Saratoga Wednesday

In the 6th, Too Amenable is 3-5 morning line for Clement, 5-0-2-2 thus far; this off his narrow loss to the Globemaster in a race which I wrote about here after picking him here. He certainly looks tough in this spot. However, I'm having a look at second choice Marscaponi (5-1), for trainer Rodrigo Ubillo. I've been mentioning this barn, which has been live all year, as one on which we might get some value at Saratoga where his name recognition lags far behind his more renowned competitors.

This horse is, alas, an 0 for 14 maiden. However, he's improved dramatically in his two efforts since switching to this barn from that of Tom Bush. After the first of those races, he came back just four days later, moved to this class, and ran a solid second to the consistent Strong Hope on July 19. A bit more rest now, and Prado sticks. Ubillo is 0-for-three thus far at the Spa, but he has two thirds, including a close one with Vivi's Book, who moved up to stakes company, on the turf, and earned a career best Beyer of 87 at odds of 10-1. Don't know if it means anything that Marscaponi outworked Vivi's Best by 2 1/2 seconds when they both drilled on July 9. But it sure sounds good in a handicapping column. As I said, the favorite looks tough, but I wouldn't be surprised by a mild upset here.