Another Friday, another race card. Let’s go to the races!
RACE 1: Maiden claiming $12,500, six furlongs, dirt
Tough to handicap. I think I’m gonna go with #5 PURECRAZIDUDE. The gelding’s been in the money in three of his last four races. Has the will to win and is taking a slight class drop. PURECRAZIDUDE has fared better against $30,000 claimers as well. I think he finally gets his graduation papers today.
PICKS: 5-1-12-8
RACE 2: Maiden claiming $25,000, one mile, turf
I’m gonna go with #2 MATCHA. Trainer John Kimmel is always good for at least one horse to win at juicy odds. This is the one. The horse is owned by Tobey Morton and Kimmel is 5-for-27 with a .19 winning percentage. Mare is taking a class drop and top jock Tyler Gaffalione will be riding as well. It’s worth a bet.
PICKS: 2-5-7-8
RACE 3: Claiming $8,000N3L, one mile, dirt
My pick is #8 DESCENTE. Trainer Jorge Navarro is the king of dirt routes (.21) and claiming races (.26) over the last two seasons. He’s also 9-for-38 .24 winning percentage for the winning connections Flying P Stable. Luis Saez is riding too. Can’t bet against that.
PICKS: 8-3-1-4
RACE 4: Maiden Special Weight $50,000, five furlongs, turf
Every time I bet on one of Todd Pletcher’s horse, it runs up the track. Every time I bet against a Pletcher horse, it wins. Grrr … So, I’ll pick #1 TAPITLIKEITIS. Trainer Mark Casse is one of the best MSW trainers at GP, 18-for-79 .23 in the last two meets. He’s 10-for-53 for the connections Gary Barber .19 winning percentage. This will be TAPITLIKEITIS’s first start ever and and Casse is 7-for-33 .21 winning percentage. I like this filly. I’ll curse if Pletcher’s #7 SUMMER IN THE CITY wins it.
PICKS: 1-7-2-3
RACE 5: Maiden claiming $32,000, six furlongs, dirt
This time I’ll bet Pletcher colt #8 HEALY’S HOPE. He’s batting .38 with maiden claiming races this year. This colt almost won last time out. He just got off to a sluggish start and finished for place. Hopefully HEALY’S HOPE will finish first this time. Then again, when I bet on Pletcher to win he loses for me. 🙁
PICKS: 8-6-4-5
RACE 6: Claiming $16,000N2L, one mile, turf
Should be the easiest bet of the day. I’m going with #10 SKY D. Trainer Jane Cibelli is one of the best trainers in claiming races and she’s got Jose Ortiz riding. I say this is the best bet of the day because there are so many 0-fer trainers in this race. Cibelli is the only trainer here with some consistency in winning.
PICKS: 10-6
RACE 7: Claiming $8,000N3L, 6 ½ furlongs, dirt
#8 ARRIVEDERLA should be the one to beat. Irad Ortiz is due for a win today and this is the one. Like race 6, this horse stands out above the rest. I like #1 VERY AMUSING with Tyler Gaffalione but Ortiz will have this gelding primed and ready to go.
PICKS: 8-1
RACE 8: Optional claiming $25,000/N1X, one mile and sixteenth, dirt
#7 ROYAL FLAG is Chad Brown’s first entry of the day. I expect this filly to win. Owned by Hall of Fame Breeder Will Farish (I had the pleasure of meeting him at his HoF induction) and Irad Ortiz will win his second win of the day here. The Brown-Ortiz jockey angle is a .26 winning percentage. Can’t beat that.
PICKS: 7-2-4
RACE 9: Optional claiming $62,000/N2X, six furlongs, dirt
PICKS: 2-1-4-8
RACE 10: Claiming $8,000, one mile, dirt
PICKS: 7-9-10