I'm due

What are friends for besides kicking you when you're down?

Of course, not all of them kick. Some point and laugh behind the people doing the kicking.

If you're lucky enough to have a friend like Nelson Muntz, he does both!

I was the proverbial kicking bag on Wednesday afternoon after another abominable day of handicapping the races at Saratoga Race Course. I guess I could put that in a positive light and say it was a fantastic day of picking losers.

I'm still without a winner in the Huddie contest, and I've put the brakes on my Saratoga betting because I want to make sure I'm fully loaded for Keeneland and Breeders' Cup, two events at which I've typically done well.

Still, I'm in the information business, so I can't let a little losing streak get me down. Besides, if you know my information is bad then that's good for you because you can then toss my selections with impunity.

So, here's my tick sheet for Thursday at Saratoga. I call it the tick sheet because you can tick off the horses I pick from the win slot. There's a double carryover in the pick six, and I've put together a ~$2,000 ticket that I won't be playing.

Update after scratches: Two of my "A" horses scratched, so if I were playing the pick six, I could do it for a relatively cheap $864 by going 2, 3, 4, 7 with 1, 2, 6 with 4 with 2, 5, 6 with 4, 6, 8 with 5, 7, 8, 9

Update after scratches: I missed a scratch in the opening leg (#3), so I have just a mythical $648 play. I'm hoping for a good 4/6 showing because then I won't feel bad for not playing but it'll be good enough to make me think maybe I'm starting to see the races better. Through the first four races, I've had two winners on top. However, one of those was 4-to-5, and I was nowhere in the two I missed.

Race 1: Jump-jump (a.k.a. might as well jump). Given the class (N2L or maiden before June 1, 2008) I'd prefer a more novice jumper in here who has shown the ability to win versus an older horse who has toiled in maiden and allowance conditions. So, #2 You the Man and #12 Left Unsaid are the obvious choices here. #1 Orebanks looked good against straight three-year-olds, but these waters are deeper. Still, he gets in for 139, will save ground, and the connections are capable.

Race 2: Uninspiring lot here, which explains the tag at a young age. Since I know nothing, I'm required to take #4 Mywifenosevrything. Normally I wouldn't slight the misses on a hunch bet like that, but Nick Zito is her favorite trainer, so she's on board. This would be my spread leg in pick N wagers, though with #s 1, 3, 5, 6 also all in the mix.

Race 3: I'll take a speed horse in here and a closer and hope one of them gets home first. #2 Trainee switches back to dirt. He'll be way out of it, but #s 4 & 5 will be gunning on the front end, and that could set up well for the deuce. #6 Quisom isn't the speed of the speed, but he has enough early foot to stay in touch with the leaders and to get first run turning for home. I'm not a huge fan of horses trying a new surface after 16 career starts, but #5 Lookalike merits some respect given that he'll be able to handle the distance, and he worked well over the Oklahoma on Saturday.

Race 4: I was surprised just now to look at the morning line and see that #5 Perfect Officer is favored. He's my top pick in here as the most likely winner, but #s 4 & 7 both could offer value in their turf debuts. #2 Wall Street Wonder and #8 Affirmatif both look to be overplayed here.

Race 5: Start of the pick six and not the most impossible race despite being a 2YO $50k claimer for NYBs. #s 2 & 3 have good first-out pedigrees for connections capable of firing. #4 Rogue's Jewel drops from NYB MSW after a wide trip on sloppy track. #7 Bobbi O. is worth some coverage given the fast works but the pedigree doesn't have me tingling.

Race 6: Interesting jockey situation on #s 1 & 2, as the rail picks up Dominguez while the deuce gets Leparoux. Both have to be respected on the drop, particularly the two stretching out. #6 Dukinfield also has the look of an "A" given a similar drop to the aforementioned pair plus his company lines are fantastic.

Race 7: I love #7 Most Happy Fella in here. The pedigree wins early and it wins on grass. Yeah, that debut was a dream trip and the second start was very uninspiring, but he will be capable going two turns on the grass. #4 Smooth Transition looks like another that should handle the stretch out nicely. I can't see past those two.

Race 8: Another MSW for NYBs on the turf. Horray! #6 Patronus Charm looks to have some upside with Castellano taking over for Arroyo following a decent Spa bow. #s 2 & 5 will be favored, and I wouldn't leave them off the P6, but I wouldn't mind betting against them in other pools either.

Race 9: I could make a case for everyone in here, but you really can't play them all (usually), and the case I can make against some of them is enough that I've comfortably narroed this down to three horses. #4 Flatter Than Me was a length behind Backtalk in the Bashford Manor when Albarado may have moved too early. I think he works out a good trip in here. #6 D'Funnybone comes out of a Calder stake, which didn't work out so well for Dashing Debby i the Adirondack, but I can't ignore this one's speed and the switch to Dutrow. #8 Tiny Woods attracts Smith for the ride. Not sure why Baffert wouldn't want to run this one at Del Mar given the win already, but the breeding should work on dirt and the owner might want some exSPAsure.

Race 10: My bet of the day is #7 Flying Sappho, who clearly has the best turf sprint form in the field, and as long as Rice is saddling a turf sprinter you'll usually get a price on your pick. #10 Bella Cherokee has outside speed and Samyn and should also offer value.