Opening Night at Churchill Downs

Updated 2:30 pm PT (4/24/2021) 

With KD 147 exactly one week away, we look in on some evening racing under the Twin Spires for our Stakes Saturday.

Churchill Downs Race 9 {William Walker Stakes~5 1/2 Furlongs~TURF~3 year-old~Stakes}

A field of ten talented lads should hi the grass in this annual contest. 

Past Performances used:  Equibase.

Named after famed Kentucky Derby winning jockey, Billy Walker, this race shapes up as a highly competitive one. Hopefully it will be kept on the TURF. There is a plethora of speed which make this race fast and furious. Speed figs are fairly close. Esteemed trainer, Wesley Ward, has two entered in this race. Also, the stellar sire, Into Mischief, has two progeny entered. It should be a super fine race.

#3 Field Day (Gaffalione / B. Cox) looks to be the controlling speed. He holds the second highest (tie) last out speed number and two good workouts. This guy has already hit the board twice in two starts at this very distance. A son of Broken Vow, he is 100% in the money from six career starts.

$2 WIN  /  $3 PLACE  /  $5 SHOW.

#1 Roderick (Van Dyke / W. Ward) is sure to challenge, coming off short layoff. This colt should race close to the speedsters on the front end. He was last seen at Gulfstream Park racing in a Stakes sprint over the dirt and has put in four exceptional workouts in the last thirty days. A son of Into Mischief,  he is 50% in the money from six career starts.

$2 PLACE  /  $3 SHOW.

#5 Unitedandresolute (Geroux / Amoss) will contend holding the highest last out speed number and two strong workouts. This guy should be traveling close to the pace as the speedsters cut through the grass. A son of Violence, he is 90% in the money from ten career starts.

$2 SHOW.

#11 Into the Sunrise (L. Saez / W. Ward) is also coming off a modest layoff with three dynamite workouts. He hold a win at this distance from three tries. Expect him to also be motoring on the front end. He is a newly gelded son of Into Mischief. 

$1 Saturday Exacta Wheel ($3.00)

#3 Field Day  //  #1 Roderick,  #5 Unitedandresolute,  #11 Into the Sunrise.

10 CENT Superfecta Box ($2.40)

#3 Field Day  +  #1 Roderick  +  #5 Unitedandresolute  +  #11 Into the Sunrise.

Last Stakes Saturday (4/17) Results

Keeneland R9.  Elkhorn Stakes--G2.  Our first pick, Red Knight, finished 6th.  Our second pick, Say the Word, won (1st) for place money of $2.40 and show money of $3.20.  Our third pick, Tide of the Sea, finished 7th.  Our fourth pick, Fantasioso [ARG], finished 4th.

We completely missed on our Exacta play. Superfecta went 2-9-3-8.

Bankroll tumbles to $42.34.

 

A Grade Two Stakes Saturday

 We look in on that beautiful Track, Keeneland, for a Stakes Saturday Grade two TURF race.

Keeneland Race 9 {Elkhorn Stakes~G2~1 1/2 mile~TURF~4 year-old Up~Graded Stakes}

A diluted field of eight will hop onto the grass in this annual contest.

Past Performances used:  Equibase.

A great group of Turfer's will show their staying power in this exceptional race. There is enough speed to maintain an honest pace. Only three have not raced over the Keeneland Turf. Speed numbers are fairly close making it very competitive. Super strong Turf pedigrees appear throughout this group. It should be one of the most exciting races on this Stakes Saturday.

#10 Red Knight (Graham / Mott) should go off as the deserved favorite as he comes in fresh off a modest layoff. He holds the second highest speed number at the distance and has put in three high powered workouts in preparation. This lad should be tracking the pace closely. A son of Pure Prize, he is 72% in the money from twenty-two career starts.

$1 WIN  /  $2 PLACE  /  $3 SHOW.

#2 Say the Word (L. Saez / D'Amato) will challenge with the highest last out speed number and two dynamic workouts. He should track and close gallantly. This guy has hit the board in all four of his starts at this distance. A son of More Than Ready, he loves the Turf and the Keeneland grass.

$1 PLACE  /  $2 SHOW.

#6 Tide of the Sea (Corrales / Maker) should contend with the second highest last out speed number and four superb workouts. He has two wins at this distance in two appearances at same. Look for him to show speed and attempt to wire this field. A son of English Channel, he is 81% in the money from eleven career starts.

$2 SHOW.

#8 Fantasioso [ARG] (Bejarano / Correas) comes in off an layoff after racing in Argentina for his early career. While in Argentina he hit the board in his last two starts. He has put in four rigorous workouts in preparation for his first North American start. A son of Strategic Prince [GB], he is 65% in the money from twenty-three career starts.

$1 SHOW.

$1 Saturday Exacta Wheel ($3.00)

#10 Red Knight  //  #2 Say the Word,  #6 Tide of the Sea,  #8 Fantasioso [ARG].

10 CENT Superfecta Box ($2.40)

#10 Red Knight  +  #2 Say the Word  +  #6 Tide of the Sea  +  #8 Fantasioso [ARG].

Results from Our Previous two Stakes Saturday's

(4/3)  Keenland R11.  Toyota Bluegrass Stakes-G2.  Our first pick, Essential Quality, won (1st) for win money of $1.50, place money of $2.20, and show money of $3.35.  Our second pick, Highly Motivated, finished 2nd for place money of $1.70 and show money of $2.60.  Our third pick, Rombauer, finished 3rd for show money of $5.40.  Our fourth pick, Hidden Stash, finished 4th.

We hit the Exacta for $3.70 and the 10 CENT Superfecta for $7.56. Superfecta went 4-3-5-1.

(4/10)  Oaklawn Park R12.  Arkansas Derby--G1.  Our first pick Concert Tour, finished 3rd.  Our second pick, Super Stock, won (1st) for show money of $2.80.  Our third pick, Caddo River, finished 2nd for show money of $2.40.

We missed on the Exacta and the 10 CENT Superfecta box. Superfecta went 1-2-5-4.

Bankroll settles at $54.14.

We take on the Arkansas Derby

 As KD 147 draws nearer, we take a look at this years final prep race on the Derby Trail, the Arkansas Derby.

Oaklawn Park Race 12 {Arkansas Derby~G1~1 1/8 mile~3 year-old~Graded Stakes}

A short field of six will go to the gate in this year's running of the Arkansas Derby.

Past Performances used:  DRF Formulator.

Despite the low number of entrants, this is a stellar field of colts making the final prep before the first Saturday in May. There is a ton of speed to keep this pace moving. Speed numbers are fairly close as each of these six colts continue to improve. None of them have gone this distance. All have run over the Oaklawn track. It should be a great day of racing and the KD 147 picture should become a lot clearer.

#5 Concert Tour (Rosario / Baffert) should remain unbeaten. It is his race to win. With the highest last out speed number and two strong workouts, he is the deserved favorite. This son of Street Sense, should go off on or near the lead and shuffle off convincingly.

$2 WIN  /  $3 PLACE.

#1 Super Stock (Santana / Asmussen) will challenge with the third highest (tie) last out speed number and three superb peaking workouts. He should be tracking the pace closely. A son of Dialed In, he is 72% in the money from seven career starts.

$2 SHOW.

#2 Caddo River (Geroux / B. Cox) should show speed from the start. He comes into this race sharing the third highest last out speed number and two vibrant workouts. A son of Hard Spun, he is 80% in the money from five career starts.

$2 SHOW.

#6 Last Samurai (Court / D. Stewart) could surprise as a continually improving colt. This guy should stay close in this tightly grouped field and strike in the stretch. He has put in four hearty workouts in preparation for this race. A son of Malibu Moon, he has a win from four career starts.

$1 Saturday Exacta Wheel ($3.00)

#5 Concert Tour  //  #1 Super Stock,  #2 Caddo River,  #6 Last Samurai.

50 Cent Trifecta ($4.00)

#5 Concert Tour  /  #1 Super Stock,  #2 Caddo River  /  ALL.

 

Stakes Saturday at Magnificent Keeneland

 With the Kentucky Derby only twenty-eight days away we take in one of the influential preps on the road to KD 147.

Keeneland Race 11 {Toyota Bluegrass~G2~1 1/8 mile~3 year-old~Graded Stakes}

A fantastic field of nine will enter the gate in search of Derby points.

Past Performances used:  DRF Classic.

Of this field, seven have accumulated some derby points, but only one, Essential Quality, may already have enough to get himself into the gate on the first Saturday in May. He will be the odds on favorite. Only two in this field have gone this distance. The aforementioned favorite is the only millionaire of the group. This race lacks speed as most take up a tracking position hoping to close gallantly. Speed numbers are very close for the top tier of runners. It should be a great race with a number in here ready to prove their mettle.

#4 Essential Quality (L. Saez / B. Cox) is the deserved favorite as he puts his undefeated record from four career starts on the line. He won last out in the Southwest at Oaklawn Park earning him the highest last out speed number of this crew. He has since put in three dynamite workouts in preparation for this race. A millionaire son of Tapit, could be the pace leader by default.

$1 WIN  /  $2 PLACE  /  $3 SHOW.

#3 Highly Motivated (Castellano / C. Brown) should be the chief challenger with the second highest last out speed number and two sound workouts. He has already posted a victory at Keeneland. Currently he is in 33rd position on the KD 147 points leaderboard and will need to win or place second to get himself in the gate. This lad is one of many trackers in this field. A son of Into Mischief, whose progeny relish the Keeneland surface, is 100% in the money from four career starts.

$1 PLACE  /  $2 SHOW.

#5 Rombauer (Geroux / M. McCarthy) will surely challenge coming off a victory at this distance in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields. His last three races have produced consistently good speed figs and he has put in four powerful workouts in preparation for the race. He sits in 24th position on the KD 147 points leaderboard. Look for him to be battling among the closers to hit the board. A son of surface versatile, Twirling Candy, he is 60% in the money from five career starts.

$2 SHOW.

#1 Hidden Stash (Bejarano / Oliver) is sitting on an explosive effort with a couple of good last out speed numbers and three superb peaking workouts. This guy ranks 18th on the KD 147 points leaderboard. He should take up a tracking position ready to strike. Another in this field with a win over the Keenland track. A son of Constitution, he is 83% in the money from six career starts.

$1 SHOW.

$1 Saturday Exacta Wheel ($3.00)

#4 Essential Quality  //  #3 Highly Motivated,  #5 Rombauer,  #1 Hidden Stash.

10 CENT Superfecta Box ($2.40)

#4 Essential Quality  +  #3 Highly Motivated  +  #5 Rombauer  +  #1 Hidden Stash.

Last Stakes Saturday (3/27) Results

Turfway Park R11.  Jeff Ruby Steaks--G3.  Our first pick, Gretsky the Great, finished a disappointing 5th.  Our second pick, Sainthood, finished 2nd for place money of $9.40 and show money of $9.90.  Our third pick, Like the King, won (1st) for show money of $5.60.

We flubbed our Exacta Wheel play. Superfecta went 1-5-12-9.

Bankroll moves up a notch to settle at $54.13.