Kentucky Oaks Day At Churchill Downs

Race 1

Tropic Of Aquarius needs to break cleanly in this maiden route race on the first race at Churchill Downs. She should relish the added distance. Nick Zito's filly Expresso Run has been working solid since her last race. The pedigree suggest that she should have no problem with the distance. Reserved Indian stretches out by Indian Charlie. She is a blue blood which makes her a player as well. Virtuosly is making her third start by A.P. Indy. She too has the pedigree with her speed figures to be in the mix. Reserved Indian has the pedigree to relish the added distance. She needs a clean break at the wire. Smooth Charm looks spotted to run a big race. A pure blue blood sprinter stretching out for trainer James Baker. Beware

     1. Smooth Charm
     2. Virtuosly
     3. Tropic Of Aquarius





Race 2

A mile maiden turf race with Chalice trained by Gorder will try to steal this race on the front end. Our Noble Hear has speed just missing wiring the field in his last race. I expect he will be sent to the front. If Le Mans draws in he is the horse to fear. He drops in class after facing Kentucky Derby contenders at Fair Grounds Park. Gold Trader has the ground saving rail with the perfect turf of foot to make him a player. As for any first time starters Parcel is bred top to bottom to love the turf. He is bred to win early and with Gomez in the irons this suggest to me that he is a live one on the outside post today.


     1. Chalice
     2. Our Noble Heart
     3. Parcel







Race 3

Dreaming Of Donato trained by Joe Woodard is undefeated in her three starts. Her speed numbers are improving  while she goes today for her new connections. A Player climbing the class ladder. Hall Of Famer Mike Smith rides. Juanita has been freshen up and is stretching out in this starter allowance race. This Mineshaft filly drops in class. A deadly trainer and jockey combo teams up which makes her a big time contender. Her two race old speed figures puts her over the top. Can she run back to these figures is the question.  Golden Phoenix broke er maiden at this very track when she was two. Her two year old speed figures are solid. Goodnessgraciousme is stretching out in distance. A good betting angle sprint to route with a style that begs to go long..... do not take her lightly in this spot.

      1. Juanita
      2. Golden Phoenix






Race 4

Guys Reward and Deal Making are knocking on the door at this level. Joinem drops out of graded stakes company to face easier foes. He has a excellent turf of foot. Wealth To Me a four year old has been freshened up. A son of Tapit loves fit with his morning works should love the distance. He should outrun his odds.... I like him today to upset this field.






Race 5        

A wide open three year old filly race at a tricky distance of seven furlongs. Might trained by Albert Stall is a full sister to Blame. Gomez takes the call.  The favorite with the blue-blood pedigree. Nakano beat Might two races back sprinting. She is a player. Kit Carson should love the added distance. She can set right off the pace.  Her speed numbers are low compared to the top two picks. Remember theses are three year old fillies~~~ Tempation Bound has the prefect stalking style to make her a player as well. Might looks spotted to run a big time race here. Garnet Cystals fits here with speed figures and pedigree.

   1. Might
   2. Garnet Cystals
   3. Nakano



           


Race 6                   LA TROIENNE STAKES


Unrivaled Belle loves this track as she is two for two at Churchill Downs. Her win in the Ladies Classic last year coupled with her win in the Breeders' Cup makes her the one to beat.  Her last race she seemed to be short on fitness or is it a sign of a downswing. This question will be answered today for Unrivaled Belle.  I expect this time around Mott will have her fined tuned. Blind Luck the winner of last year in the Kentucky Oaks looks to be her main rival. Her speed figures are improving. Blind Luck has finished second in her last five starts. A stone cold closer who seems to get beat down the stretch. Gomez re-rider her for Jerry Hoffendorfer. It's not a two horse race by any means. Quiet Giant a four year old gets the ground saving rail. She is a very talented filly that gets the acid test in class. All Due Respect a filly that I have followed last year got beat by Blind Luck in the grade two Fantasy. Ravi's Song won two straight stake races at the Fairgrounds last winter. She might be the dark horse in this field. Stage Magic gets the magic man~~ She is ultra talented. She gets the test on class today but might shock this field in outrunning her odds.

    1. Unrivaled Belle
    2. Blind Luck
    3. Quiet Giant
   





Race 7                   EDGEWOOD STAKES



The Edgewood Stakes is a big field with a cast of classy characters. A great betting race~~

Smart Sting a daughter of Perfect Sting is perfect two for two. She has the pefect running style from right off the pace. A killer turn of foot. Bonita Star a horse I have seen run in her debut looked awesome. She faced a first level allowance race coming from off the pace. Her second start she broke slowly and looked like she never was mentally in her game. She should love the Churchill stretch run. Lloyd and Talamo team up. The Candy Ride filly Niji's Grand Girl is game over any distance. Her race two back she had a somewhat troubled trip and a bad post position. I expect she will move forward. She is a talented filly. Holidaysatthefarm if the top two fillies gets beat at the wire it will be here Holidaysatthefarm........a major player here~~~ Zayat owns Diva Ash trained by Dale Romans and Kent rides this speedy filly.....might be the lone speed here~


     


Race 8                 EIGHT BELLES STAKES


Pomeroy's Pistol has run with the top three year old fillies. She won the Forward Gal going seven furlongs. Arienza ran into a buzz saw with Joyful Victory. She gets the rail and needs to clear going the tricky distance of seven furlongs. I like John Sadler's filly Home Sweet Home. She gets the test in class but she looked big and powerful sprinting beating up on a fairly modest field of maidens. A daughter of Candy Ride....do not take her lightly in this test on distance and class~~ Honey Chile was second to Turbulent Descent in her last race. Any improvement will put her over the top. Holiday Flare makes this race a wide open affair~~ This race sets up for a closer Victoria's Wildcat with Kent in the irons. She is seeking her third straight victory......... do not dismiss for a win~~

    1. Victoria's Wildcat
    2. Pomeroy's Pistol
    3. Arienza
    Longshot Home Sweet Home

$20 across the board on 8


PICK FOUR

8TH                 8
9TH            2,5,6,7,11
10TH           3,7,14
11TH           1,6,13




Race 9                ALYSHEBA STAKES

A tough cast of characters in the Alysheba stakes. Mission Impazible looks to get a good stalking trip with Caracortado. Regal Random looks to try to steal this race on the front end. First Dude might be right behind Regal Random and Mission Impazible. Giant Oak is fit and in form and will need a fast pace meltdown for his stone cold closer turn of foot. He needs racing luck~~

     1. Regal Ransom
     2. Mission Impazible
     3. Caracortado/ First Dude

$20 Across the board on Regal Ransom





Race 10             AMERICAN TURF STAKES

Three year old turf horses looks to be wide open~~~ Banned trained by Todd Pletcher gets Go-Go in the irons. Check out what she did in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf race. She was third behind Pluck and Soldat. I have followed Surrey Star from So. Cal. She can run on any surface. Man Of Strife is a horse I like and I will include in my pick three's. Air Support won the grade three Transylvania in her first start of this year. She should move forward big time. Great Mills looks to be a one dimensational speed horse that will take them as far as she can go. I expect the pace will be contested and fast. Great Mills and Jakesam and Kipper's N Egg's look to be the rabbits of this race.

      1. Banned
      2. Surrey Star
      3. Man Of Strife

$20 across the board on Banned










Race 11            KENTUCKY OAKS

The pace makes the race as the adage goes..... I expect Summer Soiree to make the lead with Pretty Plum and Joyful Victory right off the pace. Kathmanblu will be in good stalking position down the back-stretch. Daisy Devine has been training excellent over this surface. She should be in the perfect position to stalk the speed. I think the race sets up from Zazu and St' Johns River over Joyful Victory at the wire........ Fun race to watch and bet~` Good Luck and make some money...

     1. Zazu
     2. St John River
     3. Joyful Victory

DERBY DOUBLE   1,6,13 WITH 16

$20 place and show on St. John River



Race 12

Air Guitar should move forward with a race under her belt. The filly to fear in the night cap. Champagne Run ran like she needed the outing and with the pedigree should move forward with the change in surfaces. Spoils do not take lightly here.... speed with good works can be deadly.... Fantasty Of Flight looks live as a first time starter.


     1. Air Guitar...almost beat Heir To Dare ~~first time out
     2. Spoils....... speed and the pedigree looks fast
     3.Champagne Run........ respectable debut~~

         FTS........ Fantasky Of Flight looks live as a FTS

   Good Luck and see you Saturday at the RUN For The Roses~