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Race 1-

1^st #7 Bourbon Country has one race at Keeneland and one win.  His race last out was a tough one at Gulfstream and now that he’s had a little over sixty days off, I think he is in good hands.  He also gets the benefit of having Jose Ortiz on.

2^nd #2 War Bridle has been in over his head, and now lands upon a softer spot.  After he won his second race, he was put in a stakes and ran fourth beaten by eleven lengths.  Since then, he hasn’t seen any kind of success. This spot should help him.

3^rd #1 Jacktastic is trained by Ian Wilkes, and ridden by Julien Leparoux who is having a very good meet.  Jacktastic has a third place at Keeneland with only one race here. His last couple of races haven’t been great, but maybe he will get some luck here.

Race 2-

1^st #5 She’s Got It All very well could have it all here.  The Oaklawn shipper smoked her opponents last out by seven lengths.  A $35K purchase price, at the age of three, she has nearly doubled her earnings for Churchill Downs Racing Club.

2^nd #6 Change of Control ran a fantastic maiden breaking effort last out at the Fairgrounds.  She had improved quite a bit from her previous races, and also has been bounced around from a couple different barns.  Her sire Fed Biz is turning out to be quite exciting too.

3^rd #4 Beach Getaway has ran against tougher horses than the two I took above her.  She is by Run Away and Hide, who isn’t usually a sire who has offspring go for $100K at an auction, but this girl did.  Already multiple stakes placed in six races.

Race 3-

1^st #3 Proud as Punch is a three year old Animal Kingdom colt who’s first two starts were good despite the trips he had.  Whacked the gate coming out, broke slow, etc. Still performed well. One of these days he’s going to break his maiden.

2^nd #7 Scattered Strikes is a homebred Ontario-bred colt by Scat Daddy out of a Smart Strike mare.  I’d love to see this guy at Woodbine. He has one race, and one third place finish. I am hopeful for him here.

3^rd #8 Always Cool was an expensive purchase at $400,000, and he hasn’t come anywhere near the purchase price, yet.  His first race he was nowhere close but his last two races were an improvement! I think this race will be a little too tough but who knows.

Race 4-

1^st #6 Statesboro is making his first start for Tom Amoss, coming from Wayne Catalano.  This is his fourth state he’s raced in with his short career. He was a cheap $6K purchase price and he’s made almost $50K.

2^nd #2 West Texas has ran three good races, out of four races.  He was bumped and was just left in the dust. His last two races have been very good.  He’s a nice fit here.

3^rd #1 No Bang No Boom is trained by Wesley Ward who’s had an awesome meet.  This fella is by No Nay Never who is really up and coming. I think this race is a challenge for him but I think he is capable of hitting the board.

Race 5-

1^st #2 Style Icon has been all over the place.  Her first race was a fifth place, but only lost by a length and a half.  She loves to run second and third, and now maybe this time she can get the gold.

2^nd #12 Art of Almost is getting closer and closer to the win with all four of her starts.  She does get an improvement for a jockey, but her trainer is winless here.

3^rd #10 Hadriana is a Bodemeister filly out of an Arch mare making her first start for Brendan Walsh, who is having a great meet.  She has a lot of workouts, including a recent bullet work here.

Race 6-

1^st #1 Wooderson is Rachel Alexandra’s little half brother who did not belong in the Oklahoma Derby last out.  Then something probably happened since he’s been off so long. This should be a good spot for him, but he’s going to need an out or two before we see him in his best form.

2^nd #6 Uber Kirk is a homebred for Gentry Farms by Run Away and Hide- and I chose one of his babies in a different race too.  He’s really improving as a sire with good value. He didn’t lose by much last out and I think he’s the best in this field. It was a tough race last out.

3^rd #5 Explorer has been off even longer than Wooderson.  A ten month layoff for the Baffert trainee is a lot, and he hasn’t even worked over the Keeneland track yet, but there is hope.

Race 7-

1^st #9 Olympic Runner wasn’t a contender for the Southwest at Oaklawn.  A maiden winner isn’t going to win a Derby prep race. But now that he is here in a softer spot, I think the son of Gio Ponti will be the winner.

#8 Crafty Daddy is an impressive Brad Cox colt who is up and coming off of a nice win last out at the Fairgrounds.  He’s been bumped all three races but yet stands his ground and runs hard.

3^rd #7 Jais’s Solitude just ran third in a stakes race in Tampa.  Last fall he ran a solid fourth place in a huge stakes race at Kentucky Downs, so he has experience facing tough company.  Let’s try him here for third.

Race 8-

1^st #3 Lady T N T faced some nice ladies recently at Oaklawn.  She was purchased for $335K, and is at earnings of $134K so she is well on her way to getting it back.  Multiple stakes placed filly with Lanerie aboard.

2^nd #5 Into Trouble has been all over the East coast in her short career and lands back in Kentucky.  Her one bad race was a grade one and nearly half a mile over her preferred distance.

3^rd #2 Istan Council won a very competitive race two back, but the race last out wasn’t as good.  The jockey on her last out isn’t exactly Oaklawn quality (I’m not being, it’s just true), but the good news is she improved late.  I’d much rather take Doyle over Thompson on her.

Race 9-

1^st #4 Ickymasho has missed two graded races by a head each.  Those are the kind of losses that hurt. She’s going to do well here.  This globetrotting mare is just reaching her prime at the age of seven.  Impressive for a mare.

2^nd #2 Sky Full of Stars was asked for a tough task last out, coming from Germany to Canada in a tough race.  She’s had six months off. She may need an out, but I’d like to see how she’ll do in the U.S.

3^rd #1 Beach Flower has been around the block, the gutsy six year old mare has also been everywhere and won.  Always a consistent effort.

Race 10-

1^st #2 Baladera beat my second place choice last out, but not by much.  She’s a four year old Quality Road filly who didn’t run a good race until last out, but it was promising.  Her trainer has had four starts, and is one of the lucky couple of trainers that can win from that amount of starts.

2^nd #9 America’s Queen is one of the few horses that can run competitively at Turfway and Keeneland.  Doesn’t happen often. She didn’t lose by much last out either. This is just a little bit of a step in class for her.3^rd #11 Miss Hannah did weaken last out, but it was an improvement from her last race at Gulfstream.

3^rd #11 Miss Hannah weakened last out, but it was an improvement from her last race at Gulfstream.