Let ’em Run Review of 8/15/26
We walked into last Saturday’s Late Pick 5 at Saratoga feeling confident, and after the first three legs, that confidence was justified. Then Mother Nature stepped in, reshaping the final two races and turning a promising ticket into a tough beat. The payout landed at $375, heavily influenced by the drastically reduced fields in the closing legs.
Race 8
Q B Rocket delivered exactly what his $1.9 million price tag suggested. As our top pick, the runner handled the field with ease and returned $4.52. A sharp start to the sequence.
Race 9
On Friday’s Happy Hour and in our written breakdown, we were all over Survie (IRE). The turf specialist outclassed the American runners and paid a strong $10.96. Two legs down, momentum building.
Race 10
We labeled this race “wide open,” and Cadenza was one of our top contenders. The runner delivered, returning $10.08 and completing a $166 Pick 3 for a $2 investment. At this point, we were feeling very good.
Race 11
Before the weather intervened, we took a stand on Celtic Prince. Unfortunately, the runner didn’t fire, leaving us with a losing ticket as conditions deteriorated.
Race 12
Once moved to a sloppy main track, the field shrank to just four runners. Maximum Heat, the lone MTO entrant, took advantage and won the final leg. With such small fields, the Late Pick 5 payout was capped at $375.
We continue to land on solid winners, but Saratoga’s unpredictable conditions make stringing together five straight a real challenge. Still, we’ll keep grinding through the meet.
Preview of 8/22/26: Ballston Spa & Alabama Stakes
This Friday at 3PM on Happy Hour, John Kostin and I will break down Race 10, the Ballston Spa Stakes, and Race 11, the Alabama Stakes. Both Saturday races look set for fast and firm conditions, offering a welcome change from last week’s chaos. I’ll be live at Saratoga on Friday and Saturday, bringing on‑site insights to the show.
As always, bet smart, cheer hard, fast horses can lead to some real fun, and in the end just Let ’em Run.
