Track Trends

NYRA handicapper Andy Serling provides daily analysis of track trends and conditions at Saratoga Race Course in an attempt to share his thoughts and insights into any possible track biases. This can be a helpful resource for handicappers as track conditions can change from one day to the next.

Belmont Park Track Trends | Aqueduct Track Trends

2024

Monday, September 2

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 10 to 20 MPH NW

There is an argument that the rail was not the best place to be on the Main Track. Enough horses ran OK in the two to three path to suggest it wasn't necessarily an outside flow type track but it's at least worth following. The rail continues to be an advantage on the Inner Turf, though not as strong maybe as Saturday and Sunday. The outside paths were an advantage on the Mellon Turf, with the inside paths a disadvantage.

Sunday, September 1

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 10 to 20 MPH SW

There were times on the Main Track where it looked like the best running was done a bit off the rail, but enough horses ran well saving ground to suggest the track was fair. With the rails down to zero on the Inner Turf, saving ground was an advantage. On the other hand, the inside paths on the Mellon Turf may have been deeper, with the best running on that course, particularly in the stretch, being done two or more paths off the inside. Worth following.

Saturday, August 31

Fast (1,4,5,7,8 ) Good ( 10 ) Muddy (sealed ) 11&13 / Firm ( 2,3,6,9 ) Yielding ( 12 )

Showery

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SE

The Main Track played fairly throughout the day, even after the rain. The turf courses played fairly, though it's impossible to know how the rain affected the course for the 12th with a 31:1 rabbit wiring the field.

Friday, August 30

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SE

While the rail was fine on the Main Track, the surface played fairly, as did both turf courses.

Thursday August, 29

Fast / Firm

Cloudy

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SE

The riders had been staying away from the rail for much of the prior four racing days. Then the 5th and 6th winners rallied inside, followed by the 9th winner, and suddenly the rail was fine, and even possibly an advantage. Worth following. The turf courses continue to play fairly.

Wednesday, August 28

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 15 MPH NW

The inside was fine on the Main Track. It may have been tilted towards speed or forwardly placed runners. The rails were at 12 feet on the Mellon and 18 on the Inner Turf with both courses playing fairly.

Sunday, August 25

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SW

With mostly logical horses winning on the Main Track, and the only closers to be successful were Pandagate/Doc Sullivan, who were heavily favored, it's hard to say there was a distinct bias. However, the rail was probably not the place to be, especially in the stretch. The turf courses played fairly.

Saturday, August 24

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SW

There was an advantage to being forward on the Main Track, as a minimal amount of even mildly successful running seemed to be done from the back of the pack, but there were exceptions, like the Allen Jerkens. Worth following, as was the rail/inside. Most of the best running was done off the inside, but the second finisher in the 7th was right on the rail the whole way and was narrowly beaten. However, enough runners ( like Vahva ) seemed to underperform inside for it to be worth following. The turf courses played fairly. The inside on the Mellon continues to be good but overall the races on it played fairly.

Friday, August 23

Fast / Good

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

There is a possibility you were best a path or two off the rail on the Main Track, but the final two dirt races suggest otherwise. Might be worth following though ultimately the track was likely fair. Both turf courses appeared to play fairly.

Thursday, August 22

Fast / Good

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

Speed did well on the Main Track. Not clear it was a bias as much as logical horses being forward. Worth following. The rail was also good and a possible advantage. The rails were at zero on the Mellon Turf but there's no evidence the inside was an advantage. The Inner Turf, rails at 9 feet, seemed to play fairly. While listed Good, the turf courses remain on the Yielding side of Good.

Wednesday, August 21

Fast / Good

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 to 20 MPH NW

The Main Track played fairly. There was one turf race, a 13F race on the Mellon, and there is no way to determine any bias. The rails were at zero however. While listed Good, it's evident from the time and the way the horses seemed to dig into the course that it was, at best, Yielding.

Sunday, August 18

Muddy ( Harrowed ) 1-5; Good ( Harrowed ) 6-11 / Off

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 to 20 MPH SE

We were off the Turf and the Main Track played fairly.

Saturday, August 17

Fast / Good

Cloudy

Wind 5 to 15 MPH SE

The Main Track played fairly, as did the Mellon Turf. The Inner Turf continued to favor horses that were able to save ground.

Friday, August 16

Fast / Good

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SE

The rail was possibly an advantage on the Main Track, but enough races played fairly that it's somewhat ambiguous. The Mellon Turf played fairly while saving ground was an advantage on the Inner Turf ( where the rails were at zero ).

Thursday, August 15

Fast; Sloppy ( sealed ) 8-10 / Firm; Yielding ( 7 )

Clear, then Thunderstorms

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

The Main Track played fairly before the rain. Hard to make conclusions about the track after the rain, as some horses ran well inside, some outside, and in the 9th, horses made up considerable ground. The turf courses played fairly before the rain. The 7th was affected and probably made it hard to make up ground. Hard to be sure.

Wednesday, August 14

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

The rail was good on the Main Track but the track appeared to play fairly. Both turf courses played fairly. The rails were at 27 feet on the Mellon and zero on the Inner.

Sunday, August 11

Fast / Good

Clear

Wind 5 to 15 MPH SW

All the best running on the Main Track was done off the rail. The results were, for the most part, fairly logical but it's worth following whether or not the inside was not the best place to be. The rails were out 18 feet on both turf courses and they appeared to play fairly.

Saturday, August 10

Fast / Off

Clear

Wind 5 to 15 MPH NW

While the rail was good, the track played fairly overall.

Friday, August 9

Racing cancelled due to heavy rain and wind

Thursday, August 8

Fast (1, 3, 4 ); Muddy ( sealed ) 6-7; Sloppy ( sealed ) 8-10/ Good ( 2 & 5 )

Showers/Rain

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SE

Tough to make any definitive thoughts on the main track as it changed throughout the day. When dry it likely played fairly. Nothing wrong with the inside at least through the 7th race, and possibly all day. Fair mix of speed and closers. There was one turf race on each course, with the courses playing on the Yielding side of Good, and they played fairly logically. No cause to determine any real bias.

Wednesday, August 7

Fast / Off

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NE

The rail was good, and possibly somewhat of an advantage, but over all the track played fairly.

Sunday, August 4

Fast / Good

Clear

Wind 5 to 15 MPH SW

All surfaces, turf and dirt, played fairly.

Saturday, August 3

Sloppy ( sealed ) 1-3; Muddy ( sealed ) 4-13 / Off

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH West

While speed did well throughout the day, it was more situational, as shorter prices dominated the results and we saw some effective closing.

Friday, August 2

Fast / Firm

Cloudy

Wind 5 to 15 MPH South

The rail continues to be an advantage, but not as severe as 8/1, though still an edge. The rails were at zero on the Mellon course for the first time this meet and it played fairly, as did the Inner Turf.

Thursday, August 1

Fast / Good ( 9 )

Clear

Wind 5 to 15 MPH NW

The rail was as strong as it's been all year. While speed did well, it was the rail that was the advantage, as we saw the 8th winner come up the rail from last. Horses with outside trips were badly compromised. There was one race on the Inner Turf ( rails at 9 feet ) and it played fairly.

Wednesday, July 31

Sloppy ( sealed ) / OFF

Rainy

Wind 5 to 15 MPH SE

There is a reasonable argument that speed was a significant advantage though we did see a few horses close effectively

Sunday, July 28

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

Forwardly placed horses dominated the dirt races, and while it could have been situational, there were some longshots that ran well. Worth following going forward. The Mellon Course played fairly, while the inside likely continued to be an advantage on the Inner Turf.

Saturday, July 27

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

While much of the best running on the Main Track was done at least a path or two off the rail, horses ran well in both the 6th and 7th races that were inside, suggesting the track was fair. The rail on the Inner may have been a slight advantage, but not significant, while the Mellon Course played fairly.

Friday, July 26

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

There were five Main Track races, four of the first six, and the rail was a clear advantage and seemed to move horses up. The final dirt race, over 90 minutes after the prior race, played fairly. Whether or not the track changed, is hard to know, but it could have. The Mellon Turf played fairly. The Inner Turf, which had been tilted to horses that saved ground the prior two days since the rails went to zero, seemed to play fairly with little bias.

Thursday, July 25

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 10 to 20 MPH NW

The rail was good on the Main Track, and a possible advantage, but overall the track played fairly. Worth following. The rail continues to be an advantage on the Inner Turf with the rails at zero, while the Mellon ( Outer ) Turf played fairly.

Wednesday, July 24

Fast / Firm

Cloudy

Wind 5 to 15 MPH SSE

The Main Track played fairly. The rails were at zero on the Inner Turf for the first time ( since 6/8 ) and while the inside was good, it's not at all clear there was any bias. The Mellon/Outer course played fairly with the rails at 27 feet.

Sunday, July 21

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

While the rail was good on the Main Track, it was not a clear advantage, and the track played fairly. The turf courses also continue to play fairly.

Saturday, July 20

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SW

The rail was good on the Main Track, but it was arguably somewhat situational, and it's far from clear there was any real bias. Horses had no trouble making up ground on the dirt. The turf courses continue to play fairly.

Friday, July 19

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH West

While the rail was good on the Main Track, it was not an apparent advantage, and the track played fairly. The turf courses played fairly as well.

Thursday, July 18

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH South

While we saw inside speed do well in three of the Main Track races, the other two races played fairly enough to suggest that if there was a bias, it was not pronounced. Likely a track that verged on fair at the very least. The rails were out 18 feet on both courses and they appeared to play fairly as well.

Wednesday, July 17

Fast / Off

Cloudy

Wind 5 to 10 MPH South

Saving ground was at a premium, as the rail was very good. Effective closers likely benefitted from good race dynamics and often spent time inside as well.

Sunday, July 14

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SE

All courses, turf and dirt, played fairly.

Saturday, July 13

Fast / Firm

Clear

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SW

Forward horses, speed, did well on the Main Track but it may have been situational. Worth following. The turf courses played fairly.

Friday, July 12

Fast / Firm

Cloudy

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SW

All courses, turf and dirt, played fairly. The rails were at 12 feet on the Mellon course and 9 feet on the Inner.

Thursday, July 11

Fast / Off

Clear

Wind 10 to 20 MPH SW

While forwardly placed horses did well, we saw many horses make reasonable moves from well back, suggesting the track was playing fairly. Horses ran well both inside and outside.

Sunday, June 9

Sloppy ( sealed ) 2-3; Muddy ( sealed 4-12 ) / Off

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 to 10 MPH NW

We were rained off the turf, and the 1st race, as Steeplechase, was cancelled. Speed was an advantage, but how significant is debatable, especially with many logical results.

Saturday, June 8

Fast / Firm

Cloudy

Wind 10 to 20 MPH NW

Arguably speed, and possibly the rail, was the strongest of the three days, but there is also an argument this mitigated a bit as the day went on prior to the Suburban. There are enough ambiguities to suggest it's at least open to debate and worth following. The rails were down to zero on both turf courses. There is an argument the rail was a bit of an advantage on the Inner Turf, which may be worth following, while the Mellon ( Outer ) was fair.

Friday, June 7

Fast / Firm

Cloudy

Wind 8 to 15 MPH NW

The rail was an advantage on the Main Track, and it helped to be forward as well, as for the most part we did not see horses making up significant meaningful ground. The rails were still out 18' on both turf courses, and they continued to play fairly.

Thursday, June 6

Fast / Firm

Cloudy

Wind 5 to 10 MPH SE

The rail was good on the Main Track and a possible at least slight advantage. Speed did well, but depending on race dynamics, we saw enough horses make up ground that the track seemed to play reasonably fairly. The rails were out on both turf courses and they appeared to play fairly.

Past Years' Track Trends

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