Recapping the Meet plus the Free Pick for Closing Day at Saratoga from Zenyatta John

OK,

Closing Day of Saratoga and couldn't be happier they are leaving. As someone put it last night, the two best days of the year are Opening Day and Closing Day. 40 days of racing going 6 days a week is really too much. As locals, we were brought up playing everyday when it was 24 days. So, now, we have a mindset that everyday is still special and stagger to the finish line after 40 days.

I've had so many bad beats at this meet it's beyond ridiculous. I haven't endured that many heartbreaking losses in 10 years. The two most brutal were Say No More getting nailed on the wire after leading every step but the last at 24/1 and Mentor Cane running them off their feet in the King's Bishop then watching some Pletcher horse jacked sky high running past him like he was tied to a post. Both ran 2nd, so I didn't cash a ticket.

I had many memories that were good during the meet, so I have some positive things to be thankful for. I met some nice people while promoting my website and many faithful followers who I've only interacted with on Twitter. Twitter is the best Social Media for horse players, and I am happy to have increased my friend total meeting so many of them. It was my pleasure to meet all of you.

I watched more races live, from the rail, than I have in the past 15 years combined. There was some things that happened behind the scenes which prevented my friends from getting our normal table except for weekends, so I needed to find a new routine for weekdays. I watched the races from the Finish Line and couldn't be happier with this years experience. I had the pleasure of sitting in a Clubhouse Box with some of racing's glitterati which was a very fun day. I had the experience of sharing the day with the Zayat family as they ran their best runners including Paynter and Fast Bullet. The sloppy track upended both of those runners, but I had a great day meeting and interacting with the Zayat family. Spending the day with the ABRV Tour was a fun experience as well, doing my share to promote the game we all love.

The gambling experience could have been my best ever run if those two horses above had won. But we had our share of winners and winning tickets, but couldn't be happier that it's over.

For Closing Day, I have all 10 races handicapped including some interesting breeding plays for the sloppy track. The Hopeful Stakes will be a great race, and I have pegged the one who will upset the apple cart. To purchase today's selections, visit www.pick4win.com.

These will be the last selections until Saturday 9/7 - Opening Day of Belmont Park. That will also signify the end of my full card selections too. I will go back to the format of seeking out some of the best races that suit my fancy, including grass races from around the country. I will continue to post the Late Pick4 from Belmont, and maybe even the Pick5 which is rumored to be starting when Belmont opens.

For Monday's Free Pick -

Saratoga race 8 - #5 Cash for Clunkers - comes of some nice turf works but her best race lifetime was over a wet track. She should bust from the gate, take the lead, and never look back.

The very best of luck.