The horse racing year can be roughly mapped out in a five act structure: We begin in the warm states with horses building their reputations and establishing themselves in the exposition. The second act comprises the early summer classics — for three-year-olds it’s the Triple Crown. There’s an awkward, early intermission, and then we hit the last week of July: The climax announced by the cry “and they’re off at Saratoga!” and accompanied by the delicious scent of potato chips frying to a crisp golden brown (they were invented in Saratoga). The fall meets and the Breeders’ Cup resolves the action, and the Eclipse awards are our little denouement.

For city folk, especially, the soft sunshine and Adirondack breezes of Saratoga are a godsend. For the next month or so, this small town in upstate New York is the picture perfect vision of how life should be: drinks on the patio at Siros, late night wanders on cobblestone sidewalks, a Daily Racing Form folded under every arm, horses thundering through the early morning fog around the Oklahoma exercise track, and excellent racing six afternoons a week.

The best horses in the country run across this track.

There is nothing like August. And waiting in the wings, like a deus ex machina, The Green Monkey. Hopes are high that we’ll get to see this $16 million dollar colt enter the gate this year. He was sidelined last year after setting the record price for a two-year-old in training. Sometime after August 13, comes the word from Todd Pletcher’s barn.

But one must not wait for banner events like the Monkey’s debut. At Saratoga there’s a stakes race every day — I count 47 of them on the calendar — and every year, I am surprised by how fast the races come. There’s no warm up at the Spa, there’s no lag time, blink and you’ve missed something.

Evidenced this weekend: Saturday, we get the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney, and Sunday the Grade 1 $500,000 Jim Dandy.

The Whitney is 1 1/8 miles, for three-year-olds and up, and this year the water is deep.

Brass Hat is looking very good. The William Bradley trained colt was laid off for a year with an injury, came back to run at Churchill Downs and won the race by a head, setting a track record for 1 1/16 miles.

He’ll be facing Flashy Bull. If ever there was a horse on a roll, here he is. He’s had his picture taken four times in a row, including his last-out victory in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.

Todd Pletcher sends Lawyer Ron to the gate, and this horse seems to be coming into his own. He hasn’t been off the board in four starts this year.

But the one to watch is Papi Chullo. After finishing last, 29 1/2 lengths off the lead, in the Oaklawn Stakes at Oaklawn Park this April, he was sold in an ad hoc auction. Steve Sigler made an offer, and the horse came to Gary Contessa’s barn. Papi Chullo seems to like Contessa’s hay a lot: He’s come out swinging. He almost matched a track record taking a Belmont allowance by 7 1/4 lengths. And last out he snagged the Birdstone Stakes, also at Belmont, by five lengths.

Dry Martini, Fairbanks, Magna Graduate, and the wonderful Sun King round out this field of excellent horses.

On Sunday, the Jim Dandy marks the next step for our three-year-old crop.

Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness runner up Street Sense will go to the gate. His biggest victories have come at Churchill Downs, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Kentucky Derby, with less predictable results elsewhere, and the pressure is certainly on. He’ll be popular with the bettors, and the wiseguys will try to figure out a way to beat him. I think if he runs to his best form, he’ll take it, but I would rather not have to put my money where my mouth is.

For one thing, there’s the entry of Tiz Wonderful, back on the track after a yearlong layoff. Trained by Steve Asmussen (who trains Street Sense’s rival in the Triple Crown series Curlin), Tiz Wonderful has been sidelined with a tendon injury. His two-year-old career was a smash, with three victories by a total of 19 3/4 lengths. It’s a short field, and Tiz Wonderful has won at Saratoga before, but I can’t help but wish he’d had an allowance race four weeks ago.

Cowtown Cat and C P West are also headed toward the Jim Dandy. The latter was fifth in the Belmont Stakes last time out. He broke his maiden at Saratoga but hasn’t won a race since. The former overcame the disappointment of being dead last in the Kentucky Derby by coming in fourth last out in the Ohio Derby on June second. Sightseeing rounds out the field: a good colt, but he never seems to get it done when it matters most.

Two things will be learned, and they are both worth watching, as both will have a serious impact on the rest of the year. Which Street Sense will we get? Has the horse grown up enough to win races professionally? If he’s going to be a solid, well-regarded racehorse, he’s got to sharpen up and perform more predictably. He’s had the time to grow up, and I’m anxious to see what it’s done for him. The second piece of the three-year-old puzzle will be Tiz Wonderful. He’s a true wildcard. He was an excellent juvie, and we certainly looked forward to seeing him as a 3-year-old. It’s taken a while, but that shouldn’t diminish the excitement of his debut.

mwatman@nysun.com