YNN Sports Director Marisa Jacques was the guest handicapper in the Times Union Friday and selected three winners in the 10 races.
Capital OTB president John Signor was the most successful of the five people who made selections in the TU with four wins. Marisa, Tim Wilkin and Matt Graves had three each. Mike Jarboe had two.
Marisa's stayed away from morning-line favorites in her picks, but some of them went off as the favorites in the wagering. Her winners were Neck of the Moon ($4.10) in the second; Smart Believer ($7.40) in the third; and Never on Time ($14.60) in the seventh.
As a public service, we kept score and provided updates during the program.
Here are her selections, with morning-line odds for the top choice and the results:
1 - Victoria Lynn (3-1)
Media Starlett
Joonbi
Perhaps as a result of Marisa's tout, Victoria Lynn and entry mate Media Starlett went off as the 2-1 favorites. Victoria Lynn finished fifth.
2-Neck of the Moon (3-1)
With Honorandgrace
Caremeway
Success!
Neck of the Moon, trained by Chad Brown, easily wins the turf sprint for maiden New York 2-year-olds. Neck of the Moon, the 6-5 favorite, pays $4.10.
With Honorandgrace finished third.
3-Smart Believer (5-1)
Greed and Fear
Bronze Beauty
Another winner....and the exacta, too.
Jockey Ramon Dominguez guided Smart Believer home first. The Smart Strike filly paid $7.40 to win
Greed and Fear ran second for an exacta of $17.
If you played the second and third race double selected by Marisa, you received $15.40.
4-Off the Jak (7-2)
Dangerous Trick
Blind Hope
The streak ends with Off the Jak's fourth-place finish.
Blind Hope, Marisa's third choice, won the race under Jose Lezcano and paid $20.40.
5-High Five Again (4-1)
Sky Commander
Jude Wylie
Marisa's top choice, High Five Again, was scratched, so Sky Commander became the selection. He finished fourth in the race won by No. 9, the Todd Pletcher-trained Jocosity.
6-A.P Hutchy (9-5)
Drinksonthehouse
It's Your Dime
A.P. Hutchy looked like a winner inside the eighth pole, but couldn't hold off some late challenges. Jitney, a daughter of Utopia, got to the wire first and paid $17.80.
Marisa is tied with TU picks box czar Tim Wilkin, the mighty Matt Graves and Capital OTB prez John Signor with two wins thus far. Mike Jarboe has a single winner through six races.
7-Never on Time (12-1)
Suns Out Guns Out
Vengeful Pride
Big, big $14.60 winner for Marisa with Never on Time trained by Todd Pletcher.
That's her third of the day and is the leader in the TU picks grid. Wherever he is today, Matt Graves is grumbling.
8-Game Ball (12-1)
Tahoe Lake
Harrods Creek
Harrods Creek trained by Bill Mott prevailed in the John's Call. Marisa's selection, 20-1 shot Game Ball, was fourth.
John Signor of OTB had the winner and is tied with Marisa with three victories.
9-It's Me Mom (7-2)
Roman Treasure
Island Bound
C C's Pal and jockey Junior Alvarado won and paid $8.50. It's Me Mom set ridiculous early factions of :21.14 and :43.78 before tiring and finishing seventh. John Signor had the winner.
10-Night Brigade (6-1)
Glory in Motion
Ultimate Class
Classical Fashion
Favored Ultimate Class handled the field. Tim Wilkin and Mike Jarboe picked Ultimate Class on top and Matt Graves scratched into the George Weaver-trained winner. Marisa's pick, Night Brigade was second.