/9: main track + closers and stalkers, rail seemed dull,
leavers did okay but they stalked, and closers rallied to win the last three
races as perhaps the track got more tiring. Horses to Watch: Jody's Pride
stalked a quick pace and drew off to an easy win in debut and this one should
transition well to turf.
8/6: main track no bias, turf no bias. This was the card
where they took the races off the turf after a horse broke down, and that really
screwed things up for the second half of the card, as bettors had already made
bets in the Pick 5 and Pick 4 and now the races were dramatically different. Horses
to Watch: Ways And Means, a 2yo filly by Practical Joke, stalked and
then drew off to win by almost 13 lengths impressively. Later Darling debuted
on turf for Pletcher, broke slow, gained ground gamely then had to alter course
in the stretch but kept coming on. Empire Island won her debut sprinting
on dirt like a good filly for high-percentage trainer Norm Casse and I think
this one will run well on turf as well. Miss Kristy was one of several
horses that was ended up running on dirt when the races were abrupty moved off
the turf, and she might be worth a price returning to turf. Another horse that
did not like the dirt is Stow On The Wold, who should improve on
turf.
8/5: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses to Watch: Locked got
bounced around early and had a lot of ground to make up, finished gamely in
debut.
8/4: main track no bias, off track, no turf.
8/3: main track + closers, rail seemed dull; turf no bias.
8/2: main track no bias, turf no bias.
7/30: main track no bias, turf no bias.
7/29: main track no bias, turf no bias. Heavy downpour turned the sealed track
from fast to sloppy, it might have been somewhat speed favoring later in the
card but hard to say.
7/28: main track no bias, turf no bias.
7/27: main track no bias, turf no bias.
7/26: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses to Watch: He's A Lucky Guy
3yo had a brutal trip while badly impeded by the winner in her debut but
finished second, probably should have been placed first...Vince The Prince
dropped in for a tag for the first time, dueled for the lead in the maiden
claiming route and held well for the show.
7/23: main track + closers, not a severe bias and a bit
tough to gauge because of the turf races, but the inside seemed tiring. Turf +
closers. Horses to Watch: Makia broke slow going long on turf in
debut, made a nice middle-move, then raced in tight quarters along the inside;
seems likely to improve. Hard To Justify 2yo filly won her debut going
long on turf and got bumped on the turn losing several lengths; looks like a
nice turf horse for Chad Brown.
7/22: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses to Watch: Mercante
made a solid wide rally on the turn and finished gamely for the show on turf.
Catchyasoon was used hard dueling for the lead from the inside in a fast
claiming sprint, was claimed by a good claiming barn.
7/21: main track no bias, drying out from overnight rain; turf, one race, +
closers. Horses to Watch: Lucency hit the gate at the start racing
somewhat greenly in debut but rallied very wide and finished well going 7
furlongs; seems likely to go well stretching out.
7/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/19: main track + closers, not a severe bias, track on the tiring side, which
is not unusual for Saratoga, turf + closers
7/16: main track no bias, started out fast but eventually
was sloppy sealed, off the turf. Horses to Watch: Mama's Middie 2yo NY
bred colt was fractious in the gate and reloaded, was 9th and last chasing over
the sloppy sealed track, then made a bold wide move on the turn and finished
fast for the place.
7/15: main track no bias, turf + closers...Horses to
Watch: Why Waste Words, well bred filly was behind a slow pace going
two turns on turf in debut and finished gamely to miss by a nose, was bumped
nearing the wire or may have won
7/14: main track no bias, rain early and an off track then drying out and
changed to fast - speed did okay but there were some short fields with the turf
races coming off
7/13: Saratoga opening day, main track seemed
tiring, + closers, turf no bias...my Best Bet was 10th in a 7 furlong dirt
sprint and stormed home to win going away paying $16.00, perhaps an indication
of the way the track was playing, and maybe that's why Johnny V took the horse
back.
7/9: main track no bias, turf no bias. Horses to Watch: Except
Temptation broke awkwardly, was taken up in traffic, raced wide and finished
gamely for the show.
7/8: main track no bias, turf no bias with rails back to normal. Horses to
Watch: Papilio stumbled badly at the start, was wide on both turns behind
a soft pace and finished gamely for the show.
7/7: main track no bias, turf + speed and stalkers with both rails out 27 feet
7/4: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, turf no bias. Horses
to Watch: Be Of Courage broke slow again and never really got into
the race and it looked to me that he really didn't have much running room in the
final 3/8's. I'll look for them to stretch this horse back out and hopefully get
him some gate work.
7/3: main track no bias, rider's racing off the rail, but they often do
that in New York; turf no bias...Horses to Watch: Cerretta was 4 wide
trying two turns this time and put in another solid effort. 4yo filly should get
a start at or two at Saratoga again this year and could break her maiden,
although she might need to be put back into a maiden claiming race. (Cerretta
finished third at 5-2 on 7/20)
7/2: main track no bias, widener turf no bias, inner turf + speed...Horses to
Watch: This time with the rail out 27 feet on the Inner Turf speed did very
well. Collect From Ike was under restraint and four wide around
both turns, made a nice run while racing against the bias and race flow and held
okay considering.
7/1: main track no bias, turf + closers. Rails were out 27 feet on the inner.
Horses to Watch: Northern Invader was my Best Bet, got heavily bet as a
"good thing" in his turf debut, and won powerfully. He'll most likely
be in some sort of stakes race next time out...Saudi Crown set a fast
pace over a track that wasn't that fast and just missed going a mile; his best
game is probably sprinting but he's a solid miler.
6/25: main track no bias, all winners raced close to the
pace but not sure that means anything; turf no bias
6/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/22: main track no bias, turf, I'll call it no bias, there were two wire to
wire winners and another horse sat second, but that was probably due to rail
position being 18 feet out more than the actual turf courses
6/18: main track + closers, not a severe bias and a bit
hard to gauge because there were only four dirt races, turf no bias - Horses to
Watch: Alibi Ike had a brutal trip in the 9th race and is much better
than that...Bold Honor didn't have much pace to close into but rallied
wide on the turn and finished gamely for the show.
6/17: main track + closers, not a severe bias, turf no bias
6/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/11: main track no bias, might have slightly favored
stalkers and closers, no wire to wire winners; turf no bias
6/10: main track + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
6/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/29: main track no bias, although all of the winners raced
close up, hard to call it a bias; turf no bias
5/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/26: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/21: main track no bias, drying out track
5/20: main track + speed, sloppy sealed track, turf + closers
5/19: main track + closers, riders avoiding rail, breezy day; widener turf,
rails out 9 feet, + closers, inner turf + speed with rails out 18 feet
5/18: main track + closers, turf + closers
5/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/12: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/7: main track no bias, inner turf had the rails out 35
feet + speed, widener turf + closers
5/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/4: Belmont spring meet opening day...+ speed and stalkers, muddy sealed, turf
no bias
4/30: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias,
sloppy sealed
4/29: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
4/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/23: main track + speed, sealed off track, dull rail,
interesting day because even on a sealed sloppy/muddy track, the rider's kept
their horses off the inside even when they were setting the pace
4/22: main track no bias, again the rail seemed dull, turf no bias
4/21: main track no bias but rail seemed dull as rider's tried to keep their
horses off the rail, turf no bias
4/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/16: main track no bias, but riders again avoiding rail;
turf no bias
4/15: main track no bias although the rail seems dull, outside paths preferred,
turf no bias
4/14: main track + closers, dull rail, perhaps not a severe bias, lone wire to
wire winner raced four wide; turf, no bias
4/13: main track no bias, inner turf no bias, outer turf, +
speed
4/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/6: main track no bias
4/2: main track no bias
4/1: main track + speed and stalkers, muddy sealed, breezy
3/31: main track no bias, breezy
3/30: main track no bias, breezy
3/26: main track no bias, windy
3/25: main track no bias, off track, sealed, windy
3/24: main track no bias
3/19: main track + speed. The rail was good all three days
this week and horses racing close to the pace fared better Saturday than Friday
and even better Sunday than Saturday. The final times are still slow like they
tend to be during the winter.
3/18: main track no bias; there was only 1 wire to wire winner but all of the
winners were close up with pressers and stalkers winning almost every race,
however, it was a formful day
3/17: main track no bias
3/12: main track, no bias but track started out wet and did
appear to get more speed favoring as it dried out, especially from the 6th race
on
3/11: main track + speed, sloppy sealed
3/10: main track no bias
3/5: main track, no bias, speed held better than Saturday
but the track played fairly overall
3/4: main track, no bias, although it might have been a closer's bias, but not a
strong bias as two of the first three races were won by the pacesetter, but as
the day wore on, closers and outside paths did well with riders avoiding the
rail. The fact that closers did well after the third race could have been
coincidental because it was a good Saturday card and the races were contentious
3/3: main track no bias
2/26: main track + speed, good rail
2/25: main track no bias
2/24: main track no bias
2/20: main track no bias
2/19: main track no bias but speed and stalkers did well so it might have
been a slight bias
2/18: main track no bias, appeared more tiring than Friday but that could be
coincidental, riders again avoiding the rail
2/17: main track, no bias, speed and stalkers did pretty well but I don't think
it was a biased track and outside paths were preferred as all of the winners
raced 3 to 5 wide
2/12: main track no bias
2/11: main track,+ speed in sprints, routes no bias, another breezy day
2/10: main track + closers, not a severe bias but the track did seem tiring, breezy
2/9: main track no bias, breezy
2/5: main track + closers and stalkers; it might have been
a fair "no bias" track and just coincidence that the speed didn't hold
up, but there were no wire to wire winners and none of the pacesetters finished
second, so I'll stick to it being a somewhat tiring track
2/2: main track no bias
1/29: main track no bias
1/28: main track no bias
1/27: main track ++ speed, strong rail
1/26: main track no bias
1/22: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias
1/21: main track no bias, good rail but not a bias
1/20: main track no bias, off track
1/19: main track no bias
1/15: main track no bias
1/14: main track no bias, breezy day, slow times, although all but one winner was close up
throughout, off track
1/13: main track no bias, although speed held better than Thursday, perhaps a
slight speed bias
1/12: main track no bias
1/8: main track no bias
1/7: main track no bias
1/6: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
1/5: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
1/1: main track no bias
12/31: main track no bias, racing canceled after 5th race due to fog
12/30: main track no bias, although in races 4 and 6 the winners set blazing
paces and drew off, so the rail was good and perhaps there was a speed bias in
sprints only; hard to say, but this track rarely shows those fast fractions
during the winter
12/29: main track no bias
12/18: main track no bias
12/17: main track no bias, muddy sealed
12/16: main track + speed, sloppy sealed
12/15: main track no bias, fast then sloppy
12/11: main track no bias
12/10: main track no bias
12/9: main track no bias, rider's on the lead avoiding the
rail
12/8: main track no bias
12/4: main track no bias
12/3: main track no bias, but most winners were close to the pace over this
sloppy-sealed track
12/2: main track + speed
12/1: main track, off track, + speed in sprints, routes no bias; tricky because
the track appeared to be favoring speed for the first 6 races but the last three
races were won by closers, but all three races were at a mile. It's possible
that the track got more tiring as it dried out or that there really wasn't any
bias at all and the first six races were just won by speed horses because they
were the best.
11/27: main track, no bias races 1-5, + speed races 6-9,
turf + speed on the last turf racing day of the year...tricky day, with the
track harrowed in anticipation of rain, deep closers won the first two races,
both sprints, over a "fast" track, but after that speed did well and
after the rain, races 7 and 9 appeared to have a speed bias while "off
tracks".
11/26: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/25: main track no bias, in the 5 main track route races four were won from
off the pace and the other by a horse that sat second, but the rail seemed okay
and a horse went wire to wire sprinting and the other front runner in the second
dirt sprint held the pace; turf no bias
11/20: main track + closers, dull rail, the track seemed
tiring again; turf no bias
11/19: main track + closers, dull rail
11/18: main track + closers and stalkers, not a severe bias but a marked
difference from the prior day; turf no bias
11/17: main track + speed
11/13: main track, started muddy, drying out throughout the
day, + speed, it looked like you had to be close to the pace; turf no bias
11/12: main track no bias, off track, positional speed won every race.
It's always hard to know for sure if that means that the track is favoring speed
because horses that can leave for position and finish are usually at a tactical
advantage unless the pace is extremely fast or there's a clear closer's bias,
like a dead rail.
11/11: main track no bias, track was sealed and fast early then the rains came,
fast/good. Turf, no bias.
11/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/4: main track no bias, speed did well but all of the horses figured on a
chalky kind of day; turf no bias
10/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/27: main track + speed and pressers, only one off the
pace winner in the 9th race; turf + closers
10/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/16: main track + speed and pressers, turf no bias
10/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/14: main track + speed, especially in sprints; off track
10/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/8: main track + speed, not a strong bias; turf no bias
10/7: main track + speed early then kind of leveled out after the third race,
but I'll call it + speed, not a strong bias; turf no bias
10/6: main track no bias, started out muddy and was drying
out throughout the day
10/2: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, turf yielding, no
bias
10/1: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, turf yielding, no bias
9/30: main track + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
9/29: main track ++ closers, dead rail; turf no bias
9/25: main track + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
9/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/22: main track no bias, off track
9/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/17: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/15: opening day, Belmont at Aqueduct, main track no bias,
turf + closers. The turf courses look beautiful and favored closers to start the
meet. One turf sprinter who was my Best Bet went wire to wire at 5/2 odds in the
last race but that horse was the lone speed in the race and set modest
fractions.
9/5: main track no bias, muddy/sloppy sealed; turf no bias
9/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/1: main track no bias, turf no bias. Being close to the
pace on the main track is preferred - not that that is unusual, but Saratoga can
get deep and tiring at times, but right now the have the track pretty
tight.
8/31: main track no bias, turf no bias. Being close to the pace on the main
track is preferred.
8/28: main track + speed and stalkers, turf no bias, There
were only four dirt races with two wire to wire winners at 9 furlongs, a two
year old that rushed up the inside to take the lead at the half, and a horse
that sat third stalking the pace and drew off
8/27: main track no bias, turf + closers for Travers Day,
which set a record with over $55 million in handle. The track and turf courses
got some needed rain this week and early on in the card it looked like the track
might favor speed, but several good horses including the great sprinter Jackie's
Warrior coughed up leads and the track played fairly, which is what you want for
a big stakes day of racing. NYRA tends to do an excellent job with their track
maintenance at all three tracks and they have for a long time.
8/26: main track + speed and stalkers, off track, muddy
sealed, again, not a severe bias but horses leaving the gate and racing on or
near the lead won every race
8/25: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias,
turf ++ closers. You can clearly see that changes were made to the track
surface. Some of the prominent trainers were complaining that the track was too
deep and tiring, so they added clay to the track to, as they said, "tighten
it up". This has been an unusually dry meet without the intermittent
thunderstorms that often occur in August in Saratoga. They did get an inch and a
half of rain this week which helped the turf courses, just in time for a few of
the major stakes events this weekend.
Note on riders: Obviously, this is an extremely strong
rider's colony. Personally, after watching Flavien Prat ride the past few
months, in my opinion, Prat is clearly the best turf rider in New York, and
maybe the best in the country. He is patient, has superb timing, great hands and
touch and is a very strong finisher on horses. He doesn't ride first call for
any of the top barns but it doesn't matter, because he is such a talented
jockey, that he doesn't need the best horse. On dirt, it's much harder to
separate the riders. I don't necessarily think that Ortiz, Jr. is the best
jockey. He rides first call for the two top barns so naturally he's going to win
the meet. Luis Saez is my favorite dirt rider in N.Y, horses just run big for
him, but there are so many top dirt riders, it's hard to separate them. One
thing that's been clear this meet, just because a jockey has first call for Chad
Brown, Todd Pletcher, Christopher Clement, and a few of the other top trainers,
that doesn't mean that he's going to get all of the wins for those trainers. The
other riders that are getting second and third call for these top barns are
winning on a regular basis. This goes to show how difficult it is for the
jockey's agents to pick and chose the right horse when these trainers have so
many good horses. It also shows that with the first time starters and two year
olds coming out, the agents probably listen to the buzz and read the workout
reports, but the horses that are the most talked about in the backstretch, are
often not the one that wins, but the other horses from these barns that was also
well bred, but perhaps less regarded because of its works, pedigree, etc. The
riders getting the second and third calls are doing very well, and the payoffs
on their winners are much better than the odds on Ortiz, Jr, who is getting first
call most of the time.
8/24: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias;
no turf racing
8/21: main track + speed, turf no bias
8/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/19: main track + closers and stalkers, perhaps not a
severe bias; turf no bias
8/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/17: main track + speed and stalkers; turf no bias, in three of the four
turf winners went wire to wire but I don't think the courses were speed
favoring, probably just the way the races were raced, as one of the winners was
2/5 and the other two got away with easy paces
8/14: main track no bias, turf + closers; NYRA has done a
great job keeping the turf courses in good shape despite an unusually dry summer
that has lacked the heavy thunderstorms Saratoga is used to
8/13: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
8/12: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
8/11: main track no bias but most races won by stalkers;
turf + closers
8/10: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias;
turf no bias
8/7: main track, I'll call it no bias, although it seemed a
bit tiring, and I think the rail was somewhat dull with rider's trying to avoid
it, turf + closers
8/6: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/4: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/31: main track + speed and stalkers, turf ++ closers.
Pletcher trained 2yo filly, Prank, was heavily touted into her debut and looked
like a potential star as she gunned to the lead in :21.4 and drew off in the
stretch to win by almost 10 lengths with the rider easing up on her.
7/30: main track + speed and stalkers, slightly speed
favoring, turf + closers
7/29: main track + speed and stalkers, slightly speed favoring, turf + closers
7/28: main track started out dry and no bias for race 1,
but after the rain, the track seemed more tiring, which is unusual, but I'll
call it plus closers; turf + closers
7/27: main track + speed and pressers, turf + closers
7/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/22: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/16: main track + closers and stalkers, tracked seemed a
bit more tiring than Friday, turf + closers...Turf horse, In Italian, was
impressive wiring the Diana in course record time over a turf course that
usually favors closers and is clearly favoring closers so far this meet.
7/15: main track speed did pretty well but the horses figured, I'll call it no
bias, turf + closers
7/14: opening day at Saratoga, main track no bias, turf +
closers
7/10: main track no bias, turf + closers, not a severe bias
7/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/8: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/3: main track, I'll call it no bias, there were only four
dirt races with one wire to wire winner and the other three all stalked or
pressed the pace, but hard to say if it was somewhat speed favoring with only
four races...turf no bias
7/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/1: main track no bias, turf + closers - Note: Oxymore, by
a top Australian sprinter, GR1 winner, Astern, shipped in from Presque Isle for
owner/trainer Adam Rice and demolished his rivals at first asking in a sparkling
1:07.4 for the 6 furlongs on the inner turf, which seemed to favor stalkers and
closers. Rice paid $30,000 for this well bred two year old, who he gelded. I'd
have to think this horse is a potential GR1 or GR2 winner. He did not look like
a two year old.
6/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/26: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/24: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
6/23: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
6/19: main track no bias, but speed did much better than
Saturday; turf no bias
6/18: main track + closers and stalkers, turf + closers
6/17: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
6/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/12: main track no bias, off track; turf no bias
6/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/10: main track ++ speed, turf + closers
6/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/4: main track no bias, although speed didn't do as well
at it did a few days last week and I do think the rail was dull; turf no bias
6/3: main track ++ speed, muddy sealed; turf no bias
6/2: main track + speed and stalkers, much more speed favoring in sprints,
sloppy sealed track
5/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/29: main track + speed, turf ++ closers
5/28: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
5/27: main track + speed, turf no bias
5/22: main track no bias, turf good, no bias
5/21: main track no bias, turf yielding but no bias
5/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/19: main track ++ speed, sloppy sealed
5/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/13: main track + closers, turf no bias
5/12: main track no bias, slow times; turf no bias
5/8: main track + speed, not a severe bias, muddy sealed
5/7: main track ++ speed, sloppy sealed; turf was yielding, both races won wire
to wire but I would call it no bias
5/6: main track races 1-6, no bias, 7-9, + speed...track started out dry but was
sloppy sealed for the last few races; turf no bias
5/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/1: main track + speed, not a severe bias, although there
were only four dirt races, so it was hard to be conclusive; turf no bias
4/30: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + closers and
stalkers
4/29: main track no bias, turf no bias, some wind, not as windy as Thursday
4/28: Belmont opening day, main track no bias, turf no bias; very windy day with
strong headwinds that slowed the fractions
4/24: main track + speed, not as strong a bias as recently, turf no bias
4/23: main track + speed, turf no bias
4/22: main track ++ speed, strong rail; turf no bias
4/21: main track + speed, especially in sprints, routes played more fairly, very
good rail; turf no bias
4/16: main track + speed, not a severe bias, but the rail
was good again; turf + closers and stalkers
4/15: main track no bias, rail was good again, though; turf, + closers and
stalkers
4/14: main track ++ speed, good rail; turf no bias
4/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/9: main track, speed and stalkers did well but I think the track played fairly
considering the way the races were run, and the Wood Memorial was won by a deep
closer; turf, the outer course, rails at 0, + speed; the main turf, no bias
4/8: main track + speed and stalkers
4/7: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, speed did okay,
closers also won, but rider's stayed well off the rail with front runners and
all 8 winners raced at least 3 wide and others even wider
4/3: main track no bias
4/2: main track, no bias
4/1: main track + closers and stalkers, muddy track, rider's trying to avoid the
rail
3/31: main track no bias
3/27: main track + speed
3/26: main track no bias, outside paths preferred
3/25: main track no bias
3/20: main track no bias, but horses that pressed or
stalked the pace won almost ever race - like Saturday, no horses rallied from
far back to win
3/19: main track no bias but it might have been a mild speed bias, 3 of the 10
winners raced wire to wire and almost every other winner won off a stalking trip
where they were within striking distance throughout
3/18: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail. Further
evidence that the speed bias seems over.
3/13: main track no bias but it looks like the inside speed
bias that we saw many days this winter has finally dissipated. Closers did well
Sunday but hard to call it a bias, three horses did show speed and win. But
generally speaking, not as speed friendly as many days this winter and that was
also the trend last week.
3/11: main track no bias
3/6: main track no bias
3/5: main track no bias
3/4: main track + speed, speed and stalkers held up well in sprints but not a
severe bias and a bit hard to gauge, might have been a fair track
2/27: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias,
but I did feel that this was an inside speed favoring track with a good rail;
two horses did rally to win from off the pace but one, Amundson, rallied off a
wickedly fast pace (:21.4 opening quarter, very rare for winter at Aqueduct).
The other closer, Betsy Blue, trained by Linda Rice, came off a 6 month layoff
to rally wide from far back and win and deserves credit for that. She's a nice
filly who has now raced 10 times and has fired in every start, 5 wins, 4
seconds, and 1 third. She did lose four straight times as the favorite at
Saratoga but she always comes on gamely in the stretch, and her record at
Aqueduct/Belmont in 6 starts is 5 wins and a place.
2/26: main track no bias, off track
2/25: main track no bias, riders avoiding the rail, sloppy
sealed
2/24: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias
2/21: main track + closers and stalkers, mild bias and may have been coincidence
and just a fair track
2/20: main track + speed, perhaps not a severe bias as most
of the close-up winners figured, but 5 wire to wire winners and 2 winners that
pressed and were sitting second and the track did seem to favor speed.
2/19: main track + closers and stalkers
2/18: main track no bias, stalkers did well over this muddy
track but overall it appeared to play fairly
2/13: main track no bias, sloppy sealed; rider's avoiding
the rail for the most part but I'm not sure it was bad, a 30-1 shot went wire to
wire going a mile on the rail in the last race
2/12: main track no bias; not sure about the rail, rider's
avoiding it especially in the stretch but rail seemed okay
2/11: main track no bias, rider's avoiding rail. It looked
like an outside closer's bias early, the first four races were won from off
the pace, but three of the last four races were won gate to wire.
2/10: main track no bias, off track
2/6: main track no bias, off track
2/5: main track no bias, track listed as muddy, times were
slow, jockey's avoided the rail again
2/4: main track + closers, dead rail again, outside paths
preferred, sloppy sealed track
2/3: main track ++ closers and stalkers, outside paths preferred, riders trying to
stay off the dead rail, good sealed track. This track played much differently
than the way the track has been playing this winter
1/28: main track + speed and stalkers, once again, more speed favoring the first
half of the card, particularly the first five races
1/27: main track + speed and stalkers
1/23: main track + speed and stalkers, good rail, not a severe bias
1/22: main track + speed, live rail; it wasn't impossible
to win from off the pace but the rail was strong and speed was an asset. Jockey
Trevor McCarthy won four races and he is so hot right now that even when he
takes back and races against the bias he's winning
1/20: main track + speed, not a severe bias, two horses did rally to win
sprints, but like many days this meet, speed and the rail were an asset; sloppy
sealed
1/16: main track no bias, slow times, partly due to the
wind, although the wind wasn't as strong as Friday...speed is definitely an
asset so far this meet
1/14: main track + speed, not a strong bias, once again, more speed biased in
the first half of the card, this time the first four races, strong headwind down
the back contributed to slow fractions and times. For some reason speed is
holding up very well in the first four or five races, and this was the pattern
for the last four racing days
1/13: main track + speed, especially for the first five races, but overall, a
good rail and biased to speed and stalkers
1/9: main track no bias; very similar to Saturday, speed
did well earlier in the card but closers won the last three races, off track
1/8: main track no bias, it almost looked like a speed bias
earlier in the card but closers won the last four races
1/6: main track no bias, off track
1/2: main track + speed and stalkers, mild bias, muddy
sealed
1/1: main track + speed, sloppy sealed
12/31: main track + speed and stalkers, mild bias, muddy
12/30: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias;
speed and stalkers might have had an advantage as there were 5 wire to wire
winners in the 8 races and another winner sat second
12/19: main track + closers, dull rail; track appeared
more tiring than the rest of the week, two favorites with Carmouche did go wire
to wire but both were favorites and he kept them off the inside and with one of
them he kept Chateau three and four wide throughout and Chateau was the only
front runner in the field.
12/18: main track no bias
12/17: main track no bias
12/16: main track + speed, not a severe bias but it looked like you had to
be on or near the lead
12/12: main track no bias
12/11: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
12/10: main track no bias
12/9: main track no bias
12/5: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias;
turf no bias
12/4: main track no bias, turf no bias.
12/3: main track races 1 through 5, no bias, races 6 through 8, + closers.
Tricky day, you could either call it no bias or split it. The way two deep
closers won sprints in the second half of the card kind of looked like the track
was changing during the day. Turf no bias.
12/2: main track + closers, turf + closers
11/28: main track no bias, although all the winners were on
or near the lead, but two of them were big favorites; maybe a slight speed
bias...turf, + closers
11/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/26: main track + closers and stalkers, not a strong bias, turf no bias
11/21: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/20: main track + speed, turf ++ closers
11/19: main track, + speed, good rail, much different track
than Thursday, although there were only four dirt races, three wire to wire
winners and one horse did rally from 5th to win; turf ++ closers and stalkers
11/18: main track + closers and stalkers, turf ++ closers
11/14: main track ++ speed, muddy track, 4 of the 5 races
won wire to wire and the other winner, who looked much the best on paper, was
sitting second and drew off; turf ++ speed, all four turf winners went wire to
wire over the "good" course
11/13: main track + closers and stalkers, track started fast, went to sloppy sealed, turf no bias
11/12: main track ++ closers, dull rail, muddy sealed
11/11: Aqueduct opening day of the fall meet, main track no
bias, turf not sure of it was a bias but speed and stalkers did better than
usual for turf racing
11/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/5: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/31: main track + speed, sloppy sealed
10/30: main track, no bias, sloppy sealed - this was a trick day because three
horses that won rallied from far back, but three horses did go wire to wire
10/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/28: main track no bias, appeared speed favoring for the first six races but
closers won the last three races
10/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/23: main track no bias, but once again, track is playing
"sustained" where closers and horses that have good late energy are
doing well. There was one wire to wire winner that got away with its own pace.
Turf no bias.
10/22: main track no bias, but playing "sustained", one wire to wire
winner got a comfortable rated pace; turf no bias
10/21: main track no bias, turf + closers Note: the main
track has been trending in the "sustained" category recently, which is
typical of NYRA surfaces, meaning that closers have been doing quite well for
the last three weeks, even though it's hard to call it a clear bias because it's
not like it's impossible to go wire to wire. One horse wired them in a sprint
yesterday and hugged the rail, but the fractions weren't quick at all in that
race. I keep on eye on this because it makes a difference when you're trying to
separate two contending horses, say one is a horse that finishes well and the
other is a speed horse that needs to be on or near the lead, but there's another
sharp speed horse in the race and maybe some cheap speed, with the track playing
the way it is, I'd prefer the closer, especially if the horse is decent odds,
because the track surface is not making it easy for front runners.
10/17: main track no bias, a bit hard to gauge with only 4
dirt races; turf ++ closers
10/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/14: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/9: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/8: main track + closers, turf no bias
10/7: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias,
turf + closers, not a strong bias as one horse did go wire to wire on the inner
turf while setting a slow pace
10/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/26: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/25: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/24: main track no bias, off track
9/23: main track no bias, turf + closers (lone front runner on turf set slow
fractions)
9/19: main track + speed, good rail; turf + stalkers and closers
9/18: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/17: main track + speed, turf no bias
9/16: Belmont fall meet opening day, main track ++ speed, turf no bias
9/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/2: main track no bias, off the turf
9/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/29: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/28: main track + speed, turf no bias.
8/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/26: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/25: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/22: main track + speed, turf + closers
8/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/20: main track + speed, turf + closers
8/19: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias, sloppy sealed
8/18: main track + speed, turf no bias
8/15: main track + closers, turf + closers
8/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/13: main track no bias, much different than the past few
days; turf no bias
8/12: main track + speed, turf no bias. For the past two
weeks, and especially the last four or five days, the main track has been
playing like the old Saratoga track back in the days when Cordero was the
leading rider, speed favoring.
8/11: main track ++ speed, turf no bias
8/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/7: main track + speed, turf no bias
8/6: main track + speed, turf no bias
8/5: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/1: main track races 1-8, no bias, races 9-10, + speed
(rain changed the track from fast, to good, to sloppy sealed)...turf + closers
7/31: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/30: main track + speed, off track...have to give credit to Pletcher's Dynamic
One, who won the Curlin from off the pace, rallying from 7th for the win, as the
only winner on the day that wasn't first or second throughout, 5 wire to wire
winners, 4 winners that were sitting second most of the race
7/29: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, turf no bias
7/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/25: main track no bias, started out muddy, then was rated
good for the 7th race and fast or the last three races.
7/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/23: main track + closers, rail seemed dull as winners
were in outside paths and the lone wire to wire winner, with super speed rider
Luis Saez, stayed in the two path; turf, ++ closers
7/22: main track + closers, mild bias, rail might be getting dull for the first
time this meet, turf + closers
7/21: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + closers,
yielding
7/18: main track + speed and stalkers, sloppy sealed; off
the turf
7/17: main track no bias, off track, sealed; turf, + closers, but not a strong
bias, turf rated good
7/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/15: Saratoga opening day, main track no bias but all winners were closed to
the pace; turf rated good, no bias
7/11: main track no bias, turf no bias, good
7/10: main track + speed, off track; turf ++ closers, good
7/9: main track no bias, muddy, sealed
7/5: main track no bias, turf + closers, good
7/4: main track no bias, off track; turf no bias, yielding
7/3: main track + speed and stalkers, sloppy sealed; turf no bias
7/2: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, turf no bias,
yielding
7/1: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail; turf ++ closers (Horses to
watch: Amistad had a rough trip, still came on gamely late).
6/27: main track no bias, turf no bias (Horse to watch: Babagram,
well bred 4yo made his belated debut in a $40,000 maiden claiming race that had
a lot of bumping and was a roughly run race. Babagram gunned to the lead in
:21.2, set a pressured pace and was forced to check late while tiring.)
6/26: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/25: main track + closers and stalkers, inner turf no
bias, outer turf + closers
6/24: main track + closers, turf no bias
6/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/18: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/12: main track + closers and stalkers, one wire to wire winner, Sadie Lady,
who set a well rated pace to win the 6 furlong Dancin Renee stakes; turf no bias
6/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/6: main track + stalkers and closers, although there were
only three races on the main track so the track could have played fairly; turf +
closers
6/5: main track no bias, off track; turf ++ closers
6/4: main track, I'll call it no bias. Speed may have been
a slight advantage in sprints but three sprint winners did rally from off the
pace. Generally speaking, being on or near the lead has been an advantage over
the Belmont main track since May 20th, but not to the point where there appeared
to be a clear speed bias. The track condition changed three times, from muddy,
to good, and then after a 46 minute delay, sloppy sealed. Turf no bias,
yielding.
6/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/31: main track no bias, muddy sealed
5/30: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
5/29: main track + speed in sprints, + closers and stalkers in routes, sloppy
sealed track. There were four sprints, the first was won by a presser who was
second then took over on the turn and the other three sprints were all won wire
to wire. You could either call the track "no bias" or the way I noted
it. All of the route races were won from off the pace.
5/28: main track + closers and stalkers, turf no bias
5/23: main track + speed, turf no bias
5/22: main track + speed, mild bias, turf no bias
5/21: main track no bias, turf + speed
5/20: main track ++ speed, turf no bias
5/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/14: main track + closers, turf no bias
5/13: main track + closers, turf no bias
5/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/8: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/1: main track ++ closers, turf no bias
4/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/29: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/25: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
4/24: main track + closers and stalkers, turf + closers
4/23: main track no bias, two wire to wire winners, so
speed doing well the first two days, main track fractions on the slow side so
far, maybe they're trying to keep the surface deep but it hasn't hurt
frontrunners, turf ++ closers
4/22: Opening Day at Belmont Park, + speed, only three dirt races but all won
wire to wire, turf ++ closers, one wire to wire winner was 2/5 and set a slow
pace
4/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/17: main track no bias, off track; turf + closers and
stalkers, not a severe bias, one wire to wire winner set a comfortable pace
4/16: main track no bias, off track
4/15: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
4/11: main track + closers and stalkers, mild bias, perhaps
no bias, but track seemed perhaps a bit tiring and rider's avoided rail, no
winners came up the inside, dull rail, there was one wire to wire winner, in the
1st race, and she raced four wide throughout with Jose Ortiz, who seemed to know
exactly how the track would play even before the races started...muddy/sloppy
sealed; turf, + closers...Eclipse award winning jockey Jose Ortiz won 5 of the 9
races, 4 on the main track, and he kept his horses well off the rail every
time.
4/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/9: main track no bias, similar to Thursday, stalking
trips did well; turf no bias, so far speed is doing okay on turf
4/8: main track no bias, stalking trips did well as horses
close to the pace won most of the races, turf no bias
4/3: main track no bias although track may have been
somewhat tiring, hard to say for sure, Wood Memorial was won from far off the
pace and the second place finisher was also a deep closer, pace was contested
but not overly quick, there was one wire to wire sprint winner that figured
strongly, turf + closers
4/2: main track no bias, speed did very well in sprints but
the two one mile races were won from off the pace, and the horses that won the
sprint races were well bet on a formful day; turf no bias. The Ortiz brothers
came back to town April 1 and they dominated, winning 11 of the 16 races
Thursday and Friday, Jose had 5 wins and Irad had 6 wins.
4/1: main track no bias, sloppy track
3/28: main track + closers, mild bias, sloppy sealed track,
outside paths did well
3/27: main track no bias; all of the winners were pretty close to the lead but
that could have just been coincidence, pretty formful day
3/26: main track no bias, muddy track
3/25: main track ++ closers, muddy track; one horse, Him She Kisses, went
wire to wire, and may be a good horse to follow. I also thought that Victory
Built, who pressed the pace, ran well in that race.
3/21: main track no bias
3/20: main track no bias
3/19: main track + speed, perhaps a mild bias, speed and
stalkers did well in sprints, but not in the three one mile races
3/14: main track no bias
3/13: main track no bias
3/12: main track no bias
3/7: main track + speed and stalkers, good rail
3/6: main track no bias
3/5: main track no bias
2/28: main track ++ speed, started muddy sealed and
switched to sloppy sealed, first six races were won wire to wire, the 7th race
was won by a stalker that was 2.5 lengths behind the pace and a closer did win
the 8th and final race but there was a hot pace and a speed duel in that race
2/27: main track + speed and stalkers, sloppy sealed
2/26: main track + speed and stalkers but seemed less speed favoring over last
three races, so not a severe bias
2/25: main track + speed
2/21: main track no bias
2/20: main track + closers and stalkers, muddy
2/19: main track + closers and stalkers, muddy
2/15: main track no bias
2/14: main track + closers and stalkers
2/13: main track + speed
2/12: main track no bias but stalkers did well and track does not seem tiring
like it was
2/8: main track ++ speed, live rail
2/6: main track no bias, the track was quicker than it's
been and than it usually is during the winter, a horse went :21.4 to the quarter
and another horse, Happy Farm, went :22 to the quarter to shake off speedster
Reed Khan, set a brisk pace and won clear
2/5: main track + closers and stalkers, off track
2/4: main track + closers and stalkers, rider's avoiding rail, off track
1/31: main track + closers and stalkers, rail seemed dull
again
1/30: main track + closers and stalkers, not a severe bias
but closers doing well
1/28: main track, + closers
1/24: main track + closers and stalkers, riders avoiding
rail, no wire to wire winners for the 2nd day in a row
1/23: main track + closers and stalkers, wide trips did
very well, the two top riders this meet, Lezcano and Carmouche, combined to win
7 of the 9 races.
1/22: main track no bias, but keep in mind, horses with
good late-pace figures are doing well over this winterized Aqueduct main track
1/21: main track no bias
1/18: main track no bias, the three one mile races and the
7 furlong race were won from off the pace and Mills rallied wide from 11th to
win the 5th race, but in the four 6 furlong races, three of the winners went
wire to wire and the other stalked in 2nd.
1/17: main track + closers and stalkers, tiring surface,
outside paths preferred, dull rail. Leading rider Kendrick Carmouche won four
races on the day and was smart as he won one race from off the pace but moved to
the pacesetter on the turn, and in his other three wins he stalked the pace from
2nd but kept his horse off the rail anywhere from two to four wide then was able
to take the lead when the pacesetter weakened.
1/16: main track + speed, perhaps a slight bias, muddy
sealed track. Closers did okay so it may not even be a bias but the races where
horses rallied had quick paces.
1/15: main track, + speed, not a severe bias on a big
longshot day at the Big A. I have mixed feelings about the track surface. It
certainly didn't look like a good day to rally from far back but two horses did
rally from 4th to win going a mile. But in the other 6 races, 4 wire to wire
winners and the other 2 winners were 2nd stalking or pressing the pace. It was
more speed favoring in sprints.
1/10: main track no bias, two wire to wire winners but the
best trips seemed to be stalking or closing, so the track was certainly not
favoring speed
1/9: main track + speed, especially in sprints, railed seem good today, not a
severe bias but inside speed appeared to have an advantage overall
1/8: main track + closers and stalkers, no wire to wire
winners, track seemed somewhat tiring, dull rail
1/7: main track + closers, dull rail
1/3: main track, no bias, rider's trying to avoid rail, speed did okay but I
think overall the track played fairly
1/2: main track + closers, muddy sealed, dull rail - what a difference a day
makes, much different track than yesterday
1/1: main track ++ speed and stalkers, muddy
12/31: main track no bias, riders trying to avoid rail, which they usually do
here during the winter
12/20: main track + speed, not a severe bias but inside speed seemed to have an
advantage. This kind of gives credence to those who thought that 12/19 was speed
friendly, so perhaps the track surface was trending in that direction yesterday
12/19: main track no bias. Some people called this day as inside speed favoring
but I just don't see it, three wire to wire winners in 10 races, and all three
got away with a modest first quarter. When the pace was quicker, the closers
won.
12/18: main track + closers, mild bias. This is tricky, and it may be better to
call the track fair. But I do think it was a bit tiring because some contenders
that had the lead gave way and horses that won from off the pace made up good
ground. Two horses did go wire to wire but both were ridden by Carmouche, who is
a superb speed rider and he won both races the same way, he used his strong gate
skill to establish control early, then rated the pace masterfully, then opened
up on the field on the final turn
12/13: main track no bias
12/12: main track no bias, turf + closers
12/11: main track no bias, turf + closers
12/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
12/6: main track + closers and stalkers
12/5: main track, + closers, very mild bias, but in my opinion, track was still
somewhat tiring and favored outside closers and stalkers, riders avoiding rail
and two speed horses that won were well off the rail
12/4: main track + closers and stalkers
12/3: main track + closers and stalkers
11/29: main track + speed, but only three dirt races, two
wire to wire winners, so hard to gauge, overall speed has done fairly well the
past three days; turf + closers and stalkers, mild bias, most winners from
fairly close range
11/28: main track + speed, not a strong bias, turf + closers, mild bias
11/27: main track + speed, all winners stalked or lead throughout, so it seemed
somewhat speed favoring; turf + closers
11/22: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/21: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/19: main track + speed, mild bias; turf no bias
11/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/14: main track no bias, muddy, turf no bias
11/13: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
11/12: main track no bias, muddy sealed
11/8: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
11/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/6: Aqueduct opening day, main track no bias, turf + closers
11/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/31: main track no bias, muddy
10/30: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
10/29: main track + speed and stalkers, sloppy sealed
10/25: main track + closers, turf + closers
10/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/17: main track + closers and stalkers, mild bias over a muddy track that
seemed somewhat tiring, turf + closers
10/16: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, turf + closers
10/12: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
10/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/9: main track speed did pretty good but hard to call it a bias, no bias, turf
+ closers
10/8: main track + speed, mild bias, turf + closers
10/4: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/3: main track no bias, turf + speed as the rails being out seemed to help
speed
10/2: main track no bias, turf + speed
10/1: main track + speed, turf no bias
9/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/26: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias;
turf, inner turf + speed, main turf + closers
9/25: main track + speed and stalkers, turf, inner turf + speed, main turf +
closers
9/24: main track no bias, inner turf + speed, main turf + closers
9/20: main track + closers and stalkers, not a strong bias;
turf no bias, turf courses were very fast as the northeast goes through a dry
stretch of weather
9/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/18: Belmont fall meet opening day, main track no bias,
turf + closers
9/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/6: main track + closers and stalkers, turf no bias
9/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/3: main track no bias
9/2: main track no bias, track was sloppy/sealed and a
tricky call. The track appeared very fast for the first four races and possibly
somewhat speed favoring but then tended to even out as the day went on and the
times were more normal. If I was still doing my own speed figures, I'd split the
variant. 2yo first time starter, Nashville, came within a second of Quality
Road's track record for 6.5 furlongs in the third race as the Speightstown colt
went :21.2, :43.4, 1:07.4, 1:14.2 while winning by 11 lengths, geared down. Even
though the track was sealed and sloppy, Nashville looks like a potential stakes
winning sprinter at the very least. He's out of an unraced dam and he has an
interesting pedigree which could be suitable for either turf or even longer
distances. Right now I'd stamp him as a potential star sprinter/miler on turf or
dirt. The true test will be when he gets to run on a dry surface because it's
pretty clear that he loves an off track.
8/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/28: main track + speed, good rail; turf + closers, some
rain this week, turf rated good
8/27: main track no bias
8/26: main track + closers and stalkers, I'm guessing a
mild bias but it's a tough call because there were only three dirt races; turf
no bias. There hasn't been that many thunderstorms in Saratoga this summer so
the turf courses are carrying speed okay and speed is certainly doing better on
turf than it did earlier in the meet
8/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/22: main track no bias although all winners were close up and almost every
race was won by a stalker; turf no bias
8/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/19: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/16: main track + closers and stalkers, not a strong bias and may not have been
a bias at all; turf no bias
8/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/14: main track + closers, not a strong bias, one horse did wire the field but
got away with a slow pace; turf + closers
8/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/12: main track + closers and stalkers, turf + closers and stalkers
8/9: main track + closers and stalkers, turf no bias
8/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/6: main speed + speed but I have to admit that it could
be No Bias because there were only three dirt races, all three winners went wire
to wire but two were heavy favorites. Turf + closers. (Horses to watch: Gesture
was forced to steady in tight quarters in first local start and first in
blinkers; probably better than that.)
8/5: main track no bias, although almost every race was won by a horse stalking
in close range
8/2: main track, almost every race won by a horse that
stalked in close range, but no bias; turf no bias
8/1: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/31: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/30: main track no bias, times on the slow side, rail
might be dull, rider's avoiding rail but speed did okay; turf, no bias
7/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/26: main track no bias, turf no bias. While speed has done okay in the 5.5
furlong turf races this meet, today was the first time that a horse went wire to
wire in a turf route
7/25: main track no bias, although close to the pace is better, turf + closers
7/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/23: main track no bias but once again no horses won that rallied from far
back; turf + closers
7/22: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/19: main track, speed did well again but not really a bias, so the trend the
past few days continues, that the track seems to be favoring horses on or near
the lead; turf + closers
7/18: main track, speed did well but I think it as just
sharp horses that figured, no bias; turf, one wire to wire winner, but + closers
7/17: main track speed did much better than opening day but
I'll call it no bias, turf ++ closers
7/16: Saratoga opening day, + closers, I'll call it a mild
bias as stalkers appeared to have an advantage; turf, ++ closers.
7/12: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/10: main track + speed and stalkers, sloppy sealed track
on a rainy, windy day
7/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/5: main track, I'll call it no bias, tough call because
there were only four dirt races, and the one wire to wire winner, Riken, was
impressive considering the class he was racing in. Turf, + closers.
7/4: main track no bias; turf + closers
7/3: main track + closers and stalkers, turf no bias
7/2: main track + closers and stalkers; turf no bias
6/28: main track no bias; turf + closers
6/27: main track no bias; turf no bias
6/26: main track no bias; turf no bias
6/25: main track no bias; turf no bias
6/21: main track no bias, a bit hard to gauge because most
of the races were on turf; turf, + closers
6/20: main track no bias but very fast times on Belmont stakes day, riders were
still trying to avoid the rail while setting the pace; turf + closers
6/19: main track + closers, not a severe bias; turf + closers
6/18: main track no bias; turf + closers
6/14: main track + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
6/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/12: main track + closers and stalkers, turf + closers
6/11: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/7: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
6/6: main track no bias, off track; turf no bias
6/5: main track muddy sealed, + closers, not a strong bias;
kind of tricky call because the riders thought the rail was dead and the outside
paths and deep closers did well but two horses did go wire to wire; turf ++
closers, the turf course was strongly favoring horses that rallied wide from far
back.
6/4: main track was quick, fast fractions and final times, and appeared to
be a closer's track early but speed caught up, no bias; turf no bias.
6/3: main track was fast for the first race, off track
after that. Main track + speed and stalkers, turf no bias.
3/15: main track no bias
(Horses to watch: Gandy Dancing was a strong winner in debut for Chad
Brown.)
3/14: main track no bias
(Horses to watch: Sea Sparkle set a quick pace while racing over her head
in a stakes race and didn't tire that badly; hopefully the low percentage
trainer will put her back in a starter allowance race...Kept True chased
a quick pace, had the lead but got run over by two closers on the wire in
another solid effort...Calidad was 11th in her debut, rallied four wide
on the turn and finished gamely for the place; look for the stretch out for this
filly, who has a 2.00 Dosage rating and may do her best running in route
races...Rejected Again dueled for the lead along the inside and battled
nicely to hang on for the show; has dangerous speed.)
3/13: main track, I'll call it no bias, rider's avoided
rail again and I would say it was dull; stalkers won almost every race, usually
sitting second so it wasn't a real closer's track, although no horses went wire
to wire
3/8: main track ++ closers and stalkers, dull rail, rider's
avoiding the rail
(Horses to watch: Sky Queen disputed the pace racing three and four wide
and was a game 2nd in an improved effort in her second lifetime start...Espresso
Shot set the pace against the bias while too much "on the bit" and
weakened; watch for the blinkers to come back off...Deja Raconte set the
pace against the bias with pressure from both sides and held gamely for the
show; this is was the third start in a row where this speedy filly raced against
the bias...Ma Meatloaf disputed the pace and was clearly second best by a
wide margin...Beta showing improved early speed, dueled for the
lead meeting pressure from three different rivals while racing against the bias
and didn't tire that badly considering...Mo Diddley set a fast pace
against the bias, excusably weakened...Palomita, much improved off last,
set a quick pace racing wide and was clearly 2nd best behind a sharp 3/5
winner...My Sweet Kat was used hard dueling through a fast opening
quarter and gave way; might be worth a price since she finished 2nd in her two
prior starts and the track appeared to strongly favor outside closers...Touch
Of Nirvana shipped in from Gulfstream with a big drop in class, showed sharp
speed and romped and was the only horse that had the lead at the half and held
on, was claimed; could repeat if put back in for a tag in a realistic
spot.
3/7: main track no bias)
(Horses to watch: Cousin Andrew was blocked behind horses on the turn,
swung wide turning for home and finished gamely to be second...Bronxville
had a rough trip when forced to check; watch for the turnback, although I would
consider taking a shot on this one at a mile if the track was wet, or speed
favoring...Brassy stumbled badly in her debut then raced wide in what
should be an educational experience; watch for the stretch out for this well
bred filly, who is bred to run long and was just using this sprint as a prep in
her debut...Lottie's Mizzion was fractious in the gate then got bumped at
the start then had to steady off heels, raced very wide down the backstretch,
three wide around the turn, edged wider turning the corner and finished gamely
for the show in a much improved effort in her third lifetime start and first
start on dirt and she's starting to figure things out, but they have to get her
to relax more in the gate...Mind Control stumbled at the start and was
farther off the pace than he likes to be but gamely won another graded stakes,
his 5th, rather easily this time; this is a good racehorse and classic grinding
sprinter...Wentz came off a nine month layoff, pressed a quick pace from
the three path on the final turn and really didn't tire that badly when you
consider the fact that this was his first try in a graded stakes and it was off
a lengthy layoff; nice sprinter)
3/6: main track no bias, a bit hard to gauge, speed did okay but I'll call it no
bias
(Horses to watch: Icy Dude finished gamely behind a slow pace...Brian's
Last Song raced gamely off the layoff.)
3/1: main track no bias, stalking trips did well
(Horses to watch: Makingcents, who was on this list after her last start,
is developing well and really crushed this field).
2/29: main track no bias
(Horses to watch: What A Catch dueled for the lead four wide showing
improved early speed in his 2nd start off the claim; probably needs a drop in
claiming price but could be live at a price in the right spot).
2/28: main track no bias; it looked speed favoring at first
as the first four winners went wire to wire, but the fifth race was won by a
stalker and the last three races were won by a closer
2/23: main track no bias
2/22: main track + speed, good rail
(Horses to watch: Choose Happiness, bred both sides to run long, was climbing
early racing greenly in debut, was sent four wide on the turn and was moving
well late; watch for the stretch out...Horoscope was used hard in a speed duel
while racing well off the rail and excusably tired
2/21: main track no bias, rider's avoided rail early but I think the rail was
fine
(Horses to watch: Radiantrithym got squeezed at the start and lost several
lengths, moved up on the turn, rallied wide for the drive and finished gamely
for the place).
2/20: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail
(Horses to watch: Midnight Banker was 2nd best at 4/5 but put in a solid
front running effort considering the way the track was playing...Combat
Ribbon did get a nice pace set up to close off of, and a closer's track, but
this first time starter was 5 to 7 wide most of the race including the final
turn and rallied gamely for the win. He was claimed and may turn out to be a
useful route horse...Carter's Got Sass, carved out a quick pace against
the bias and although tiring late, did hang on to the show)
2/17: main track, + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias
but I'll call it a mild bias beecause speed did well overall and the two closers
rallied off quick paces, the rail was good...Walrus Gumboot showed sharp
speed in debut, held okay.
(Horses to watch: Dare To Try was clearly 2nd best in a fine debut...The
Forty Factor had the rail and was used hard to secure the early lead then
was under pressure, didn't tire that badly.)
2/16: main track no bias
2/15: main track no bias
(Horses to watch: Bronxvlle set the pace and just missed the show; watch
for the turn back...Freudian Sip was wide and 11th in this big field,
closed gamely for the show).
2/14: main track no bias
2/9: main track no bias
(Horses to watch: Chateau was gunned to the lead and opened up a clear
lead while going too fast, held the show...No Hayne No Gayne battled with
the 4/5 favorite in a good effort, held the show)
2/8: main track + closers, off track but drying out
(Horses to watch: Striking Speed set the pace under pressure and held gamely for
the show in a solid debut over a track that appeared to favor closers and
stalkers...Blue Belt chased the pace two and three wide, ducked inside for the
drive then had to steady in tight quarters along the inside...Secret Rules set a
pressured pace and held the place gamely
2/6: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias,
sloppy sealed track
2/3: main track no bias
2/2: main track no bias, rail seemed fine
(Horses to watch: Jerome Avenue set a solid pace, shook off two pace
rivals and held gamely for the place...Quality Stones looked good winning
debut handily...Monday Morning QB ran gamely in his first stakes race and
first try going 9 furlongs; they'll probably go back to a shorter distance at
Parx or Laurel and this colt should be tough to beat there...Portos took
back from his outside post and did well to rally wide for the show; he may not
be graded stakes quality but in NW1 or a minor stakes race, he looks formidable
because this was a tough spot for him once they decided not to try leaving
(which is understandable because they probably would've gotten caught wide into
the first turn).
2/1: main track + closers
(Horses to watch: Beautiful Karen made a nice middle-move going a mile in
debut and was a game second for a barn that excels 2nd time out...Where's
Rudy was only in for $8,000 but looked good winning by over 14 lengths while
geared down late.)
1/31: main track + closers, mild bias
(Horses to watch: High Command set the pace with faster quarter and half
mile fractions than the feature race while against the bias going a mile,
weakened late; effort may be better than it looks on paper. )
1/30: main track + speed
(Horses to watch: Annie Rocks lunged at the start, raced four and five
wide while wide around both turns trying to close over a speed favoring track;
might be worth a price.)
1/26: main track no bias, off track
(Horses to watch: Flying Curlin was 2nd then got shuffled back to 5th,
moved again on the turn and drew off; he had raced on synthetic tracks prior to
this, but his pedigree suggested dirt would be better, and it was. May come
right back at 7 furlongs or longer for hot barn.)
1/25: main track + speed, sloppy sealed
(Horses to watch: Sneakiness raced wide chasing a quick pace, had the
lead, gave way grudgingly late...Frozen Account raced greenly over the
off track, rallied wide and finished well against the bias in a fine debut)
1/24: main track + closers; two horses went wire to wire in the first three
races but after that the track appeared tiring and the front runners
stopped.
(Horses to watch: Farragut pressed the pace four wide on the turn, wider
into the stretch and held well until the final sixteenth in an improved
effort...Forgotten Hero carved out a quick pace and stopped late; might
be dangerous on a more speed friendly day.)
1/23: main track + closers; two favorites went wire to wire, one got away with a
:24.2 first quarter in a sprint, the other was 4/5 and went :24.1 to the quarter
in a sprint.
(Horses to watch: Questeq set a pressured pace going a mile and held the
show.)
1/20: main track + closers.
(Horses to watch: The Important One stumbled at the start, raced four
wide pressing the pace and dug in for a game win in her debut...Outplay
was in tight quarters at the quarter pole then had to be held to avoid a fallen
horse, held the show...Deja Reconte set the pace under pressure from the
winner and didn't tire that badly)
1/19: main track no bias, sloppy sealed.
1/18: main track + speed and stalkers, last day of the speed bias for a
while.
(Horses to watch: Nicodemus rallied three wide on the turn and wider
turning for home and battled gamely closing well over a track that was favoring
speed, just missed...Now And Again chased while four wide then had to
check in the stretch when a horse came in on him.
1/17: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias but speed did well
again.
(Horses to watch: Identity Politics didn't have the smoothest trip but
finished with a nice wide rally for the place...Hope I Can was very wide
in debut and finished okay for fourth for a barn that excels second time out).
1/12: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias
but the rail was good again, being forwardly placed was an asset
1/11: main track + speed and stalkers, speed bias continued
for third straight day.
(Horses to watch: Tailspin broke alertly but was taken back; last time
out he showed improved speed in blinkers and he may be live at a price next
time...Playwright was 9th and made a solid three wide move on the turn,
then continued gamely for the place; one of the few deep closers that hit the
board against the bias the last few days (won on Jan. 31, paid $4.40)
...Love Me Tomorrow had post 10, raced
four wide on the turn, stacked wider turning for home and finished gamely to be
2nd best.
1/10: main track, + speed, mild bias, but once again, speed
and stalkers did well but the horses figured. Two of the wire to wire winners
won at 4-1 odds, but, I picked both on top, so, again, it's not like they were
unexpected winners. I changed Thursday's from no bias to mild bias as speed hold
well for the second straight day, and this time the fractions and times were
also quicker, but, it was a warm day for this time of the year and horses tend
to run slower in cold weather.
(Horses to watch: Jump For Joy was close up stalking a quick pace, then
got squeezed between horses and lost momentum in the stretch when the rider
altered course to get out of there....Cruising Strong rallied gamely for
the place off a slow pace over a track that seemed to be carrying speed pretty
well...MO FLASH broke awkwardly, was anywhere from three to six wide and
finished willingly...Princess In Charge set a pressured pace and appeared
to clip heels in the stretch, held well for the show.
1/9: main track, + speed, mild bias. Speed and stalkers did well but
the horses figured and this was a weak card so maybe it was just that the
track played fairly, although it may be somewhat speed favoring. The track did
seem a bit livelier than it usually is.
(Horses to watch: Quickflash was my Best Bet, broke badly, made a strong
wide move on the turn and finished gamely (won and paid $4.00 on February
2...Striking Causeway 4yo made
his belated debut for a barn that doesn't do well with firsters and was
aggressively ridden by Gutierrez getting into a wicked speed duel before tiring
badly; the first quarter of :22.3 is very fast for this winterized main track
and it was a tough trip for this first time starter. I'd consider him at a price
with a drop in for a tag and perhaps a stretch out in distance, because he's
well bred to go longer.)
1/5: main track no bias, although closers and stalkers may
still have the advantage, dull rail, rider's avoiding the inside over this off
track...based on the last month or so racing on the winterized main track here,
it appears that the track is going to be favorable to closers and stalking trips
on most days this winter, with the rider's avoiding the rail...horses can go
wire to wire if the rider can rate the horse off the rail but any race with a
contested pace is likely to be won from off the pace. To me, as a handicapper,
this means that I'm going to give the edge to contenders that seem likely to
have something left for the stretch drive because it's a "sustained"
model track where a horse needs stamina
1/4: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, off track
(Horses to watch: Freedom Prince got into traffic and forced to check losing
four lengths in a rough trip.)
1/1: main track + closers, off track
12/31: main track + closers and stalkers, sloppy sealed track but still tiring,
one wire to wire winner but closers did much better than front runners
12/30: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
12/29: main track + closers, dull rail
(Horses to watch: Valid Quest broke slow from the rail losing about five
lengths, rushed up to duel for the lead against the bias along the dull rail in
an improved effort 2nd time out)
12/28: main track, ++ closers, dead rail
(Horses to watch: Chateau set a hot pace over a dull track against a strong
bias, held the place)
12/22: main track no bias, but much different track than
Saturday, speed did well for the first five races.
(Horses to watch: Aristocratic got used in a three way pace battle and held
gamely for the show...Legion Storm was very wide throughout, finished willingly)
12/21: main track + closers.
(Horses to watch: Gringotts stumbled at the start, was 10th, finished gamely.)
12/20: main track no bias
12/15: main track + closers and stalkers, muddy sealed,
dull rail. This deeper winterized version of the main track plays differently
than the surface they use during the warmer weather does. It's deeper and slower
and when it rained this week, it became a closer's track. For decades, NYRA
sealed wet tracks were usually speed favoring, but in the past few years,
they've done a good job at somehow figuring out how to keep the track from
becoming speed biased when sealed.
(Horses to watch: Ma Meatloaf set the pace against the bias along the inside and
the first quarter was quick, held the show...Money Ride showed sharp early zip
for the first time in his career and romped against the bias. He has a good off
track pedigree so it's possible that he just loved the off track, but this was a
sharply improved performance to break his maiden...Macho Boy got used up chasing
the sharp winner in his first start as a gelding. I might be interested in this
one at a price now...Principal Dancer was sharply improved in first start as a
gelding, stalked a live pace and held well for the show (Principal Dancer won
and paid $9.20 on January 11).
12/14: main track sloppy sealed, no bias.
(Horses to watch: Saratoga Pal earned good pace figures racing wide in debut and
held gamely. Big Mountain carved out a solid pace and gave way grudgingly
late (Big Mountain won and paid $18.60 on January 11.)
12/13: main track + closers and stalkers, off track
(Horses to watch: (Sixteen Tons was 9th and launched a gamely wide rally for the
place. Camorra set the pace against the bias on a dull rail, held second.
Shesasuperfreak showed speed and was 2nd in an improved effort.)
12/12: main track + closers and stalkers, off track.
(Somebody middle-moved with authority drawing off quickly and was geared down
late. Ink Splotz set a hot pace against the bias, held the show. If he catches a
more speed friendly track he could be long gone. Final Say made a solid
middle-move to go from 7th to the lead and just missed. Loaded Joe set a
pressured pace; needs a cut back to a sprint.)
12/8: main track no bias, but stalking trips did well; turf
++ closers.
(Horses to watch: Distorted Sky finished gamely from at a tough
spot with a pretty rough trip in debut, which was on turf; may show up at
Gulfstream...New Year's Wish, this Aqueduct lover didn't break with the leaders
this time after lunging at the start, finished well...Makingcents raced wide and
finished gamely in debut)
12/7: main track no bias, but a tricky call because several horses did go wire
to wire, but they were horses that figures, and one of them, Shotski, got away
with a slow pace and had a great speed rider, Luis Saez; turf ++ closers.
(Horses to watch: I'm An Ocala Dude got rammed into early and the rider lost his
irons, he recovered to finish gamely...The Angry Man was given a good
educational ride in debut, altered course and finished well...)
12/6: main track no bias, turf + closers
12/5: main track no bias, off track
12/1: main track no bias, racing canceled after the 4th race
11/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/29: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
(Horses to watch: She Takes Charge got
stuck behind a slow pace, made a good wide rally...Ink Splotz showed sharp
speed, held well)
11/24: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
11/23: main track + speed, mild bias; turf + closers, turf courses are pretty
chewed up
11/22: main track no bias, off track; turf no bias
11/21: main track no bias, turf + closers
(Horses to watch: Imprsstheprofessor, making first career start, was 11th altered course twice in
the stretch and finished gamely.)
11/20: main track no bias, drying out track was rated
"good" for the first four races, fast for races 5-9; off the turf
(Horses to watch: Stash My Money, raced better in first start for a tag, very
wide early then four to five wide on the turn, rallied nicely for the show;
looks like he's better suited to dirt and maybe 6 furlongs to a mile is the
right distance....Complexity got a much needed drop to his proper condition and
crushed this field as a nice overlay winning handily and looking like a solid
sprinter/miler for sure. He may not be GR1 material but I sometime like a GR3,
maybe).
11/17: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
11/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/15: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
11/14: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/11: main track + speed and stalkers, mild bias; turf, no bias
11/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/8: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
11/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/3: main track no bias, off track; turf no bias
11/2: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
11/1: Aqueduct opening day...main track no bias, off track
10/27: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, racing canceled after the first race
10/26: main track + closers, turf ++ closers
10/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/24: main track + closers, turf + closers
10/23: main track + closers, mild bias, rail seemed dull, track was
"off" , started muddy, went to "good"
10/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/19: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/18: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/16: main track + closers races 1-6, no bias races 7 and 8, track fast to
start the day then it rained and it went to good then to muddy sealed, turf no
bias
10/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/13: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/12: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/11: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias;
turf no bias
10/10: main track, I'll call it + closers, there were
no wire to wire winners, but there were only four dirt races, so it's a tricky
read. Turf no bias.
10/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/5: main track + closers, turf no bias
10/4: main track no bias, muddy, sealed; turf no bias
10/3: main track no bias, sloppy, sealed
10/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/27: main track no bias, rail seemed good though; turf,
the courses are fast, haven't had significant rain in weeksand tactical speed
seemed to be an advantage, but I'll call it no bias
9/26: main track no bias, turf, no bias, but the courses are favoring horses
that are close to the pace, especially compared to the way turf usually plays
9/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/20: main track + closers and stalkers, not a severe bias,
dull rail; turf no bias, firm and very fast
9/19: main track + closers, dull rail, a long stretch of
dry weather often results in a dull rail at Belmont, so this is something to
watch. The bias wasn't severe the last two days but it does apear that the rail
is dull and it's not easy to go wire to wire on the dirt; turf + closers, times
very fast on turf as a long stretch of dry weather has settled in for the first
time in a long time.
9/18: main track + closers, dull rail, turf no bias
9/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/12: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/8: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
9/7: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/6: Belmont opening day, main track sloppy sealed, no
bias; turf no bias
9/2: main track no bias, sloppy sealed; only one turf race,
no bias
9/1: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/31: main track ++ closers, dead rail; turf + closers
8/30: main track + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
8/29: main track + closers, dull rail; turf, no bias
8/28: main track + speed and stalkers good rail, turf no bias
8/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/24: main track ++ closers, dead rail; turf + closers and stalkers
8/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/21: main track no bias, rained heavily during card, riders avoided the inside
so they thought the rail was dull
8/18: main track no bias, off the turf
8/17: main track no bias, track changed from fast to sloppy throughout the day,
speed seemed better when the track was dry but it's hard to say because most of
the horses that won from on or near the lead figured; turf, + closers
8/16: main track no bias, track remains very fast; turf no
bias
8/15: main track no bias...I'll call it no bias but the
four dirt races were won by horses on or near the lead, one wire to wire, three
stalked in second, so possibly somewhat speed favoring but not severe, and the
main track was very fast; turf no bias, and the turf courses were also very
fast, very fast final times on turf on dirt today
8/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/8: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, turf no
bias
8/7: main track + closers, dull rail, turf no bias
8/4: main track + closers, dull rail, turf no bias
8/3: main track + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
8/2: main track + closers,dull rail, turf no bias
8/1: main track no bias, although closers did pretty well and the one wire to
wire winner was an odds-on favorite that was tons the best, turf no bias
7/31: main track no bias, turf + closers, mild bias
7/28: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/26: main track + closers, dead rail, muddy sealed; turf no bias
7/25: main track and turf I'll call both no bias but there were only four races
on the day, racing canceled after the fourth race
7/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/21: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/19: main track no bias although almost every race was won by a stalker, so
positional speed may have been an asset; turf no bias
7/18: main track + closers, turf + closers
7/17: main track no bias, sloppy/muddy, sealed
7/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/13: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/12: main track no bias but as was opening day, most
of the winners were on or near the lead, so it could be that the track is +
speed, maybe a minor bias. My best bet won by 15 lengths at 3-1, so I was happy.
Turf + closers.
7/11: opening day at Saratoga, and of course they had thunderstorms, after the
5th race. The main track was fast and then later in the card muddy sealed.
Although two routes were won wire to wire, I'm going to call the main track no
bias, and both turf courses, + closers.
7/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/4: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/28: main track, I'll call it no bias, but there was only
three dirt races, turf no bias
6/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/26: main track no bias, turf no bias, although speed did
better on turf than it usually does
6/23: main track no bias, but speed doing pretty well, could be a mild speed
bias, rail good for sure, turf no bias
6/22: main track no bias, but speed doing pretty well, could be a mild speed
bias, rail good for sure, turf no bias
6/21: main track + speed and stalkers, sloppy sealed
6/20: main track + speed and stalkers, muddy sealed, it appeared that you had to
be close to the pace, but not a severe bias
6/19: main track no bias, off track
6/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/13: main track no bias, sloppy, sealed; turf no bias
6/12: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
6/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/8: main track + speed, good rail, track was quick, very fast times on Belmont
stakes day, partly because of the quality of the horses, but the track was
definitely quick, turf no bias, outer turf was very fast, produced fast times
6/7: main track + speed, track was quick, turf no bias
6/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/31: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/26: main track no bias, turf + speed
5/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/23: main track no bias, although closers and stalkers may
have had somewhat of an edge over the off track; turf + closers
5/19: main track no bias, it's getting more difficult to
analyze the bias on the main track, since there are so many turf races, but the
track changed starting with May 9th, although I've called it "no bias"
over the last couple of weeks, speed and stalkers did pretty well, deep closers
did not do well, so keep that in mind when handicapping, you're probably going
to do better with horses that figure to leave the gate and get position...inner
turf + speed, outer turf + closers
5/18: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/17: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
5/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/12: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
5/11: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
5/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/9: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/5: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, sloppy sealed
5/4: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail; sloppy sealed; turf, +
closers
5/3: main track + closers, racing canceled after the 4th race; turf + closers
5/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/27: main track trying out, fast, no bias; turf yielding,
+ closers
4/26: Belmont opening day, off track was sealed, + closers, not a strong bias,
but the rail seemed dull
4/20: main track, sloppy sealed, no bias; turf no bias
4/19: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/18: main track + stalkers and closers, inner turf + closers, outer turf +
speed and stalkers
4/17: main track, I'll call it no bias, every race was won
by a stalker so it appeared that it was an advantage to be close to the pace,
but that's not unusual; with the weather getting warmer it could be that the
dull rail closers track that we had the last couple of weeks is
finished....Outer turf + speed, was rated "good" but the times were
very fast. Main turf + closers.
4/14: main track + closers, off track; turf + closers
4/13: main track races 1-5 wet/sealed + speed, 7-9, + closers; turf, one race,
no bias
4/12: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/11: main track, no bias; it's getting harder to evaluate now that turf racing
is back; turf, + closers
4/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/6: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail; outer turf, + closers
4/5: opening day of the spring meet, main track + closers,
dull rail; outer turf, + closers
3/31: main track ++ closers
3/30: main track + closers and stalkers
3/29: main track + closers, dull rail
3/24: main track ++ closers, dead rail, trend continued
this week, six straight days of a dull rail closer's track for the last two
weeks
3/23: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, not a
severe bias
3/22: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, not a severe bias
3/17: main track + closers, not a strong bias, but it
looked like a closer's track for the first 7 races, then the winner's of the
last two sprints wired the field
3/16: main track + closers, not a severe bias
3/15: main track + closers and stalkers, not a severe bias
3/10: main track no bias
3/9: main track no bias
3/8: main track no bias
3/3: main track no bias
3/2: main track + closers, dull rail
3/1: main track no bias
2/28: main track + closers, dull rail, track played much
differently than it's been the past couple of weeks. One of the things I look
at, what types of horses won the races? On this day, six of the winners had
strong "late pace" figures and were "sustained" style
runners
2/24: + speed, sloppy sealed
2/23: main track no bias
2/22: main track, no bias, off track
2/21: main track + speed and stalkers, sloppy sealed track
2/18: main track no bias
2/17: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias
but track continues to favor horses on or near the lead
2/16: main track + speed and stalkers, good rail, not a strong bias
2/15: main track no bias
2/10: main track + speed, good rail, not a strong bias, in
my opinion, but speed was good all week. With the exception of 2/8, it wasn't
impossible to win from off the pace, but being on or near the lead was an
advantage
2/9: main track + speed, good rail, not a strong bias
2/8: main track ++ speed, sloppy sealed, very speed favoring
2/7: main track + speed, speed and stalkers did well, although most of them
figured; still, speed did well and continued a trend that started Sunday (Feb.
3)
2/3: main track + speed, not a severe bias but speed was
good and the inside seemed better than usual
2/2: main track no bias
2/1: main track no bias
1/27: main track no bias
1/26: main track no bias
1/25: main track no bias
1/20: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
1/19: main track, I'll call it no bias, but it was a bit of an odd day, the
first four races appeared to favor speed, the last five races appeared to favor
closers...??
1/18: main track no bias
1/13: main track + speed and stalkers
1/12: main track no bias
1/11: main track no bias
1/10: main track no bias, windy; races canceled after the
5th race due to wind gusts
1/6: main track + closers, muddy; track seemed to get more
tiring as the day went on
1/5: main track + speed in sprints, route races no bias, tricky day, sloppy
sealed
1/4: main track no bias, although speed did pretty well in sprints, hard to call
it a bias
1/1: main track no bias, muddy
12/31: main track no bias
12/30: main track no bias
12/29: main track no bias
12/28: main track + speed, not a strong bias, sloppy sealed
12/23: main track no bias
12/22: main track no bias, muddy sealed
12/21: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
12/20: main track + closers and stalkers, no wire to wire winners, dull rail,
rider's avoiding rail
12/16: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, rider's avoiding
rail
12/15: main track no bias, off track; outside paths preferred
12/14: main track no bias
12/13: main track no bias
12/9: main track no bias
12/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
12/7: main track no bias
12/1: main track no bias, dull rail, but closers did well until the last two
races, so it's a tricky call; turf + closers
11/30: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail,
rider's trying to avoid the rail; turf + closers
11/29: main track ++ dead rail, slow tiring track
11/28: main track no bias
11/25: main track + closers, dull rail, was muddy to start and then rated good later on,
tricky day. No horse went wire to wire, several front runners stopped
badly, and stalkers did very well. I do think the track was tiring and
I would give extra credit to horses that tried to wire the field.
11/24: main track + speed, turf + closers
11/23: main track ++ speed
11/22: main track no bias, slow times, cold day
11/21: main track no bias, slow times, turf + closers
11/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/17: main track no bias
11/16: main track no bias but rider's tried to avoid the rail, sloppy sealed
track
11/15: main track no bias, races canceled after 6th race due to weather
11/14: main track no bias
11/11: main track + closers, perhaps not a severe bias, but
closers and stalkers won all of the races except one, one wire to wire winner
was lone speed and set a slow pace; turf, + closers
11/10: main track no bias
11/9: main track no bias, off track, sealed; turf, +
closers
11/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/7: main track + speed and stalkers, off track
11/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/3: main track no bias, off track; turf no bias
11/2: Aqueduct opening day, main track no bias, although the track was slow
(times were slow), turf no bias
10/28: main track no bias, sloppy sealed; turf no bias
10/26: main track ++ speed, gold rail; turf no bias
10/25: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/24: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/21: main track, windy day, hard to call it a strong bias but the inside was
good and I would call it + speed in sprints, no bias in routes; turf no bias
10/20: main track, tricky call, one horse, Kosciuszko, went wire to wire
impressively, but the other 8 dirt races were all won by closers or stalkers;
I'll call it + closers, mild bias; turf + closers
10/19: main track + speed, good rail; turf ++ closers
10/18: main track + speed, good rail; turf + closers
10/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/14: main track + closers, not a strong bias; turf was
soft/yielding, + closers
10/13: main track no bias, turf + closers, soft
10/12: main track no bias, drying out
10/11: main track no bias, sloppy, sealed
10/8: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/4: main track no bias, turf, inner course no bias, widener course + speed
10/3: main track no bias, turf, inner course, no bias, widener course, + speed
9/30: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + speed and stalkers
9/29: main track no bias, inner turf + closers, widener turf no bias
9/28: main track no bias, sloppy, sealed
9/27: main track + speed, good rail; turf no bias
9/26: main track no bias, tricky call, the track was labeled muddy for the first
race but was drying out and was rated fast later on
9/23: main track + closers, turf + closers
9/22: main track + speed, good rail; turf + closers, yielding
9/21: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/20: main track + closers, one wire to wire winner that set a slow pace while
well off the inside, and the track seemed more tiring than it's been with a dull
rail; turf + closers
9/19: main track no bias
9/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/14: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/9: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
9/8: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/7: Belmont opening day. main track no bias, turf yielding, + closers
9/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/31: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/26: main track + closers, tricky call, speed didn't hold up but it could have
been a coincidence because the track has not been favoring closers. I'll call it
a mild bias, turf + closers
8/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/24: main track + speed, turf no bias
8/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/22: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias, turf no bias
8/20: main track + closers, turf + closers
8/19: main track + speed, turf ++ closers
8/18: main track no bias, off track; turf + closers, only
one race, turf was rated as "soft"
8/17: main track + speed, not a severe bias; turf + closers
8/16: main track no bias, although once again, speed did
pretty well for this track, perhaps Wednesday and Thursday should be called a
mild speed bias, and today the track was faster than usual with hot splits in
the sprint races; turf + speed
8/15: main track no bias although in sprints speed and
stalkers did very well, turf + closers
8/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/12: main track ++ speed, off the turf
8/11: main track no bias, off track, turf no bias
8/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/9: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias; turf + closers,
yielding
8/8: main track no bias, turf no bias (yielding)
8/6: main track no bias, turf ++ closers, "good"
8/5: main track ++ closers, started out "good" and was drying out,
changed to fast in the 6th race; turf + closers, "soft"
8/4: main track + closers, another drying out track that started out good and
was changed to fast
8/3: main track no bias, muddy sealed; turf + closers, yielding
8/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/1: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/28: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/27: main track ++ speed, sealed off track, much more speed favoring than the
day before
7/26: main track + speed, sloppy sealed, not a severe bias but front runners did
better than usual over this track
7/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/23: main track no bias, sloppy sealed; turf + closers,
but there was only one turf race
7/22: main track, off track, no bias, stalkers or pressers
won most of the races, turf, + closers
7/21: main track, no bias, turf no bias
7/20: opening day at Saratoga, main track no bias, turf +
closers, not a severe bias
7/15: main track + closers, sloppy sealed, turf ++ closers, yielding
7/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/12: main track + speed, turf no bias
7/11: main track + speed, turf no bias
7/8: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/5: main track no bias, the dirt races were won by either the pacesetter or
stalker but not enough evidence to call it a speed bias, turf no bias
7/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/28: main track no bias, muddy sealed; off the turf
6/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/24: main track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias but track seemed much
different than the prior day, turf ++ closers
6/23: main track + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
6/22: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/21: main track + speed, not a severe bias, turf + closers, not a severe bias
6/20: main track + speed, turf + speed and very fast
6/17: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/14: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/13: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/9: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/8: main track + closers, turf no bias
6/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/2: main track no bias, turf + speed
6/1: main track no bias, sloppy sealed; turf no bias
5/31: main track + speed, turf + speed
5/28: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/27: main track sloppy sealed, off the turf
5/26: main track + speed and stalkers/pressers, turf no bias
5/25: main track no bias, turf no bias but speed did pretty well again,
considering it is turf
5/24: main track no bias, turf no bias but speed did pretty well
5/20: main track no bias, muddy track; turf one race, no bias
5/19: main track + speed, sloppy, sealed, off the turf
5/18: main track no bias, times were faster than average, quick surface, turf no
bias
5/17: main track no bias, off the turf
5/16: main track + speed, sloppy sealed; turf no bias
5/13: main track + speed, muddy sealed; turf no bias
5/12: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/11: main track + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
5/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/5: main track no bias, turf no bias, windy day
5/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/28: main track no bias; turf no bias
4/27: Belmont opening day, main track, I'll call it no
bias, but only one closer won, the other races the winners stalked in good
position; turf was rated good and + closers, although one horse, my $9.00 Best
Bet, Summer Squeeze, did go wire to wire, but the other turf winners were deep
closers
4/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/19: main track + closers, not a severe bias, but track seemed somewhat tiring,
turf + closers
4/18: main track + closers and stalkers, not a severe bias but track seemed
somewhat tiring, turf + closers, mild bias
4/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/14: main track, only three dirt races, I'll call it no bias; turf + closers
4/13: main track + speed and stalkers, but a mild bias; turf no bias
4/12: no bias, most races were won by horses that were
close to the pace, however so it may have been a mild bias; turf, + closers
4/11: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias; turf + closers
4/8: main track no bias, turf + closers, windy day
4/7: + closers, dull rail, turf + closers
4/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
3/31: no bias, windy day
3/30: no bias
3/25: + closers and stalkers, not a strong bias, but I thought the track was a
bit tiring; dull rail
3/24: no bias
3/23: no bias
3/18: no bias, in the three days of racing this week, being
forwardly placed as an advantage, which is much different than how the track
played during the colder winter days
3/17: + speed and stalkers
3/16: no bias
3/11: no bias, but speed and stalkers did better in the
three racing days this week than they did at many times during the winter, but
hard to call the track biased as several horses that are known sustained types
rallied to win from off the pace
3/10: no bias
3/9: no bias
3/4: + closers, slow track
3/3: + closers and stalkers
2/25: no bias, sloppy sealed
2/24: no bias...I'm calling this no bias, but it was a tricky wet-track day. The
track was sealed after the 5th race and speed did better but I still didn't see
a bias.
2/23: no bias, muddy, harrowed
2/19: no bias, hard to call it a bias, but track seemed a bit tiring and
possibly favored closers somewhat, muddy, harrowed
2/18: no bias, sloppy sealed, rider's did avoid the rail
2/17: no bias, muddy track
2/16: + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias, sloppy track
2/15: + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias, off track
2/11: no bias, sloppy sealed, rider's avoiding rail as they
have all meet
2/10: no bias, races 1-3 good, races 4-9,muddy, sealed track
2/9: no bias, off track
2/8: sprints + speed, routes no bias
2/4: no bias
2/3: no bias
2/2: + closers, muddy track appeared tiring
2/1: no bias, off track
1/28: no bias, sloppy sealed
1/27: + closers, not a strong bias, mild bias, dull rail perhaps, rider's
avoiding the rail but not as far off as earlier in the meet, what a difference a
day makes, this track was nothing like Friday's....while watching the races, I
thought that the track was somewhat tiring; three horses went wire to wire but
two got away with easy fractions and were favorites that looked tough to beat on
paper, and the other, a ten claimer named Big Guy Ian, trained by hot trainer
Rudy Rodriguez, ran a huge race winning 5th race setting a quick pace and
drawing off to win by 9 lengths in fast time, which should earn him a better
speed figure than the horses that ran in the GR3 Toboggan stakes which was the
third race on the card, in that race, two G1 winning speed horses, Takaful, the
4/5 favorite, and Green Gatto, gave way, so 7 year old Big Guy Ian, who was
second off a layoff and dropping a notch, ran faster than Takaful, who had won
the GR1 Vosburgh two starts back...some say that the track sped up after the 4th
race, but the last two races, 8 and 9, weren't that fast, so it was a very trick
day
1/26: ++ speed, 7 of the 8 winners went wire to wire
1/25: no bias
1/21: no bias, but much different than the day before, dull rail, slower, too
1/20: + speed, not a severe bias, but speed was an asset
and track was fast, more like the regular Aqueduct main track, not the
winterized version, which usually results in slower final times, rail was good
1/19: sprints, + closers, route races, no bias....three wire to wire winners in
one mile races, but closers won the sprints, hard to gauge track bias
1/18: + speed, off track, rail okay for a change
1/15: no bias, much different track than Sunday, speed did
pretty well but hard to call it a bias
1/14: ++ closers, dull rail
1/13: no bias, muddy sealed
1/12: no bias, muddy sealed, racing canceled after the second race
12/30: no bias, dull rail, racing canceled after the fourth
race due to cold weather and the jockeys felt that there were bad spots on the
track
12/29: + closers, not a severe bias but track seemed slow and somewhat tiring,
dull rail
12/23: no bias, dull rail, speed did pretty well as rider's avoid the inside
path, but hard to call it a speed bias
12/22: no bias, dull rail
12/21: no bias, dull rail
12/17: no bias, dull rail
12/16: no bias, off track; the track, which was rated as
"good," was on the quick side compared to the way it's been most days
12/15: + closers and stalkers, dull rail, rider's trying to
keep their horses well off the inside
12/14: + closers and stalkers, dull rail
12/10: no bias, dead rail, off track; tricky day again as
three horses did go wire to wire but they stayed well off the rail; this was
still a somewhat tiring track that was a bit kind to closers but hard to call it
a bias; give extra credit to horses that were stuck on the inside path,
especially if they were on the lead. The winterized main track is different in
that the rail is dull even when the track is wet. The regular main track was often speed
favoring when wet.
12/9: + closers and stalkers, off track, dead rail again
12/8: no bias, dull rail; turf + closers
12/7: no bias, turf no bias
12/6: no bias, off the turf
12/3: + closers, dull rail; turf no bias, speed did surprisingly well on turf
but I don't think it was a bias
12/2: no bias, turf no bias
12/1: + closers and stalkers, not a strong bias but the two front end winners
were tons the best, one was odds on and raced off the rail, the other was an
impressive first time starter, dull rail; turf + closers
11/30: no bias, dull rail, rider's avoiding rail, speed did pretty well; turf no
bias
11/29: no bias, turf + closers
11/26: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
11/25: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
11/24: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
11/23: + closers and stalkers, dull rail; turf + closers
11/22: + closers and stalkers, sloppy sealed racetrack
11/18: no bias, dull rail, turf, no bias
11/17: no bias, dull rail, turf no bias
11/16: + speed, dull rail; turf, no bias, odd day and tough to analyze,
especially since the day before was such a closer's track, basically looked like
a speed bias with four wire to wire winners and the other horses were right with
the pace, but the horses all raced well off the rail
11/15: ++ closers, dull rail; turf no bias
11/12: no bias, rail may be getting better, turf, no bias
11/11: no bias, dull rail; turf + closers
11/10: no bias, dull rail, strong tailwind, turf ++ closers
11/9: no bias, but once again, dull rail; keep in mind, if
the rider's weren't avoiding the rail, the bias would most likely be a closer's
bias, but some horses are able to go wire to wire because the rider's are
keeping the horses well off the rail; for instance, in the 7th race, Joel
Rosario went wire to wire with Two Down One To Go but kept the gelding in paths
three, four, and five; turf, + closers.
11/8: no bias, dull rail,off track, no turf
11/5: no bias but dull rail, rider's avoiding the rail;
turf + closers
11/4: + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
11/3: Aqueduct opening day, main track, no inner track anymore, it's gone, as
they added a second turf course, so this is the surface for the rest of the
fall, winter, and spring until Belmont opens next May...no bias, dull rail,
rider's avoiding rail; turf + closers
10/28: ++ closers, turf + closers
10/27: no bias, turf no bias
10/26: + closers, turf + closers
10/25: + closers, turf + closers
10/22: no bias, turf ++ closers
10/21: no bias, turf + closers
10/20: no bias, turf + closers
10/19: no bias, turf + closers
10/18: no bias, turf ++ closers
10/15: no bias, turf ++ closers
10/14: no bias, turf + closers
10/13: no bias, turf + closers
10/12: + stalkers and closers, turf + closers
10/9: no bias, sloppy sealed, turf + closers
10/8: no bias, turf + closers
10/7: no bias, turf + closers
10/6: no bias, turf no bias
10/5: no bias, turf + closers
10/4: + closers, turf + closers
10/1: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
9/30: + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
9/29: + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
9/28: no bias, surprisingly, since the track has been clearly favoring closers;
turf, no bias
9/27: ++ closers, dead rail; turf no bias
9/24: ++ closers, dead rail; turf ++ closers
9/23: no bias, turf + closers
9/22: no bias, turf ++ closers
9/21: no bias, turf ++ closers
9/20: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
9/17: ++ closers, dull rail, rider's trying to avoid the
rail; turf + closers
9/16: + closers, turf ++ closers
9/15: + closers, turf ++ closers
9/10: no bias, turf + closers,
9/9: no bias, turf + closers
9/8: Belmont opening day of the fall meet, main track no
bias, turf ++ closers
9/4: no bias, off track; turf, no bias, yielding
9/3: no bias, sloppy sealed; no turf racing
9/2: + speed, turf no bias
9/1: no bias, turf + closers
8/31: + speed, turf + closers
8/30: no bias, turf no bias
8/28: no bias, turf ++ closers
8/27: no bias, turf ++ closers
8/26: no bias, turf ++ closers
8/25: no bias, turf no bias, two horses went wire to wire in 5.5f sprints, but
the turf course favored closers in the route races...most turf course favor
closers most of the time
8/24: + speed, turf no bias
8/23: + speed, turf no bias
8/21: + speed, turf ++ closers
8/20: no bias, turf + speed
8/19: no bias, turf + closers
8/18: + closers, muddy track; off the turf
8/17: no bias, turf no bias
8/16: no bias, similar to Monday, the track may have been
somewhat speed favoring, rail is good, but hard to call it a bias; turf ++
closers; despite not having a lot of rain this meet, the turf continues to favor
closers, which is normal for turf racing in general
8/14: no bias, speed did well but a horse rallied nicely to
win from 7th in a race that had a slow pace, hard to call it a speed bias; turf
+ closers
8/13: + speed, speed and stalkers won the races, the trend since last Sunday has been a livelier rail and
speed and stalkers doing well compared to earlier in the meet and against
the sort of dull and tiring Saratoga track that we've become accustomed to the
past few years; turf no bias...It's been a pretty dry meet without the typical heat and thunderstorms
8/12: + speed, turf + closers
8/11: no bias, turf no bias
8/10: no bias, turf no bias
8/9: no bias, turf no bias
8/7: no bias, turf no bias
8/6: + speed and stalkers, turf + closers
8/5: no bias, turf + closers
8/4: + closers; turf + closers
8/3: no bias, turf + closers
8/2: + closers, after the day off, track was much different than Monday, turf ++
closers
7/31: ++ speed, gold rail, track more speed favoring
overall the past three days, turf + closers
7/30: no bias, turf, no bias
7/29: + speed, turf + closers
7/28: no bias, turf + closers
7/27: no bias, sealed off track; turf + closers
7/26: no bias, off track; turf ++ closers
7/24: + closers, dull rail, off track; turf ++ closers
7/23: no bias, turf + closers
7/22: no bias, turf, no bias
7/21: Opening day at Saratoga, no bias, turf no bias
7/16: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
7/15: no bias, dull rail, rider's avoiding rail; turf no bias
7/14: + closers, dull rail; turf, + closers
7/13: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
7/9: no bias, turf no bias
7/8: + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
7/7: + speed and stalkers, drying out track started out
muddy, then changed to good, then fast
7/4: no bias but dull rail and rider's avoiding the rail,
two wire to wire winners raced two or three wide, turf + closers
7/3: dirt races prior to 8th race + closers, dull rail; race 8, no bias, track
turned muddy after rain storm; turf no bias
7/2: + closers, mild bias, dull rail; turf + closers
7/1: no bias, turf ++ closers
6/30: + closers and stalkers, dull rail; turf ++ closers
6/29: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
6/25: ++ closers, dead rail; turf, ++ closers, rated good
6/24: no bias, off the turf
6/23: + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
6/22: no bias, but rail dull, rider's avoiding it; turf + closers
6/21: + closers and stalkers, dull rail; turf + closers
6/18: no bias, sloppy sealed, turf no bias, yielding
6/17: no bias, sloppy sealed, races canceled after the third race, turf no bias
6/16: no bias, turf + closers
6/15: no bias, turf + closers
6/14: no bias, turf no bias
6/11: ++ closers, dull rail; turf no bias
6/10: ++ closers, dull rail; turf + closers
6/9: ++ closers, dull rail; turf + closers
6/8: no bias, turf no bias
6/4: no bias, turf + closers
6/3: no bias, turf + closers
6/2: + speed, turf + closers
6/1: no bias, turf + closers
5/29: no bias sloppy sealed, turf no bias, yielding
5/28: no bias, turf + closers
5/27: no bias, turf + closers
5/26: no bias, muddy off the turf
5/25: ++ speed, sloppy sealed, turf + closers, yielding
5/21: + closers, dull rail, turf + closers
5/20: + closers, dull rail, turf + closers
5/19: + closers and stalkers, dull rail, turf + closers
5/18: no bias, turf no bias
5/17: no bias, turf, + closers
5/14: + closers, off track, dull rail
5/13: + closers, mild bias, but the sloppy sealed track seemed surprisingly
tiring, dull rail, turf yielding, no bias
5/12: no bias, turf no bias
5/11: + closers, turf no bias
5/10: sprints + closers, routes no bias, turf + closers
5/7: sprints + closers, routes, no bias, it seems easier and more likely to go
wire to wire in dirt routes on the Belmont main track, than in sprints, which
makes sense because the pace is slower, turf + closers
5/6: sprints + closers, routes no bias, turf yielding, no bias
5/5: + speed, sloppy sealed
5/4: + speed, not a strong bias, turf no bias
5/3: no bias, turf + closers
4/30: no bias, turf + closers
4/29: no bias, turf + closers
4/28: opening day at Belmont, main track, + closers, dull
rail; turf ++ closers
4/23: no bias, turf + closers
4/22: + speed and stalkers, turf + closers
4/21: no bias, turf no bias
4/20: no bias, turf no bias
4/19: no bias, turf + closers
4/15: no bias, turf + closers
4/14: + closers, turf + closers
4/13: no bias, turf no bias
4/12: no bias, turf no bias
4/9: ++ speed, turf yielding, no bias
4/8: no bias
4/7: no bias
4/6: no bias, sloppy, sealed
4/5: + speed, off track
4/2: no bias, off track
4/1: + closers, muddy sealed
3/31: Opening Day, Aqueduct main track, + closers, sloppy sealed track, times
were slow
3/26: inner track + closers, muddy track; two wire to wire winners but they were
odds on and much the best, track seemed tiring
3/25: inner track no bias
3/24: inner track no bias
3/19: inner track + closers, not a strong bias, but track
was tiring all three days this week
3/18: inner track + closers
3/17: inner track + closers, not a strong bias but track seemed somewhat tiring
3/12: inner track no bias
3/11: inner track no bias
3/10: inner track no bias, off track
3/5: inner track no bias
3/4: inner track no bias, windy day
3/3: inner track no bias
2/26: inner track no bias
2/25: inner track no bias
2/24: inner track no bias
2/20: inner track no bias
2/19: inner track + closers and stalkers
2/18: inner track no bias
2/17: inner track no bias, five wire to wire winners, so
rail was good, but hard to call it a bias
2/16: inner track no bias
2/12: inner track + speed, sloppy sealed
2/11: inner track no bias
2/10: inner track no bias
2/5: inner track no bias
2/4: inner track no bias
2/3: inner track + closers
2/2: inner track + closers, not a strong bias
1/29: inner track + closers
1/28: inner track no bias
1/27: inner track no bias
1/26: inner track + closers
1/22: inner track + closers, not a strong bias
1/21: inner track no bias
1/20: inner track ++ closers, dull rail
1/16: inner track no bias
1/15: inner track + closers and stalkers
1/14: inner track no bias
1/13: inner track ++ speed, gold rail, much different than
Thursday's deep muddy track, two route races, one which had a fast pace, were
won by closers but the other 7 races were won wire to wire and in sprints in
particular, it seemed impossible to gain ground...this isn't that unusual the
day after a deep muddy track, they probably had to scrape the track
1/12: inner track + closers, off track, started out muddy
after overnight rain and ended up rated good, track seemed tiring
1/6: inner track + speed, not a severe bias but the two
longshots that won the last two races were to wire are an indication that the
track was somewhat favorable to front end speed
1/5: inner track, no bias, but speed did pretty good, although the horses that
went wire to wire figured so I'll call it a no bias day but speed certainly
wasn't compromised
1/2: inner track, no bias...tricky track, the first four
races were labeled fast but it was raining lightly and the track most likely was
more like wet-fast, the 5th race was labeled good and races 6, 7, 8 and 9 were
labeled muddy-sealed
1/1: inner track no bias
12/31: inner track no bias
12/30: inner track no bias, off track
12/29: inner track reopened after an 11 day break, + speed,
not a strong bias, track was tricky, started out fair and then speed did well,
hard to gauge muddy sealed track
12/18: inner track + closers, muddy sealed
12/17: inner track + speed
12/16: inner track no bias, rider's still avoided rail but speed and closers won
12/14: inner track + closers and stalkers, dull rail; lone wire to wire winner
was 1/2 odds and stayed off the rail
12/11: inner track no bias, speed did pretty well but I
don't think it was due to a biased track, although the rail has been good the
last four racing days
12/10: inner track no bias
12/9: inner track ++ speed, gold rail...this was like the
old inner track from twenty years ago
12/8: inner track no bias, although speed did much better than opening day, but
I can't call it a bias because three horses won from off the pace
12/7: inner track ++ closers, dull rail, muddy sealed on opening day of the
inner track
12/4: main track no bias, turf ++ closers, yielding
12/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
12/2: main track no bias
12/1: main track + closers, muddy track, times were slow,
rail was dull, rider's tried to avoid the inside path; bit hard to gauge the
bias but I think overall the track was tiring and favored closers; two horses
did win after leading but they stayed off the rail
11/30: main track no bias, muddy sealed
11/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/26: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/25: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/24: main track + closers, dull rail, turf + closers
11/23: main track + closers, dull rail, turf ++ closers
11/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/18: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
11/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/16: main track + closers, turf + closers
11/13: main track + closers, turf + closers
11/12: main track + closers, turf + closers
11/11: main track ++ closers, dull rail; turf + closers
11/10: main track + stalkers and closers, turf + closers
11/09: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
11/06: main track + closers, turf ++ closers
11/05: main track + closers, turf + closers
11/04: Aqueduct main track opening day, main track no bias, turf no bias
10/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/28: main track no bias, off track, turf + closers
10/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/26: main track no bias, turf + speed
10/23: main track + closers, probably not a strong bias, it was hard to gauge,
started out muddy, ended "good" but was certainly an off track all
day; turf + closers, soft
10/22: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
10/21: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
10/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/19: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/16: main track + closers and stalkers, turf + closers
10/15: main track + closers, turf + closers
10/14: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/13: main track + closers, only four dirt races but it
seemed tiring, turf ++ closers, turf was rated as "good" and was
noticeably soft as you could see horses kicking up pieces of the turf
10/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/9: main track + closers, dull rail, sloppy sealed; riders avoided rail, lone
wire to wire winner stayed well off the rail
10/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/7: main track + speed, turf + closers
10/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/2: main track no bias, off track; turf yielding, +
closers
10/1: main track no bias, muddy, sealed; turf yielding, two wire to wire winners
in two turf races but I'll call it no bias; one of the horses, my Best Bet,
Oscar Performance, has the look of a champion and will most likely be the pick
in the Breeders Cup juvenile turf
9/30: main track muddy sealed, + speed; turf + closers
9/29: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/28: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/25: main track + closers, only three dirt races, so
difficult to know for certain, but closers won every race, turf + closers
9/24: main track + closers, slight edge to closers, turf + closers
9/23: main track + closers, slight edge to closers, turf no bias
9/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/21: main track + speed, but there were only two dirt
races; turf ++ closers, some weekend rain was much needed on the turf courses
9/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/17: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/15; main track no bias, turf no bias
9/14: main track + speed and stalkers, turf no bias
9/11: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/10: main track + closers, turf ++ closers
9/9: Belmont opening day, main track no bias, turf + closers
9/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/4: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + closers
9/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/1: main track no bias, every dirt race was won by a horse
that stalked or pressed the pace but hard to cal it a bias; turf + closers
8/31: main track no bias, but rider's seemed to avoid the
rail; turf no bias
8/29: main track + speed and stalkers, I'll call it a mild
bias but it was hard to gauge with only 4 dirt races, but track was certainly
much different than Sunday's, turf + closers, also was different than Saturday
and Sunday, which appeared even more favoring to closers
8/28: main track ++ closers, dead rail, turf ++ closers
8/27: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
8/26: main track no bias, muddy sealed, turf no bias, yielding
8/25: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/24: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/22: main track + closers, turf no bias
8/21: main track + closers and stalkers, rain caused the
last two sprints to be moved from turf to the main track, track changed from
fast to good sealed and the winner of race 11 went wire to wire but overall the
track seemed tiring, turf + closers
8/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/17: main track no bias, dull rail, but this is a tricky
call. Two horses that set comfortable paces went wire to wire going a mile and
an eighth but in the three dirt sprints horses rallied from far back and riders
avoided the rail. This was a typical tiring Saratoga track. Turf +
closers.
8/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/14: main track no bias
8/13: main track sloppy no bias, turf + closers, racing canceled after 5th race
due to inclement weather
8/12: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/11: main track no bias, turf ++ closres
8/10: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
8/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/7: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/5: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/4: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/1: main track no bias, sloppy sealed
7/31: main track + speed and stalkers, I'll call it a mild bias, sloppy sealed
7/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/29: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/28: main track no bias, much kinder to speed and stalkers
than the first four days of the meet, turf + closers
7/27: main track no bias, much kinder to speed and stalkers than prior days,
turf + closers
7/25: main track + closers and stalkers, so far the
Saratoga track can be called "sustained" or a bit tiring this meet,
and that has been the trend the past few years. This is not a speed favoring
track like it was back in the days when Angel Cordero was the king. I've had a
hot meet so far but I tend to pick horses that can finish and have a touch of
class so it fits into my handicapping. As an example of the track being
sustained, yesterday in races 7, 8, and 9, all three winners of those races were
turnbacks, going from a route to a sprint, which, as we know, often results in a
stronger stretch kick. All three of them finished strongly including my Best
Bet, Shoot From The Hip $10.00, who was a Pace Shape pick from my Pace
Handicapping Longshots book. I had all three winners on top and I had 7 winners
on top on the 9 race card. So far this meet on my Sharphorses Selection Service
I've picked 20 winners on top in 41 races.... turf + closers
7/24: main track + closers, turf + closers
7/23: main track + closers, turf ++ closers
7/22: Saratoga opening day, main track seemed tiring, +
closers, turf ++ closers; the last few years the main track has clearly favored
"sustained" horses that can finish well, so keep that in mind. Cheap
speed doesn't win here.
7/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/14: main track no bias, fast but the 8th race was muddy sealed, turf + closers
7/13: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/10: main track no bias, turf no bias, turf course listed
as firm but fractions and times much slower than they've been
7/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/1: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/26: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/25: main track no bias, turf + closers, all of the turf
winners sat second or third stalking the pace but I'm not sure that means
anything, a lot of races are won by stalkers or pressers and it was most likely
just a coincidence
6/24: main track no bias, turf +
closers
6/23: main track + speed, probably a mild bias, hard to say definitely with only
4 dirt races, three horses went wire to wire; turf no bias, speed held much
better than usual, probably just a coincidence
6/22: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/19: main track no bias, all winners on main track stalked
the pace from close range, but that isn't unusual and there were only three dirt
races, turf + closers
6/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/16: main track + closers, one wire to wire winners set a very slow pace, turf
+ closers
6/15: main track + closers, turf no bias
6/12: main track + closers, turf + closers
6/11: main track ++ closers, turf + closers
6/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/9: main track + closers, I thought this was a clear
closer's bias, one horse did go wire to wire in a 5.5 furlong sprint but the
other races were won by closers that rallied from 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th and the
winners of three of those four dirt races had the top Late Pace rating on a new
method I've developed, which will be in my new book, Power Pace Handicapping,
which takes Pace Handicapping to a higher level. The other horse, So Noted, had
some good late pace ratings, so the track definitely appeared to benefit horses
that can finish strong.
6/5: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
6/4: main track + closers, turf no bias
6/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/2: main track + speed, but it's hard to tell if it was a
real bias because there were so many turf races; one closer did win but the pace
was brutal; turf ++ closers.
5/30: main track started muddy sealed and dried out
during the day, changed to good by the 8th race, no bias; turf was yielding, ++
closers.
5/29: main track + closers, turf no bias, turf courses very fast
5/28: main track + closers but a slight edge to closers, turf + speed, more
speed favoring than normal, both turf courses remain firm and very fast, course
records being broken
5/27: main track no bias
5/26: main track no bias, turf + closers, very fast
5/22: main track no bias, turf no bias, very fast
5/21: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers, turf
course firm and very fast, wickedly fast times
5/20: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/19: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/18: main track + stalkers and closers, although with only
5 dirt races, it's hard to know for sure if it was just a coincidence or if the
track actually was biased; I'll call it a mild bias...turf + closers.
5/15: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
5/14: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
5/13: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
5/12: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/11: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/8: main track sloppy/muddy sealed, + closers and
stalkers, dull rail, rider's avoided rail, one wire to wire winner stayed well
off the rail in the three path, turf yielding, no bias
5/7: main track muddy sealed, no bias, turf yielding, +
closers
5/6: main track no bias, sloppy sealed, off the turf
5/5: main track no bias, muddy sealed, turf rated good, + closers
5/4: main track no bias, muddy sealed, turf rated good, no
bias
5/1: main track no bias, off track, turf rated good, no bias
4/30: main track no bias, although there were only four dirt races and closers
or stalkers won al four races, so this is a guess, turf no bias
4/29: Belmont opening day, main track + speed with speed
and stalkers winning all of the dirt races except the 8th race, which figured to
set up for closers and did. Turf + closers, turf course was firm and very
fast.
4/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/23: main track no bias, strong tailwinds, which is why
the early fractions were slow, which also slowed down the final times, turf ++
closers
4/22: main track + closers, turf + closers
4/21: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/17: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/14: main track no bias, stalkers did best, turf + closers
4/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/10: main track + speed and stalkers, all winners close to
the pace, 5 wire to wire winners in 8 dirt races, turf yielding, no bias but
impossible to gauge, only one turf race, winner went wire to wire but is a very
good speed horse
4/9: main track no bias, started out fast, then rains
turned the track to good then muddy and the track was sealed but as usual NYRA
did an outstanding job prepped the surface
4/8: main track no bias
4/7: main track no bias, muddy sealed
4/6: main track + closers
4/2: main track, no bias, muddy sealed
4/1: main track ++ closers, much different track
than opening day
3/31: main track open for business, no bias, at first I thought there main have
been a mild speed bias but the 4 horses that went wire to wire did figure
3/26: inner track + speed and stalkers
3/25: inner track, tricky day. The track was slow. The inner track is a
slow track but this was a particularly slow day. The rail seemed
dull. I would make it, races 1-6 + closers, dull rail, races 7-9 no bias. Races
7, 8 and 9 were all won wire to wire but the impressive winner of the 7th,
Bluegrass Prevails, stayed well off the rail throughout. The winner of the 8th
race had a big class edge and did wire the field while racing mostly along the
inside, and the winner of the 9th also held on wire to wire from the inside,
although the track may have been drying out or changing and the rail was better later
in the card.
3/24: inner track no bias
3/20: inner track no bias, closers did much better than
yesterday
3/19: inner track no bias, but not an easy call because speed and stalkers won
most of the races and in the feature a deep closer won off a hot pace, but the
horses that went wire to wire figured...hard to gauge, track could have been
somewhat speed favoring
3/18: inner track no bias, speed did pretty good but the horses figured
3/17: inner track no bias
3/13: inner track no bias
3/12: inner track no bias
3/11: inner track no bias
3/10: inner track + speed in sprints, no bias in routes, hard to gauge day
3/6: inner track no bias
3/5: inner track ++ speed, inside was very good but a few
stalkers won too and it was tough to win if you were not on or near the lead
3/4: inner track + speed, track started to become a bit more speed favoring
yesterday and then today appeared a little more speed favoring
3/3: inner track no bias
2/28: inner track no bias
2/27: inner track no bias
2/26: inner track no bias, hard to call it a bias but closers and stalkers may
have had an edge
2/25: inner track no bias
2/21: inner track no bias
2/20: inner track no bias, speed and stalkers did well but
I think it was a fair track because the horses that did win from on or close to
the pace figured to win
2/19: inner track no bias
2/18: inner track + closers and stalkers
2/15: inner track no bias
2/12: inner track + closers, dull rail, not a strong bias but track seemed a bit
tiring
2/11: inner track no bias
2/7: inner track no bias
2/6: inner track no bias
2/4: inner track no bias
1/31: inner track no bias
1/30: inner track no bias
1/29: inner track no bias
1/28: inner track no bias
1/22: inner track no bias
1/17: inner track no bias
1/16: inner track no bias
1/15: inner track no bias
1/14: inner track no bias
1/10: inner track + speed in sprints, routes no bias,
sloppy sealed
1/9: inner track hard to gauge, races 1-4 + speed, races 5-9 + closers, dull
rail, first four races seemed to favor speed but then closers dominated the rest
of the card and a few horses rallied from far back; it could be that there was
left over moisture in the track early and then the rail got deeper as the track
dried out during the day
1/8: inner track ++ closers, dull rail, wide paths preferred
1/7: inner track no bias
1/3: inner track, no bias...it looked speed favoring early
as first four races were won wire to wire but....outside posts oddly continue to
do well in routes
1/2: inner track, I'll call it + speed, but it was not a
strong bias and the track was a bit hard to judge, some riders still trying to
avoid the rail although I don't think the rail was bad, first 7 races, four wire
to wire winners, three winners stalked in second position, three horses won from
post 9 going two turns, including two at one mile distance, which is unusual
because outside posts are not preferred in routes over this track...horses that
can finish still did well, on my Diamond System consensus box feature, four of
the top-ranked Late Speed horses won paying $22.20, $9.50, $13.60, and $3.10,
but three of the top ranked early speed horses also won on the card, so it was a
mixed bag
1/1: inner track + closers and stalkers, dull rail,
closer's bias continues, three horses rallied to win off wide trips, which is
unusual on the inner track, which has historically not been kind to wide
trips....you may have to factor it into handicapping, make sure you include
horses than can finish well, especially in multi-race exotics
2015
12/31: inner track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, muddy
track
12/30: inner track + closers, dull rail, muddy track
12/27: inner track no bias
12/26: opening day of the long winter meet, the track was
much different than it was the last few days of the fall meet, inner track ++
closers, dead rail; lone wire to wire winner was Green Gratto who won the
Gravesend impressively but was wisely kept well off the rail in the four path by
jockey Kendrick Carmouche.
12/20: inner track + speed and stalkers, all winners sat
first or second
12/19: inner track + speed
12/18: inner track sprints + speed, routes no bias, off track
12/17: inner track no bias
12/16: inner track no bias
12/13: inner track no bias
12/12: inner track no bias
12/11: inner track no bias
12/10: inner track no bias
12/9: inner track opens, + closers and stalkers, one wire
to wire odds-on winner but inner track seemed somewhat tiring on opening day
12/6: main track no bias, turf + closers
12/5: main track + closers, turf no bias
12/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
12/3: main track muddy, no bias
12/2: main track sloppy sealed, no bias, deteriorating
conditions, racing canceled after the 8th race due to unsafe track
conditions
11/29: main track + closers, dull rail, one sharp wire to wire winner that
stayed off the inside, not a severe bias, turf no bias
11/28: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/27: main track + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
11/26: main track + speed, turf + closers
11/25: main track + closers, turf + closers
11/22: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/21: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/20: main track no bias, muddy
11/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/18: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
11/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/14: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/13: main track + speed and stalkers, off track; turf + closers
11/12: main track no bias, off-track, seeled; turf no bias
11/11: main track + speed, sloppy sealed
11/9: main track + closers, turf + closers
11/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/6: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/4: opening day at Aqueduct, main track no bias, turf +
closers
11/1: main track + closers, turf + closers
10/31: main track + closers, turf sprints + speed, turf routes + closers
10/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/29: main track no bias, off track
10/28: main track was an off track and sealed and got
progressively wetter as day went on, started good, turned sloppy but no bias;
one turf race was a wire to wire winner but I'll call it no bias.
10/25: main track + closers, turf + closers
10/24: main track ++ closers, turf + closers
10/23: main track no bias, rider's avoiding rail when on
the lead, turf + closers
10/22: main track + closers, rail seems dull, one wire to
wire winner raced in the two path, turf + closers, one wire to wire winner but
turf course is definitely favoring closers, as it usually does
10/21: main track + closers, turf ++ closers, even though
turf courses haven't seen any rain for a while, and times are quick, the courses
are still holding their usual closers bias, which is the way it's supposed to
be, good job by NYRA'S track maintenance crew
10/18: main track + closers, not a severe bias, one wire to
wire winner but track seemed a bit tiring overall; turf + closers
10/17: main track + closers, not a severe bias, one wire to
wire winner but track seemed a bit tiring overall; turf, + closers
10/16: main track + closers, not a severe bias, one game
wire to wire winner but track seemed a bit tiring overall; turf + closers
10/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/12: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/11: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/10: main track + closers, turf + closers
10/9: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/7: main track, + speed, rail good; the much-needed rain
over the weekend seemed to liven up the rail, track favored speed and
stalkers/pressers, turf + closers
10/4: main track, off track, started muddy, changed to
good; + closers, dull rail
10/3: main track, sloppy sealed, + closers and stalkers; turf soft, + closers
10/2: main track, sloppy, sealed, no bias; NYRA does a good
job keeping these tracks from getting speed favoring....years ago whenever it
rained the NY track almost always heavily favored front runners
10/1: main track + closers, off track; one wire to wire
winner going long, but track did seem kind to closers
9/30: main track + speed, sloppy, sealed; not a severe
bias, but 5 horses did win wire to wire
9/27: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
9/26: main track no bias, rail seemed fine, a bit
surprising with the dry weather but this was a big day of racing and they may
have worked on it and used a lot of water, turf + closers
9/25: main track no bias but rider's avoided rail, turf +
closers
9/24: main track + closers, dull rail; just when you
thought it was safe to go inside...turf, + closers
9/23: main track no bias, turf + closers, turf courses seem
to be holding up well in dry weather
9/20: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
9/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/18: main track + closers, turf + closers
9/17: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
9/16: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
9/13: main track no bias but hard to gauge, rail may still
have been dull, muddy, sealed
9/12: main track + closers, dull rail, turf no bias
9/11: opening day Belmont fall meet, no bias, off track
9/7: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/4: main track no bias, turf + speed
9/3: main track + speed, sealed track, some rain fell after
the 4th race but since track was sealed, it favored speed all day; turf ++ speed
9/2: main track no bias, turf + speed
8/31: main track + speed, turf + speed, turf course becoming much kinder to
speed as dry weather continues
8/30: main track no bias but track seemed more kind to
speed and stalkers than it's been, rider's avoiding rail, turf no bias
8/29: main track no bias, dull rail and rider's avoided it,
tracked seemed tiring up until the 8th race and then the next two horses won
impressively on the lead, hard to gauge, turf + closers
8/28: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
8/27: main track no bias, rail hard to gauge but one winner
showed sharp speed on the rail and drew off, some riders still avoiding the
rail, turf ++ closers
8/26: main track no bias, rail seemed better, turf +
closers
8/24: main track + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
8/23: main track + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
8/22: main track no real bias but rail dull and riders
avoiding rail, track certainly not speed favoring, turf + closers
8/21: main track off track, + closers, dull rail; turf +
closers
8/20: main track + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
8/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/17: main track no bias, but speed did much better than it
did on Saturday and Sunday, turf ++ closers
8/16: main track + closers, one horse, Benny Is A Jet,
shipped in from Monmouth, went turf to dirt and was given an excellent ride by
Lezcano who gunned him and won wire to wire impressively while racing along the
rail, so it's hard to say the rail was dull but all of the other dirt races were
won by closers, similar to Saturday, turf no bias
8/15: main track ++ closers, dull rail, outside paths
preferred, most winners three or four wide in stretch, turf + closers
8/14: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/13: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/12: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
8/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/8: main track ++ closers, dead rail, track slow and
tiring, turf no bias, gallant effort in Whitney by Liam's Map setting a fast
pace against the bias
8/7: main track no bias but may have been a bit tiring, hard to say with so many
turf races, turf + closers
8/6: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
8/5: main track no bias, riders setting the pace seemed to
stay off the rail in two path so they may feel that the rail is dull, turf +
closers
8/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/1: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/31: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/30: main track sloppy, sealed, no bias, off the turf
7/29: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/26: main track no bias, track evening out, rail okay,
turf + closers
7/25: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail; turf no
bias
7/24: opening day at the Spa, main track + closers and
stalkers, dull rail, track was on the slow side, slow fractions and final times,
turf + closers
7/19: main track + closers, dull rail, turf + closers. The
meet ended up with the dull rail that was prevalent quite often this meet. This
usually happens when there is a period of dry weather but even on some off
tracks this meet the rail was dull. When handicapping, give extra credit to
horses that set the pace along the rail on the days when the track favored
closers, and also extra credit to horses that rallied along the rail
7/18: main track no bias but jockeys got the message and were setting the pace
in the two or three path so I would still give extra credit to any pacesetters
that raced on the rail, dull rail, turf + closers
7/17: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, turf + closers
7/16: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, turf + closers
7/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/12: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/9: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/8: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/4: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, outside
paths preferred, turf no bias
7/3: main track + closers and stalkers, dull rail, outside
paths preferred, turf no bias
7/2: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/1: main track muddy, + closers and stalkers, outside
paths preferred, track deep and slow, dull rail; turf rated good, + closers
6/28: main track sloppy sealed, no bias, outside paths
still preferred, horses that went for the lead, riders stayed in two or three
path
6/27: main track + closers and stalkers, outside paths
preferred, turf + closers
6/26: main track + closers and stalkers, outside paths preferred, turf + closers
6/25: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/21: main track + closers and stalkers, sloppy sealed then
rated good later on, but rail seemed dull
6/20: main track + closers, track on the dull side, slow
times, turf + closers
6/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/18: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/14: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/13: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/12: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/7: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/6: main track no bias, tricky track, it rained in the morning and the track
may have favored speed somewhat early then less as it dried out, then of course
they watered it before the Belmont stakes which probably speeded it up
time-wise, but I can't call it a biased track since both closers and front
runners won, turf + closers
6/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/4: main track got some rain this week but had no bias
although perhaps a little quicker, turf rated good, no bias
5/31: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/29: main track + closers, the bias hasn't been severe,
there have been some wire to wire winners, but overall the rail seems a bit dull
and closers and stalkers have had an edge as the weather has been unusually dry
in the northeast and Belmont tends to favor sustained style horses that can
finish when the track is not getting much moiture, turf + closers
5/28: main track + closers, turf + closers
5/25: main track + closers, turf + closers
5/24: main track + closers, turf + closers
5/23: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/22: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/21: main main track + closers, turf + closers
5/20: main track + closers, rail seems dull, turf + closers
5/17: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/16: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/14: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/13: main track no bias, turf no bias but lack of rain
could be causing a slight speed bias on turf, we'll have to watch, but overall
I'd call it no bias but tactical speed may be more important than it normally is
5/10: main track no bias but two wire to wire winners
stayed just off the rail, rail perhaps a little dull, turf no bias
5/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/7: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/6: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/2: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
5/1: main track no bias, excellent surface, closers had a
good shot but two horses went wire to wire, turf no bias
4/30: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/29: Belmont opening day, main track + speed and stalkers,
turf no bias
4/26: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/24: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/23: main track no bias, turf yielding, + closers
4/22: main track no bias, fast for first 6 races then muddy
sealed, turf was yielding, + closers
4/19: main track + closers, not a severe bias, turf no bias
4/18: main track + closers, not a severe bias, turf + closers
4/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/16: main track + closers, rail seemed tiring, one wire to
wire winner stayed off the inside, turf + closers
4/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/12: main track + speed
4/11: main track no bias
4/10: main track no bias
4/9: main track no bias, almost looked like a speed bias
with wire to wire winners in first four races but three closers in a row won
after that
4/8: main track no bias although it may have favored
closers a bit; this is the way a racetrack should be maintained, the Aqueduct
main track is one of the best, the best horse in the race has an advantage
because horses can rally and if the best horse is a closer it can still
win
4/4: main track no bias, strong tailwinds, strong headwinds
in backstretch caused slow early fractions in the one turn races
4/3: main track no bias
4/2: main track no bias
4/1: main track opens, no bias, several wire to wire
winners but they looked best on paper
3/28: inner track no bias but it did seem a bit tiring, not
kind to speed but hard to call it a bias since a couple of horses did go all the
way
3/27: inner track + closers
3/26: inner track no bias
3/22: inner track no bias, speed did well but I don't think it was a true bias
3/21: inner track no bias
3/19: inner track no bias
3/15: inner track no bias
3/14: inner track no bias
3/13: inner track no bias
3/12: inner track no bias
3/8: inner track no bias
3/7: inner track no bias
3/1: inner track + closers, snow, track was listed as fast
all day but after the first race it started snowing
2/28: inner track + closers
2/27: inner track no bias, speed did pretty good, but I don't think it was a
true speed bias
2/26: inner track no bias
2/22: inner track no bias
2/21: inner track no bias
2/14: inner track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias but horses that left
and lead or sat second won most of the races
2/12: inner track no bias
2/11: inner track no bias
2/8: inner track + closers
2/7: inner track no bias
2/6: inner track ++ closers, dead rail
2/5: inner track + closers, not necessarily kind to deep closers, but only one
wire to wire winner, who was 2-5 and track seemed tiring
2/1: inner track no bias
1/30: inner track no bias
1/29: inner track no bias
1/25: inner track no bias, off track
1/23: inner track no bias, speed did pretty good but hard to call it a clear cut
speed bias
1/22: inner track no bias
1/19: inner track no bias, muddy
1/18: inner track no bias for first 4 races, seemed to favor speed and stalkers
for races 5 through 9, sloppy track
1/17: inner track no bias
1/16: inner track no bias
1/15: inner track no bias
1/11: inner track no bias
1/9: inner track no bias, only two races run, card canceled
1/4: inner track sloppy sealed, no bias
1/3: inner track no bias
1/2: inner track no bias
1/1: inner track + closers, on the tiring side, but not a severe bias
2014
12/31: inner track no bias
12/28: inner track + speed, not impossible to close but
frontrunners and stalkers had an advantage, similar to 12/27 but perhaps a bit
more speed favoring
12/27: inner track no bias, may have been somewhat speed
favoring but not a strong bias, three horses did rally from off the pace
12/26: inner track no bias
12/15: inner track no bias
12/14: inner track + speed and stalkers, not a severe bias
12/13: inner track no bias
12/12: inner track no bias
12/11: inner track muddy, hard to gauge as speed held very
well first first 6 races, but I'll say races 1-6 + speed, races 7-9 no bias
12/10: inner track sloppy sealed, no bias
12/7: inner track no real bias, two wire to wire winners in
sprints, but muddy track did appear a bit tiring, hard to gauge
12/6: inner track sloppy sealed, no bias
12/5: inner track + closers, dull rail, tiring track
12/4: inner track + closers, not a severe bias but rail seemed dull and track a
bit tiring, off track
12/3: inner track no bias, off track
11/30: main track + speed, turf soft, no bias
11/29: main track + speed, three horses did rally to win but the other seven
winners were on the lead
11/28: main track no bias
11/27: main track no bias
11/26: main track sloppy, sealed, no bias
11/23: main track no bias, turf yielding, times very slow, hard to gauge if
there was a turf bias, two of the three turf races were won wire to wire
11/22: main track no bias
11/21: main track no bias
11/20: main track no bias, off the turf
11/19: main track no bias but may have become speed
favoring later in the day as speed held for the last three races, 7-9; hard to
gauge but since no horses went wire to wire for the first six races, I'll call
it no bias; races taken off the turf due to cold weather
11/16: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
11/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/14: main track no bias, off track
11/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/12: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/9: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/8: main track off track, no bias, turf yielding, ++
closers
11/7: main track muddy sealed + stalkers and closers, rail seemed dull, but not
a strong bias, one wire to wire winner in the last race
11/6: main track sloppy sealed, no bias
11/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
11/2: main track muddy, + speed, not a strong bias but on
or near the lead preferred
11/1: main track sloppy sealed, no bias but hard to gauge,
one wire to wire winner which was a big favorite, riders avoided rail, but not a
strong bias; still, tricky track that favored stalkers or closers
10/31: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
10/30: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/29: opening day Aqueduct main track, no bias, turf +
closers
10/26: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/25: main track off track but no bias, turf + closers
10/24: main track muddy sealed, no bias
10/23: main track sloppy sealed, no bias
10/22: main track sloppy sealed, no real bias, but sprints
were somewhat speed favoring, routes played fairly
10/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/18: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/17: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/16: main track muddy sealed, no bias
10/13: main track + closers, although one winner did go
wire to wire in a sprint stakes, tracked seem tiring overall; turf ++ closers
10/12: main track off track but no bias, turf yielding, +
closers
10/11: main track sloppy sealed, not a strong bias but most
races were won by horses on or near the lead, one turf race was yielding, +
closers
10/10: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
10/5: main track was good early then fast while drying out,
no bias; turf yielding, + closers
10/4: main track sloppy sealed, ++ speed, seemed to get
more speed favoring as day went on, especially after the second race, turf +
closers
10/3: main track no bias, rail may have been a little dull
earlier in the card but two horses did go wire to wire, one rode the two path,
turf + closers
10/2: main track + closers, dull rail; turf + closers
10/1: main track off track but drying out, no bias, turf ++
closers
9/28: main track + closers, turf ++ closers
9/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/26: main track was rated fast but had some left over
water in it early, drying out track on beautiful, warm, sunny day, no bias; turf
+ closers
9/25: muddy sealed, + speed, not a strong bias but speed
and stalkers preferred
9/24: main track no real bias but stalkers preferred and
all winners were close to the pace so it may have been slightly speed favoring,
turf + closers
9/21: main track muddy sealed, no bias, turf yielding, ++
closers
9/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/19: main track no bias, preferred trip stalking but not
really a speed bias, turf + closers
9/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/17: main track muddy sealed, no bias, turf + closers
9/14: main track muddy sealed, + speed and stalkers, turf +
closers
9/13: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/12: main track + speed, turf no bias
9/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
9/10: main track no bias, dull rail, riders avoided rail,
stalkers preferred, turf no bias
9/7: main track + closers, dull rail, turf no bias
9/6: main track + closers, dead rail, turf no bias
9/5: opening day at Belmont, main track + closers, dead
rail, outside paths preferred, throwback to the old Belmont "balcony
move" dead rail days, turf no bias
9/1: main track + speed, turf + closers
8/31: main track + speed, track was rated good for race 9th and sloppy seeled
for races 10 and 11, turf + closers
8/30: main track + speed and stalkers, somewhat speed favoring, not a strong
bias, turf ++ closers
8/29: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/28: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/25: main track + closers, turf + closers
8/24: main track + closers, one wire to wire winner in a route but rail seemed
dull, turf + closers
8/23: main track + closers, dull rail; turf no bias
8/22: main track sloppy sealed, tricky day after evening
and morning rain, + closers for races 1-5 and I believe the rail was deep and
tiring, but seemed to get more speed favoring as the day went on with wire to
wire winners in the last 3 of last 4 races and the other race with by the horse
stalking in second, but riders were avoiding the rail and setting the pace in
the two path after they realized the rail was deep
8/21: main track + closers, not a severe bias but stalkers
appeared to have an advantage and track seemed on the slow side, turf no bias
8/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/17: main track + closers, turf no bias
8/16: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/15: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/14: main track no bias, off track, turf + closers
8/13: main track + speed, not a strong bias, but all
winners were close up through out, setting, pressing, or stalking the pace, off
track, sealed
8/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/9: main track + speed, not a strong bias but seemed a bit
more speed favoring than usual, all winners were on the lead or stalking in
second position; turf no bias...keep in mind, the turf still favors closers but
the last two days speed held okay, two wire to wire winners today, so it's hard
to call it a closers bias
8/8: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/7: main track no bias, turf + closers but not a strong
bias, one wire to wire winner in a 5.5f turf sprint
8/6: main track no bias, turf + closers but not a strong
bias, one wire to wire winner on turf
8/4: main track no bias, but stalkers or pressers won every dirt race so deep
closers may have been compromised, turf + closers
8/3: main track no bias, turf no bias
8/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/1: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/31: main track sloppy sealed, a bit hard to gauge but I'd
make it no real bias but the rail was obviously deep and jockeys avoided it all
day, stalkers won almost every race, one horse went wire to wire at 9 furlongs
but stayed off the rail, off turf
7/30: main track + closers, turf + closers
7/28: main track sloppy sealed, + speed, off the turf
7/27: main track muddy sealed, + speed, off the turf
7/26: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/25: main track no real bias but closers and outside paths
did better than usual, rail may have been deep, turf + closers
7/24: main track no bias but stalkers won all the races, so
deep closers may have been compromised; turf + closers
7/23: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/21: main track no bias, turf + closers in routes, sprints
somewhat speed favoring
7/20: main track no bias, turf + closers, especially in
route races
7/19: main track no bias, turf no bias, they must have heavily watered it after
opening day
7/18: Saratoga opening day, main track no bias, turf ++
speed
7/13: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/12: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/11: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/10: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/9: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/6: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/5: main track + closers, turf ++ closers
7/4: main track muddy sealed + closers, turf yielding + closers
7/3: main track was an off track for first 6 races + speed, then changed to fast
for races 7 and 8 and no bias, turf + closers
7/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/29: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/28: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
6/27: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/26: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/22: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
6/21: main track no bias, turf + closers and stalkers
6/20: main track main track + speed, turf + closers
6/19: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/18: main track no bias, turf no bias
6/15: main track + speed, turf + closers
6/14: main track + speed, turf + closers
6/13: main track muddy sealed, no bias
6/12: main track and turf, no bias
6/11: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/7: main track on Belmont stakes day no bias, turf + closers, good job by track
maintenance, I wish Santa Anita would have a track like this for Breeders Cup
days
6/6: main track and turf no bias
6/5: main track sloppy sealed, no bias, off the turf
6/4: main track + speed, turf + closers
6/1: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + closers
5/31: main track and turf no bias
5/30: main track + speed, turf + closers
5/29: main track and turf no bias
5/26: main track + speed, turf + closers
5/25: main track and turf no bias
5/24: main track no bias, off track
5/23: main track no bias, off track, turf good, rail at 27 feet seemed to favor
inside paths
5/22: main track muddy sealed, + speed
5/21: main track no bias, turf no bias
5/18: main track, + speed, there were only two races, and
they appeared somewhat speed favoring, turf + closers but not a strong bias
5/17: main track, fast, drying out, + speed, turf + closers
5/16: main track no real bias, but favored stalkers or
horses racing close to the pace, turf + closers
5/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
5/14: main track + closers, turf + closers
5/11: main track rated good, no bias, turf good, no bias
5/10: main tack muddy-sealed, + closers, outside paths preferred, turf good, + closers
5/9: main track sloppy-sealed, no real bias, most races won by stalkers, turf
good, + closers
5/8: main track sloppy-sealed, no bias, off turf
5/7: main track + speed, turf +
closers
5/4: main track + speed, turf + closers
5/3: main track ++ speed, turf rated good, + closers
5/2: main track no bias, off the turf
5/1: main track no bias, off the turf
4/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/26: main track muddy and sealed, + speed
4/25: main track no bias, turf no bias
4/24: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/23: main track no bias, turf hard to gauge, all three
turf races won by the horse that stalked in second position
4/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
4/18: main track, no real bias but speed and stalkers had
slight edge, turf was rated good, both winners went wire to wire,
but it's hard to say if there was a true turf bias with only two turf races
4/17: main track no bias, turf yielding but no bias
4/16: main track + speed and stalkers, drying out track
rated good for first two races and fast for the rest, not a strong bias
4/12: main track + speed, turf ++ closers
4/11: main track ++ speed, turf ++ closers
4/10: main track no bias, turf yielding, + closers
4/9: main track no bias, off the turf
4/6: main track no bias
4/5: main track no bias
4/4: main track + speed, off track
4/3: main track ++ speed, gold rail, all races won by front
runners or horses sitting second except one race, which was own by a horse
sitting third
4/2: main track + speed, gold rail
3/31: main track muddy/sealed, no bias
3/30: main track sloppy/sealed, slight edge to speed and stalkers but not a
severe bias
3/29: main track off track sealed seemed to favor closers/stlakers for first 6
races, track condition changed from good to sloppy, hard to gauge
3/28: main track + speed and stalkers
3/27: main track opening day, no bias
3/24: inner track + speed
3/23: inner track no bias
3/22: inner track + speed, not a strong bias but stalkers/pressers did well, one
closer won
3/21: inner track + closers
3/20: inner track no bias
3/17: inner track + speed and stalkers, rail the best place
to be all week
3/16: inner track + speed
3/15: inner track ++ speed, gold rail
3/14: inner track + speed
3/13: inner track no bias but most winners close to the
pace
3/10: inner track + speed, not a strong bias but all winners on or near the pace
3/9: inner track not a strong bias although inside speed
did well
3/8: inner track no bias
3/7: inner track, + speed and stalkers
3/6: inner track no bias
3/3: inner track + speed
3/2: inner track a bit hard to gauge, + speed for first 6
races, no bias for races 7, 8 and 9
3/1: inner track no bias
2/28: inner track no bias
2/24: inner track no bias
2/23: inner track + speed and stalkers
2/22: inner track no bias, off track
2/21: inner track no bias, started muddy-sealed then
changed to sloppy-sealed
2/17: inner track no bias
2/10: inner track no bias
2/9: inner track no bias
2/8: inner track no bias but may have gotten more tiring as the day went on,
track rated "good"
2/7: inner track no bias
2/2: inner track no bias
2/1: inner track + speed
1/31: inner track no bias
1/30: inner track + speed, seemed to get more speed
favoring after the 4th race
1/27: inner track no bias
1/26: inner track ++ speed, gold rail
1/25: inner track + speed, live rail
1/23: inner track + closers
1/20: inner track no bias
1/19: inner track + closers, one wire to wire sprint winner got away with a slow
pace
1/18: inner track no bias
1/17: inner track no bias
1/16: inner track off track, no bias
1/13: inner track no bias
1/12: inner track muddy, + closers
1/11: inner track sloppy, sealed, + closers, racing canceled after this race
1/10: inner track no bias, may have been more speed favoring early in the day
but it's hard to tell if it was just the best horses going to the lead, but it
rained later in the day and the last race the track was rated "good"
1/9: inner track + speed
1/5: inner track + closers/stalkers, not a severe bias
1/4: inner track + speed
1/2: inner track, + closers/stalkers, one wire to wire sprint winner but track
and rail seemed a bit tiring
1/1: inner track no bias
2013
12/31: inner track off track, + closers/stalkers, dull rail, not as biased as the
29th
12/29: inner track off track sealed, ++ closers, dead rail, outside paths
preferred
12/28: inner track no bias
12/27: inner track no bias
12/26: inner track no bias
12/22: inner track + speed, especially in sprints
12/21: inner track + speed, not a strong bias but stalkers and pressers won
almost every race
12/20: inner track no bias
12/19: inner track + speed/stalkers, especially in sprints, routes no bias
12/18: inner track no bias
12/14: inner track no bias
12/13: inner track no bias
12/12: inner track + speed/stalkers although the $200 winner rallied from off the
pace
12/11: inner track opens, main track rated "good", + closers
12/8: main track no bias
12/7: main track muddy sealed, no bias
12/6: main track no bias
12/5: main track no bias
12/4: main track no bias, turf no bias
12/01: main track + closers, dull rail, outside paths
preferred, turf + closers
11/30: main track no bias
11/29: main track no bias, off the turf
11/28: main track no bias but speed held better than recently, off track, off
the turf
11/23: main track + closers, dull rail, outside paths best again, turf + closers
11/22: main track, railed dull, + closers, turf + closers
11/21: main track and turf no bias
11/20: main track no bias, rail seemed better, turf +
closers
11/17: main track + closers/stalkers, dull rail, turf +
closers
11/16: main track, + closers/stalkers, rail still dull, not a strong bias but
two winners that won racing on or near the lead where well off the rail, turf +
closers
11/15: main track + closers and particularly stalkers, rail still dull, turf +
closers
11/14: main track + closers/stalkers, rail on dull side, turf + closers
11/13: main track + closers/stalkers, turf + closers
11/10: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/9: main track + speed, turf no bias
11/8: main track no real bias but may have been somewhat speed favoring early
for first 5 races, possibly due to remaining moisture from day before; turf +
closers
11/7: main track no bias, off track, turf good, no bias
11/6: main track no real bias but stalkers preferred trip,
turf + closers
11/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
11/2: main track no bias, or maybe a bit of a closer's track; turf + closers
11/1: main track, off track, + speed and stalkers
10/27: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + closers
10/26: main track not a strong overall bias, although sprints are still + speed
and stalkers, routes no bias; turf + closers
10/25: main track and turf both, no bias
10/24: main track + speed/stalkers, turf no bias
10/23: main track + speed/stalkers, turf no bias
10/20: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/19: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/18: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/17: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/14: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + speed
10/13: main track + speed, especially in sprints, turf no bias
10/12: main track + closers, dead rail, turf + closers and stalkers
10/11: main track rail on the dull side again but no bias and turf no bias
10/10: main track + closers, dead rail, turf no bias
10/9: main track + closers, dead rail, turf, widener + closers, inner turf +
speed
10/6: main track + speed, turf no bias
10/5: main track no bias, turf no bias
10/4: main track on the tiring side, + stalkers/closers, turf no bias
10/3: main track no bias, one much the best wire to wire
winner but two horses rallied to win from far back in sprints; turf + closers
10/2: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/29: main track no bias but may have been somewhat favoring stalkers/closers,
close call; turf + closers
9/28: main track + speed, turf no bias
9/27: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/26: main track not a strong bias but inside good and
speed stalkers seemed to have an edge, turf + closers
9/25: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/22: main track no bias, off the turf
9/21: main track sealed off track, + speed, turf + closers
9/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/19: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/18: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/15: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/14: main track no bias, turf +closers
9/13: main track and turf no bias
9/12: main track and turf no bias
9/11: main track and turf, + closers
9/8: main track no bias, turf + closers
9/7: main track seemed to favor speed and stalkers but not a strong bias, turf +
closers
9/2: main track muddy, sealed, no bias
9/1: main track sloppy and sealed, no bias; turf good, no bias, one wire to wire
winner but speed bias definitely gone after the rain
8/31: sloppy sealed and off the turf, seemed + closers for first four races and
then + speed and pressers for races 5 through 12
8/30: main track no bias, turf + speed again
8/29: main track no bias, turf + speed and stalkers
8/28: main track + closers, turf + speed
8/26: main track no bias, turf + speed and stalkers
8/25: main track no bias, turf + speed and stalkers
8/24: main track no bias, turf + speed and stalkers
8/23: main track and turf no bias but more kind to speed than yesterday
8/22: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/21: main track and turf, no bias
8/19: main track + closers, turf + closers
8/18: main track + closers, turf no bias
8/17: main track and turf no bias
8/16: main track and turf no bias
8/15: main track and turf + closers and stalkers
8/14: main track and turf + closers and stalkers
8/12: main track and turf + speed and stalkers
8/11: main track + speed, turf no bias
8/10: main track no bias, turf good, + closers
8/9: main track sloppy sealed, no bias but may have gotten more tiring as the
day went on
8/8: main track muddy, + closers, dull rail, turf no bias
8/7: main track no bias but stalkers won all the races,
turf seemed a bit more kind to speed but no bias
8/5: main track and turf no bias
8/4: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/3: main track no bias, turf + closers
8/2: main track and turf no bias
8/1: main track no bias, turf no bias
7/31: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
7/29: main track seemed to get more tiring as day went on,
+ closers; turf no bias
7/28: main track seemed a bit tiring today, slight edge to closers/stalkers,
turf no bias
7/27: main track and turf no bias
7/26: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
7/25: main track no bias, turf ++ closers
7/24: main track no bias, turf + closers
7/23: main track seemed tiring, + closers, turf + closers, a few races taken off
the turf
7/22: main track and turf no bias
7/21: main track and turf no bias
7/20: main track + closers and outside paths, track and
rail appeared tiring, track rated good after showers, turf no bias, first 5
races on card were on turf
7/19: main track and turf no bias opening day
7/14: main track and turf no bias
7/13: main track muddy then good later in the card, no bias, turf good, no bias
7/12: main track and turf no bias
7/11: main track + speed and stalkers, not a strong bias, turf + closers
7/7: main track and turf no bias, rail at 18 feet
7/6: main track no real bias but stalkers won most of the races and did well in
sprints, turf no bias, rail at 18 feet
7/5: main track no bias, but closers did much better than recent days, turf rail
out 18 feet, + closers
7/4: main track + speed and stalkers, turf no bias, rail at 9 feet
7/3: main track rated "good" no bias, turf good, no bias
6/30: main track + speed and stalkers, stalkers the preferred trip all week last
week, turf no bias
6/29: main track + speed and stalkers, still favoring horses that stalk the
pace, turf no bias
6/28: main track + speed and stalkers, slight edge to speed, turf no bias
6/27: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + speed and stalkers
6/26: main track and turf no bias
6/23: main track no bias, turf + closers in routes
6/22: main track and turf no bias
6/21: main track + speed with edge to stalkers, turf no bias
6/20: main track no bias, turf + closers
6/19: main track + speed with edge to stalkers, turf no bias
6/16: main track no bias, turf + speed/stalkers
6/15: main track no bias, on the quick side; turf favored closers
6/14: main track + speed and stalkers, off the turf
6/13: main track muddy to start and then changed to good, no real bias but did
seem to favor stalkers early and may have been a bit more tiring for races 8 and
9 but hard to say for sure.
6/12: main track no real bias but appeared to get more
speed favoring as day went on, hard to say. One turf race, yielding, + closers.
6/8: main track started muddy sealed and seemed to favor closers for first two
races, then becoming + speed/stalkers for remainder of course as track dried out
and condition was changed to good; turf yielding + closers
6/7: main track sloppy sealed but no bias, played fair to all styles, riders
preferred to keep front runners off the rail
6/6: main track not a strong bias but edge to closers/stalkers, turf + closers,
slight edge to closers, rail at 27 feet
6/5: main track no bias, turf + closers, rail at 27 feet
6/2: main track no bias, turf firm no bias, rail 27 feet
6/1: main track no bias, turf firm no bias, rail 27 feet
5/31: main track no bias, turf firm, + closers, rail at 27 feet, times fast on
the widener
5/30: main track no bias, turf firm, no bias, rail at 27 feet
5/27: main track fast no bias, turf firm no bias, rail at 18 feet on widener, 27
on inner turf
5/26: main track drying out rated good, + closers and stalkers, rail on the dull
side, riders setting the pace off the rail in two path, turf rated good, plus
closers
5/25: main track sloppy and sealed + closers and stalkers, tailwinds in stretch
helped closers, headwinds down backstretch took starch out of front runners;
turf soft, + closers, rail 27 feet (only one turf race so bias a guess)
5/24: main track no bias, turf + closers/stalkers
5/23: main track no bias, turf seemed to favor stalkers, inner turf rail 27
feet, widener 18 feet
5/22: main track on the quick side, no bias; turf + closers, rail at 18 feet on
widener and 27 feet on inner turf
5/19: main track sloppy/sealed, no bias, turf yielding, no bias, rail at 18 feet
5/18: main track and turf no bias
5/17: main track no bias, turf no bias, rail at 18 feet
5/16: main track no bias, turf no bias, rail at 18 feet
5/15: main track + speed and stalkers, turf + speed and stalkers, rail at 18
feet
email - pando4444@gmail.com