Betting the Bernard Baruch on a Budget

Ironicus, pictured winning the Dixie Stakes, will try to bounce back from a runner-up finish in the Fourstardave Handicap in Monday's Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga Race Course. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
Monday's Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga Race Course is named after Bernard M. Baruch – a racehorse owner, statesman, philanthropist and adviser to United States Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt among other interests. Racing under the Kershaw Stable banner, Baruch’s horse Happy Argo won the 1927 Carter Handicap.
Middle Brother in 1959 won the inaugural edition of the Bernard Baruch.
The Grade 2 Bernard Baruch is run at 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course at Saratoga. This year’s seven-horse field includes Dixie Stakes winner Ironicus, 2014 Florida Derby and 2015 Donn Handicap winner Constitution, 2014 Kelso Handicap winner Vyjack and three other stakes winners.
Beaten by a neck by Grand Arch in his most recent start in the Fourstardave Handicap, #1 Ironicus showed heart when going six wide at the top of the stretch, making up four lengths and holding on for a strong second. Stretching out an extra sixteenth of a mile could be exactly what he needs, in addition to a little more pace up front, in this race. In six races at this distance, Ironicus has hit the board in every start, with three wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He's got jockey Javier Castellano aboard and they've drawn the rail - which has been winning at 14 percent for the meet and 29 percent in the last week.
#3 Vyjack ran a solid second in his first turf start in Belmont's Grade 3 Poker Stakes, in which he ran four wide and closed fast to lose by three-quarters of a length. He finished third in the Forbidden Apple Stakes and was scheduled to run next in the Fourstardave Handicap, before catching a fever and being scratched. In only his third start with trainer Bill Mott and with the services of jockey Junior Alvarado, Vyjack looks capable of improving his turf résumé.
#4 Under Control rallied to win the Lure stakes by 1 1/4 lengths in his most recent start at Saratoga and, although the 7-year-old is stepping up in company, he looks poised to be right in the picture when they cross the finish line. He's hit the board in all 12 starts at this distance, with three wins, six seconds and three thirds, and he is 1-for-1 at Saratoga. It certainly doesn't hurt that leading Saratoga rider, Irad Ortiz Jr., is aboard this Northern Afleet gelding for trainer Graham Motion.
Rounding out the field is trainer Gustavo Delgado's #6 Grand Tito and trainer Todd Pletcher's three runners: #5 Charming Kitten, #7 All Included and #2 Constitution, who will be making his turf debut nad could use this race as a prep for Belmont’s Jockey Club Gold Cup later this fall.
Vick's Picks:#1 Ironicus#3 Vyjack#4 Under Control 
Strategy A: $20 to win on 1
Strategy B: $10 exacta: 1 with 3,4 ($20)
Strategy C: $10 trifecta: 1 with 3,4 with 3,4  ($20)                                                
$250,000 Bernard Baruch HandicapSaratoga, Monday, Race 9, 5:11 p.m. ET1 1/16 miles, turf, 3-year-olds and olderTV: Watch The Jockey Club Tour on FOX Sports 1 at 5 p.m. ET 

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

Odds

1

Ironicus

Javier Castellano

Shug McGaughey

Stuart S. Janney III

9-5

2

Constitution

Joel Rosario

Todd Pletcher

WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing Stables

2-1

3

Vyjack

Junior Alvarado

Bill Mott

Pick Six Racing (David Wilkenfeld)

6-1

4

Under Control

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Graham Motion

Live Oak Plantation

12-1

5

Charming Kitten

John Velazquez

Todd Pletcher

Ken and Sarah Ramsey

10-1

6

Grand Tito

Jose Ortiz

Gustavo Delgado

Grupo Seven C Stable

20-1

7

All Included

Manuel Franco

Todd Pletcher

Wertheimer and Frere 

5-1