Belmont and Keeneland are Nice

Today we look at races at two of the most exciting tracks in the country, Belmont and Keeneland.

Belmont Race 3 {Real Prize Stakes~1 1/16 mile~3 year old~fillies}
This is a very tight six filly field. Bon Jovi Girl (Napravnik / Ritchey) figures to be the one to beat with a decent last out effort and a bullet work-out. There is a lot to like about Unrivaled Belle (Castro / Mott) including nice even progression in speed numbers, a decent last out race speed number and a good work-out. We will go with Unrivaled Belle. As there is no superfecta we will wager it this way:

$2 SHOW: #3 Unrivaled Belle

Keeneland Race 7 {Pin Oak Valley Stakes~1 1/16 mile~3 year old~fillies}
Hopefully this one will be on the turf today. As of this writing, it is raining lightly in Lexington. This race not only brings some of the best turf trainers in the country (Pletcher, Motion, Mott, McLaughlin, Sheppard, Von Hemel and Block), but some of the best Turf jockeys in the country (Desormeaux, Maragh, Dominguez and Graham). This will be a wonderfully competitive race for these three year old fillies. I expect that Silver Reunion (Domingez / Motion) and Redreamit (Albarado / McPeek) will go to the front and lead this talented bunch much of the way. Silver Reunion appears to be the one to catch and beat. Kiawah Cat (Maragh / Mott) will be closing and has solid speed numbers as well as decent works leading up to this race. Other closers to look for will be Single Solution (Graham / Block), Project Rose (Baird / Sheppard), and Always in My Heart (Hamilton / Von Hemel). The unknown factor in this race is Rex Regina (Leparoux / Rouget) who has been racing in France. We will lay her into our ten cent superfecta play in a unique way. I think Kiawah Cat will nip Silver Reunion at the wire. Here's the play:

$2 SHOW: #6 Kiawah Cat
10 CENT Superfecta: 6,1 / 5,1 / 2,1 /11,9,1

Thursday Results
Mixed results yesterday in Keeneland R8. Our top pick Cloudy's Knight finished 1st for $4.20 show money and our other pick, Free Fighter finished out of the money in 6th. Superfecta went 9-12-8-1. Our bankroll remains basically even at $9.80. Let's have a fund day.

Back to Keeneland for Racing Fun

Ah, the horse racing weekend begins in earnest today. Only two more weeks until one of the most exciting weekends of horse racing unfolds, the Breeders Cup. Today we will look at one race at Keeneland.

Keeneland Race 8 {Sycamore Stakes~G3~1 1/2 mile~Turf~3 year old Up}
In this race we have many well recognized, battle-worn horses going to the gate. The winner will be the one that is most prepared to make this longer Turf run. I feel Cloudy's Knight (Homeister / Sheppard) will finish strong and hit that wire first. There are three horses that can draw in as "also eligible" should there be any scratches. Both Medjool (Borel / Sherer) and Sunshine Kid (Desormeaux / Hamm) could have an impact. It appears that Free Fighter (Graham / Block) has had some quality works leading up to this race. Also, Winchester (Dominguez / Clement) is sitting ready to make a great run. There will be a wall of closers at the quarter pole in what will be an exciting finish. We will make two show selections and may our horses hit the wire first. Let's play:

$2 SHOW: #9 Cloudy's Knight
$2 SHOW: #4 Free Fighter
10 CENT Superfecta: 9 / 4 / 12 / 7

Last Sunday's Results
We are three weeks into this venture and we have not yet been able to go to the next level of our rolling show parlay. That's horse racing for you.
Keeneland R8 (10/18). Our horse, Kinsella, finished third providing us with $3.40 in show money. Superfecta went 6-8-4-3. Our bankroll has risen to $9.70.

Keeneland is the Place to Be

Only one race to look at Today on what appears will be a gorgeous fall day in much of the country. We take a look at a splendid stakes race at Keeneland.

Keeneland Race 8 {Bryan Station Stakes~G3~1 mile~Turf~3 year old}
A awesome field of eight will line up for this race. Hopefully, the cool dry weather has been absorbing some of the moisture out of the turf. The Todd Pletcher trained, Kinsella (Albarado / Pletcher), looks like he will be ready for this race. We will go with him. Mikoski (Lezcano / Matz) and Get Stormy (Castellano / Bush) also look very well prepared. While El Crespo (Bridgmohan / Arnold) looks to have the most experience in graded stakes company, he has run too many races this year and could use some freshening. Both Major Marvel (Napravnik / Capuano) and Resue Squad (Prado / McGaughey) look solid as well. Let's have a great Sunday this way:

$2 SHOW: #4 Kinsella
10 CENT Superfecta: 4 / 6 / 2 /1,8,3

Saturday At the Races Results
Calder R10. Our pick, Grand Cash, finished 2nd to earn $3.20 on the show. Superfecta went 3-6-2-7.
Keeneland R9. What a superb race our choice, Hot Cha Cha, ran finishing 1st. She earned us $3.40 for the show. Superfecta went 3-5-4-2. Our bankroll bounces back up to $8.60.
Have a happy Sunday.

From Florida to Kentucky

Another Saturday of great stakes race across the country and in O Canada. We look at the Calder Derby in Florida and the Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland in Kentucky.

Calder Race 10 {Calder Derby~G3~1 1/8 mile~Turf~3 year old~Stakes}
Ten horses entered in this seemingly competitive contest. Sal the Barber (Castro / Clement) and Temos Dream (Cruz / Kaplan) look to be near or on the front end. Grand Cash (Nunez / Vivian) will be closing fast. Regis (Aranco / White), Livingston Street (Cruz / Kaplan), Stately Character (McCaulley / Procino), and Pound Foolish (Saez / Torrora) will all be closing around the quarter pole. This has the potential to be an exciting race with a nail biting finish. For our purposes we will go with Grand Cash based on last out speed and strong works. Let's play it this way:

$2 SHOW: #6 Grand Cash
10 CENT Superfecta: 6 / 10 / 3 / 8,2,1,9

Keeneland Race 9 {Queen Elizabeth II Cup~G1~1 1/8~Turf~3 year old~Fillies~Stakes}
The Turf was soft yesterday. With sunshine forcast for today, hopefully some of the moisture in the ground will dissipate. Nonetheless it appears Gozzip Girl (Desormeaux / Albertrani) is the horse to beat. Only two fillies have raced over soft/good turf, Blind Date (Albarado / Smith) and Miss World (Maragh / Clement). How will the other girls take to good ground? Don't know. Lady Shakespeare (Wilson / Attfield) is ready to run a solid race and should finish in the money. In terms of preparation for this race I like Hot Cha Cha (Graham / Sims).
She will have to overcome the turf prowess of Desormeaux and Maragh to hit the wire first, but James Graham is still one of the best turf jockey's in the country. Let's give this one our best shot.

$2 SHOW: #3 Hot Cha Cha
10 CENT Superfecta: 3 / 6 / 4 / 2

Fridays Results.
Keeneland R7. The soft turf did our horse in, ApprovedbytheMint finished 5th. Superfecta went 1-7-2-12.
Meadowlands R8. Our horse, Solar Flare (ARG), was scratched. No wager executed.
Our bankroll for today sits at $6.50. Let's turn it around today.

It looks like we have two very competitive races where the outcome is very uncertain. We shall give it our best and hope for a little coin.

Meadowlands Race 8 {Meadowlands Cup~G2~1 1/8 mile~3 year old Up~Stakes}
This will be an exciting race to watch with several that have strong win records and highly recognizable names. Solar Flare (ARG) seems to have the edge. However, the fantastic quality to this race leads me to believe that any of these horses can win. They are all virtually equal in their speed numbers and have worked very well leading up to this contest. GoodandLucky, Etched, and Kiss the Kid will all figure prominently. Anal Nakal will have a strong chance coming off a six month lay off. Let's take a shot at this Cup race:

$2 SHOW: #7 Solar Flare (ARG).
10 CENT Superfecta: 7 / 8 / 3 /1,5,6,2

Keeneland Race 7 {1 1/16 mile~Turf~3 year old Up~Allowance}
You have to love this track. If this race is kept on the Turf it will be a thing of glory. Some nice speed in here and a whole wall of closers will be heading for home. Add to the mix some of the best Turf trainers in the country and you have a formula for a very exciting Allowance level race. This is gonna be great. A very difficult one to handicap, though. Radical Sabbatical (Leparoux/Tagg) looks in top form and will be closing for the wire. Vacation (Desormeaux/McGaughey) is coming off a G3 win and will make a nice close for home. Deal Making (Rose/Motion), Exchanging Kisses (Baird/Miller), and Desert Wheat (Lanerie/Mott) will all be among the wall of closers. For our show purposes we will go with ApprovedbytheMint (Graham/Robertson). James Graham has the ability to get the most out of the horses he rides, especially on Turf. Let's make our play on the green:

$2 SHOW: #9 ApprovedbytheMint
10 CENT Superfecta: 11 / 7 / 9 /12,1,2

Thursday Provided Us with a Split Decision
Keeneland R7. Our choice, Golden Country, finished a disappointing 8th. Superfecta 7-11-8-2.
Keeneland R8. Race was moved off the Turf and our pick, Hatheer, finished 3rd for a $2.80 show. Superfecta went 3-5-7-8. Rain always seems to put a damper on even the best handicapper calls.
Our Bankroll is down to $8.80. Let's make the best of it.

Keeneland Races are Exciting

Horse racing weekend really begins on Thursdays and so we will play two today at that great track in Kentucky, Keeneland.

Keeneland Race 7 {7 furlongs~3 year old UP~Allowance}
This will be a terrific and competitive race as any of the eleven horses entered could win this race. I think Golden Country has the edge based on speed numbers and works leading up to this race. There are a number in here with extensive layoffs and may need a race to bring about a top performance. Reel Prime, Klassi Berti, and Bergman will all be fighting for a share. Posse Cat and Saratoga Sinner appear to have had trouble getting over the synthetic track, but could figure in if their trainers have schooled them on the surface. Let's give this race a whirl:

$2 SHOW: #9 Golden Country
10 CENT Superfecta: 9 / 1 / 2 / 3,10,11

Keeneland Race 8 {JP Morgan Chase Jessamine~1 1/16 mile~Turf~fillies~2 year old~Stakes}
What a wonderful race. There are several in here that have gone this distance and could easily come away with a bank load. Hatheer with Alan Garcia aboard and trained by the highly successful Kiernan McGlaughlin looks the best for this stakes race. House of Grace (Luzzi / McPeek) and Lisa's Kitten (LeParoux / M. Maker) will both be in the hunt for gold. Avy Baby (Graham / Hinsley), Whydah (J. Velazquez / Pletcher), and Smart Seattle (Rose / Motion) will all be galloping home for a piece of the banker's largess. Let's look at this way:

$2 SHOW: #7 Hatheer
10 CENT Superfecta: 7 / 3 / 12 / 11,2,5

Sunday wasn't so Sunny for us.
Keeneland R8. Our pick, Guys Reward, finished 5th. Superfecta result was 4-10-9-11.
Keeneland R9. Ginger Brew also finished 5th, out of the money. Superfecta went 11-4-1-3.
Bankroll has fallen to $10.30.
Perhaps Keeneland will be better to us today.

Keeneland Sunday Stakes

With the Breeders Cup fast approaching, more stakes races are on the Radar. Today (Sunday) we look at two quality races at Keeneland.

Keeneland Race 8 {Bourbon Stakes~G3~1 1/16~Turf~2 year old}
This race will be extremely competitive with any one of these young horses crossing the wire first. Those that have raced at this distance all have relatively close turf speed numbers which makes it all the more interesting. Guys Reward looks the best prepared here and Dale Romans has a nice share of the graded stakes victories this year. Rounding out this highly competitive field in search of a piece of the carrot will be: Billions Boy, Interactif, Asphalt, Family Foundation, Turf Melody, Exhi and Raging Wit. And away we go:

$2 SHOW: #12 Guys Reward.
10 CENT Superfecta: 12 / 3 / 9 / 5,6,4,11,8

Keeneland Race 9 {Juddemonte Spinster Stakes~G1~1 1/8 mile~3 year old~fillies/mares}
Swift Temper seems to be the best horse in the race, but it also appears that he has trouble over the synthetic and turf surfaces. We will go with another Woodbine Invader, Peach Brew. The Euro racer, Proviso also looks solid. Indescrible has had some nice works leading up to this and Tizfiz has had even better works. Let's make it work this way:

$2 SHOW: #7 Peach Brew
10 CENT Superfecta: 7 / 10 / 4 / 2,6,8

Saturdays Results
Not as good as we expected. The competitive nature of the races won out.
Keeneland R8. Our choice, Make Music for Me, was 4th. Superfecta went 6-8-12-7.
Keeneland R9. Our pick, Mr. Sidney, finished 3rd ($3.40). Superfecta went 9-4-2-5.
Santa Anita R7. Delicious, Chocolate Candy, finished 5th. Superfecta went 8-4-3-7.
We were on the cusp of victory. Bankroll stands at $15.10.
Let's have a fun Sunday at the races.