Dan’s Double of the week, featuring handicapping analysis from America’s Best Racing’s New York correspondent Dan Tordjman, is brought to you by Horseplayers.com, the official online qualifying site of the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) and National Horseplayers Championship (NHC).

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When it comes to making money when handicapping races and betting on horse racing, it’s all about picking winners. Tordjman – DanonymousMan to those who follow him on Twitter – is one of the sharpest horseplayers around.

Each week, Tordjman will provide readers with his two best bets of the weekend and strategies for how to bet them. Good luck!

Saturday, Aug. 1

Saratoga Race Course, Race 6, 4:02 p.m. ET

#7 Everfast: If you follow this post weekly you know that I don’t usually post 2-1 shots as top selections. But not only does Everfast seem so well spotted in this race, there’s another price horse that I’m going to use with him to hopefully cash a couple of nice tickets. Everfast started his career going seven furlongs on the dirt and he won. That was 18 starts ago. He hasn’t won a single race since then but he also hasn’t run a race at a sprint distance since then either. That changes on Saturday when he gets back to seven furlongs. You can put a line through his last race – a Grade 1 turf try – and take a look at the Blame Stakes two races ago. That was a much tougher (and larger) field and Everfast just missed there. He looks to be in good form and he also projects to get a nice pace setup given the presence of speedster Foolish Ghost (#5) and Stage Left (#6), who has run his best on the front end. That pace scenario should also benefit Vintage Hollywood (#8) who’ll be trying to win his second straight at Saratoga for the red-hot Orlando Noda barn.  

Strategy on a $10 Budget 

$4 to win on #7 Everfast ($4)

$4 exacta: 7 with 8 ($4)

$2 exacta: 8 with 7 ($2)

Strategy on a $25 Budget

$10 to win on #7 Everfast ($10)

$10 exacta: 7 with 8 ($10)

$5 exacta: 8 with 7 ($5)

Strategy on a $50 Budget

$15 to win on #7 Everfast ($15)

$10 exacta: 7 with 8 ($10)

$5 exacta: 8 with 7 ($5)

$1 trifecta: 7,8 with 7,8 with ALL ($12)

$1 Trifecta box: 2,7,8 ($6)

$1 superfecta: 7 with 2,8 with 2,8 with 1 ($2)

Saratoga Race Course, Race 7, 4:36 p.m. ET

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#6 Shawdyshawdyshawdy: There’s a good chance that we get a really nice price on this colt making his debut for trainer Jorge Abreu. While he isn’t as high profile or as well known for his turf starters as fellow trainers in this race like Wesley Ward, Graham Motion, and Mike Maker, Abreu has had quite a bit of success over the past few years – both with his younger horses and turf starters. In 2018, Abreu won on the turf at Saratoga with first-time starter Stellar Agent (at odds of 14-1). In fact, half of Abreu’s 2-year-olds on the turf at Saratoga have hit the board and he’s won with 21% of his 2-year-old first time starters nationally. Beyond that, this horse has the pedigree to win first out just like his half-sister Shady Shady Shady, who scored in her turf routing debut at Saratoga in 2018. The horse’s sire, Summer Front, shows an 18% win rate for his progeny in 2-year-old turf races. Last, but not least, Abreu also books one of the top turf riders in the country Tyler Gaffalione to ride here.

Strategy on a $10 Budget 

$2 win, place, show on #6 Shawdyshawdyshawdy ($6)

$1 exacta key: 6 with 1,5,7,10 ($4)

Strategy on a $25 Budget 

$5 win, place, show on #6 Shawdyshawdyshawdy ($15)

$1 exacta key box: 6 with 1,2,5,7,10 ($10)

Strategy on a $50 Budget

$10 win, place, show on #6 Shawdyshawdyshawdy ($30)

$5 exacta key: 6 with 1,5 ($10)

$1 exacta key box: 6 with 1,2,5,7,10 ($10)

Last Week’s Earnings: $0

2020 Earnings: $3,598.83