Padding Your Bankroll for Wednesday August 6

National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along with coverage of major stakes races, longshots, and he will keep you up to date on what is happening on the circuits he covers.

Today’s play of the day looks like a “good thing” if I am “clever” enough to come up with the winner. The race is a $100,000 maiden claiming race and we are going to go with a Stanley Hough first time starter.

The late Pick 3 has some potential and we are going to rely on our single coming through. Cannonball is going to be the big favorite in the ninth race, which is the $150,000 Cab Calloway Stakes. We spread four deep in the other two legs and looks as if we have those two races covered.

Today's Play of the Day from Saratoga:

SAR Race 5 Md $100,000 (3:13 et)

#2 Yes I'm Clever 7/2

#8 Thats a Good Thing 3/1

#5 Madison Heights 6/1

#6 Buzzin and Dreamin 12/1

Analysis: #2 Yes I'm Clever is a $105K purchase making his debut for Hough barn that is 14% winners with first time starters. Over the past five years at the Spa the trainer is 3 for 19 with two-year-old firsters, picking up one win last summer here. Several sharp works on the morning tab and this guy has win early in the pedigree. By Yes Its True (16% winners with debut runners) out of a Caller I.D. mare who was a stakes winner and has dropped seven foals to race, six winners including a pair of stakes winners, top earner Battle Won ($832K).

#8 That's a Good Thing crossed the wire first last out against $50K maiden claimers at Churchill Downs but was DQ'd for drifting out in the stretch. The fourth place finisher in the race was Smokin Legend, who beat $40K maiden claimers in his next outing on 7/25 at Arlington. The colt has a decent off track pedigree and barn has been sending out live runners at the meet.

Wagering

WIN: #2 to win at 5/2 or better.

EX: 2,8 / 2,5,6,8

TRI: 2,8 / 2,5,6,8 / 2,5,6,7,8

Saratoga Late Pick 3

Starting in Race 8: $2: 1,2,6,9 / 1 / 4,5,10,11 = $32

SAR Race 8 Alw $92,000N1X (4:55 et)

#9 Sky Copper, #6 Tourism, #1 Belle's Home, #2 Sarah's Prize

#9 Sky Copper invades from Del Park for Motion barn that won seven turf races here last summer and over the previous three meetings has hit at a 24% clip (with a +ROI) in turf races. Last out on the main track the filly made a mild late rally to finish fourth behind repeat winner D Day, who beat Alw-2 optional claimers by 8 3/4 lengths at Del Park on 7/26. Two back our top pick ran a game second behind Drift to the Lead, who also beat Alw-2 optional claimers in her next start. The mare sports a light Tomlinson for turf (237) but she doe shave three sibs that are turf winners and her four turf starts are not too bad. Worth a look here if we see close to the 15/1 ML.

#6 Tourism tracked the early pace and tired to finish sixth last out in her first go against winners, which came on the main track. She broke her maiden on turf in her debut two back in a game effort. Shug does not win first out very often and this is just her third career start and still appears to have a ton of upside potential. She is by Seeking the Gold out of the stakes placed Resort, who has dropped one other foal to race, stakes winner Sightseeing ($508K).