Brent Pollak of Gansevoort, New York won the third week of the TIF BetMakers Summer Prop Contest with 11 correct props, cruising to an easy victory.
A series of scratches impacting the day necessitated two of the 12 props offered be marked correct for all players. A prop that focused on the final odds of Risk Taking, scratched from the Jim Dandy, was eliminated because of his removal from the race. As such, Pollak had a clean sheet with all 11 props correct.
Some 10 players tied for second in the competitive week with eight correct props. Both Shane Anderson of Copenhagen, Denmark and Robert Lee of Albany, New York selected the same tiebreaker result – a Saratoga late pick five payout of $12,000 – which was closest to the actual result of $10,454 amongst the tied players. Anderson notched his second placing of the contest after finishing third in the opening week.
All three players directed charitable contributions totaling $2,000 to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund this week.
A player’s four best scores over whichever of the eight weeks of the contest they play count towards the overall standings. The first look at overall contest standings will occur next week for the top players who have accrued four weeks of scores. The week three props, with results, are listed below.
Horseplayer and tipster Nick Tammaro will set the props for the fourth week of the contest.
1. HEAD-TO-HEAD: Which horse will have the better finishing position in the Vanderbilt (Race 8) at Saratoga?
#2 MISCHIEVOUS ALEX (64%)
#3 FIRENZE FIRE (36%)
2. HEAD-TO-HEAD: Which horse will have the better finishing position in the Jim Dandy (Race 9) at Saratoga?
#3 WEYBURN (56%)
#4 KEEPMEINMIND (44%)
3. According to the final Equibase chart of the race, which horse will be closest to the lead after the first four furlongs of the Jim Dandy?
#1 DR JACK (29%)
#2 MASQUEPARADE (36%)
#3 WEYBURN (35%)
4. What will be the final margin of victory in the Jim Dandy?
1.75 lengths or shorter (62%)
Between 2 lengths and 3.75 lengths (28%)
4 lengths or longer (10%)
5. What will be the final pari-mutuel win odds of Chad Brown trainee RISK TAKING in the Jim Dandy at Saratoga?
14.00-1 or lower (65%)
14.05-1 or higher (35%)
Risk Taking was scratched. No scores awarded.
6. Which previous winner of the Bowling Green will have the better finishing position in this year’s renewal of the race?
#1 CHANNEL CAT (2019) (33%)
#2 CROSS BORDER (2020) (31%)
#5 CHANNEL MAKER (2018) (36%)
7. Which high-priced 2020 yearling purchase will have the better finishing position in Race 6 at Saratoga?
#1 SWEEPING GIANT ($350,000 – Trainer: Todd Pletcher) (26%)
#2 NYQUIST NIX ($325,000 – Trainer: Mark Casse) (24%)
#4 ROYAL SPIRIT ($450,000 – Trainer: Todd Pletcher) (50%)
Royal Spirit was scratched. All were awarded a correct answer.
8. Which Grade 1 sprint race will have the LARGER margin of victory?
The Vanderbilt at Saratoga (38%)
The Bing Crosby at Del Mar (62%)
9. HEAD-TO-HEAD: Which horse coming off a long layoff will have the better finishing position in the Bing Crosby at Del Mar?
#2 VERTICAL THREAT (Last race: November 2020) (34%)
#6 COLLUSION ILLUSION (Last race: December 2020) (65%)
Collusion Illusion was scratched. All were awarded a correct answer.
10. Which jockey will score the most points across their rides on Saturday? (Point Scale: 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 3 points, 3rd = 1 point)
Tyler Gaffalione at Saratoga (8 scheduled rides) (17%)
Manuel Franco at Saratoga (9 scheduled rides) MINUS 1.5 points (17%)
Umberto Rispoli at Del Mar (8 scheduled rides) (66%)
11. Which track’s late daily double will have the higher return on Saturday?
Del Mar (46%)
Saratoga (54%)
12. Will any race at Saratoga or Del Mar on Saturday be won by a margin larger than the total number of shots under par accumulated during the final round by the eventual gold medal winner of the Olympic golf competition on Saturday?
YES (62%)
NO (38%)