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We lost Sunday due to Hurricane Irene paying a visit, but business remains strong at the meeting despite losing a day.

The NYRA is going to squeeze in a few extra races over the final six days of the meeting. There are 11 races carded for today and tomorrow.

Attendance through week six (33 days) was 733,844, down 0.8 percent from 739,623 for 34 days in 2010.spablog10.gif

On-track handle totaled $103,165,617, up 4.3 percent from $98,900,040 last year.

Wagering at the downstate Belmont Café and Aqueduct simulcast facilities was $15,595,450, resulting in a combined on-track handle of $118,761,067, up 9.1 percent from $108,901,417 in 2010.

All-sources handle, which includes wagers on Saratoga races both on-track and from simulcast outlets nationwide, was $436,380,750, down 5.0 percent from $459,484,857 in 2010.

Average betting interests per race through 33 days of the meet were 8.1 (2,696 total) for 331 races compared to 8.3 (2,773 total) for 333 races in the 34 days of 2010.  Turf races totaled 129 with 37 taken off the turf, compared to 150 on and 24 off in 2010.

Closing week should be a strong one. Saturday features three Grade 1 races: The $750,000 Woodward, the $250,000 Forego, and the $300,000 Personal Ensign, which was originally going to be run last Sunday.

Sunday brings us the $250,000 Spinaway (G1) and $100,000 Saranac (G3), and Monday’s closing day card features the $250,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful (G1) and the $100,000 Glen Falls (G3).

After a four day break, Belmont Park opens on Saturday Sept. 10.

There is no mystery on who is going to win the training title. Todd Pletcher has 33 wins from 117 starters, with Chad Brown trailing by 14 wins.

Rudy Rodriguez is having a solid Spa meeting with a dozen winners, and Steve Asmussen is fourth in the standings with 11 wins.

The jockey title appears likely to come down to John Velazquez, who goes into Wednesday with 46 winners, one more than Javier Castellano.

Ramon Dominguez is third with 37 winners, and Julien Leparoux is fourth with 24 winners.

Wednesday’s Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:

See front page of www.turfnsport.com for today’s $75,000 P. G. Johnson.

Click Here to purchase today’s Saratoga Report and we are offering a Platinum Package Special, three months of reports for just $69.95!

Wednesday’s Price Plays at Saratoga

These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

R1: #2 Close to the Vest   10/1

R2: #3 Texas Josh   8/1

R5: #1 Dixieland Cowgirl   12/1

R6: #8 Hooligan’s Delight   8/1

R7: #1 Le Grande Artiste   12/1

R7: #8 Full   12/1

R8: #5 New Wave   10/1

R9: #1 Mississippi Too   12/1

R10: #10 Knysna   12/1

R11: #2 Unguided Missile   15/1

R11: #10 Shane Roars   8/1