BetAmerica’s Best Bets of the Weekend for Aug. 29-30
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Saratoga Race Course photo by Eclipse Sportswire
America’s Best Racing and BetAmerica team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend in a regular feature blog that will run on Fridays.
Each week, one of our crack handicappers - Jose Contreras, Dan Tordjman, Victoria Garofalo, Mike Johnson or Vince Mathews – will provide at least one “Best Bet” of the weekend, ideal for a win bet. The post also will include some combination of additional bets for the weekend.
For some posts, our handicappers will try to identify a longshot play of the weekend, a nice opportunity to swing for the fences on a win bet or to take a shot with a show bet.
Our handicappers also will look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or occasionally try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers.
Place your bets at BetAmerica, which prides itself on outstanding customer service combined with the safety and security of wagering with a reputable advance-deposit wagering platform. Place your bets and you can walk away with some extra cash in your pocket.
Saturday, Aug. 22
BEST BET/WIN BET
Arlington Park, Race 7, $75,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes, 5:21 p.m. ET
#2 Silver Lode: Betting the 2-year-olds - who are still developing their racing skills - offers some great prices from time to time. Silver Lode has shown a penchant for Arlington’s Polytrack surface, winning on the surface earlier this year, and fired a four-furlong bullet earlier this week at Arlington. At 10-1, she’s worth putting at least a few dollars on, with no true standouts in the field.
BEST BET/WIN BET
Saratoga Race Course, Race 9, $700,000 Priority One Jets Forego Stakes, 4:25 p.m. ET
#6 Tamarkuz: He dials back to a seven-furlong trip following his fading performance in the Met Mile at Belmont in June. He raced exclusively overseas prior to the Met Mile, but his steady work tab this month suggests he is in prime form for his Saratoga debut. The meet’s leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. is aboard, and at 5-1 he’s a solid value play.
EXACTA BOX
Saratoga Race Course, Race 10, $1-million Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes, 5:04 p.m. ET
#2 Flintshire: He hung tough with European super-horse Treve last out in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud. Finishing a game second to Treve is as good as a win in my book. He’s worth every penny of his 8-5 odds. He should have no trouble getting into the top two, and in an ideal world, he settles for second behind one of our two “price plays” below.
#4 Red Rifle: He’s taken well to the Saratoga turf course, as evidenced by his 2 ½ length win last out in the 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green Handicap. I’m a big fan of horses adding distance following a strong closing win. The Todd Pletcher trainee gets that added acreage here.
#6 Messi: He’s making the step up from the allowance level and he. I’m not sold on his chances to win, but I think he has a fair shot for second in the hands of jockey John Velazquez. Graham Motion has him in this race for a reason.
Sunday, Aug. 30
BEST BET/WIN BET
Saratoga Race Course, Race 4, $83,000 Maiden Special Weight, 2:39 p.m. ET
#2 Vacation Spot: This race sets up well for a breakthrough performance. In a slender field of six, Vacation Spot gets back to the track three weeks following a second-place finish with a tricky trip. After a steady stream of solid works, Joel Rosario gets the mount again and should guide the Bernadini filly to victory.