Picks are one thing; cold hard cash is another. The Saratoga Special handicappers know about both – at least we hope so – and they’re back for another Bankroll Challenge for the opening weekend of the 2021 Triple Crown season.
Kentucky Oaks Day starts things off and we’ll start with a mythical $100 bankroll for our handicappers to use any way they see fit. The quartet of John Shapazian, Tom Law, Charles Bedard and Rob Whitlock of course made some plays on the Oaks, which features a strong field led by unbeatens Malathaat and Search Results.
The first Bankroll Challenge came during last year’s delayed Kentucky Derby and it appeared in the penultimate edition of The Saratoga Special for 2020, with the results in the wrap-up edition a week later. Only Charles cashed, correctly making a $5 exacta wager with four horses – including Derby winner Authentic – on top of runner-up Tiz The Law. The Derby exacta paid $41 and Charles cashed for $102.50. Hey, it’s a profit. The others went bust.
Here’s hoping for better luck on Friday’s Kentucky Oaks Day card.
John Shapazian
Race 6: $25 Daily Double 6-Maxfield with 6-Aunt Pearl.
Race 8: $25 Win 11-Dayoutoftheoffice.
Race 11: $50 Win 6-Travel Column.
Tom Law
Race 3: $4 Win Place 2-Rookery.
Race 6: $5 Pick 3 6-Maxfield / 1-Postnut 2-Gift List 6-Aunt Pearl / 3-Dunbar Road.
Race 9: $1 Exacta Box 1-Make Mischief, 3-Souper Sensational, 7-Obligatory, 8-Kalypso, 10-Dayoutoftheoffice.
Race 10: $2 Exacta Box 3-Fiya, 5-Just Might, 10-Sombeyay.
Race 10: $5 Win Place Show 5-Just Might.
Race 11: $10 Win Place Show 5-Pass The Champagne.
Charles Bedard
Race 6: $1 Pick 3 4-Chess Chief, 2-Sonneman, 6-Maxfield with 5-Line Dancing, 6-Aunt Pearl, 1-Postnup with 2-Shedaresthedevil, 3-Dunbar Road, 1-Envoutante.
Race 6: $1 Trifecta 4-Chess Chief/Sonneman/6-Maxfield.
Race 7: $1 Trifecta 5-Line Dancing/6-Aunt Pearl/1-Postnup.
Race 8: $1 Trifecta 2-Shedaresthedevil/3-Dunbar Road/1-Envoutante.
Race 9: $1 Pick 3 6-Slumber Party, 10-Dayoutoftheoffice, 4-Euphoric / 8-Fast Boat, 10-Sombeyay, 3-Fiya / 6-Travel Column, 3-Clairiere, 10-Malathaat.
Race 11: $7 Exacta Box 3-Clairiere 6-Travel Column 10-Malathaat.
Race 11: $1 Trifecta 6-Travel Column/3-Clairiere/10-Malathaat.
Rob Whitlock
Race 8: $20 Win 2-Shedaresthedevil.
Race 9: $20 Win 7-Obligatory.
Race 11: $20 Win/Place 5-Pass The Champagne.
Race 11: $10 Exacta 6-Travel Column and 12-Search Results with 5-Pass The Champagne.
