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At the Gate - Thursday
October 15, 2009
By Mike Dempsey VegasInsider.com
A fter producing a +24% +ROI with my top picks during the opening three days of the Keeneland meeting, we hit a pothole on Wednesday, with just one winner on top in eight races, with one race taken off the turf.
We had a couple of tough beats with my top picks. In the fifth race, Windham Hill dead heated for third at 18/1, right in the mix to the wire.
In the sixth race, my top pick was Silver Craft, who was sent off at 8/1. Clear in the stretch, the colt was nipped at the wire, despite the fact that in all three replays I thought we got up.
The good news is the runner that beat him was the first timer First of Rage ($21.00), who was my second choice in the race. The duo combined for a nice $216.60 exacta.
In the seventh, Your Round ran second as my top pick. In the eighth Tazarine ran a credible fourth as my top pick at 14/1.
After taking Wednesday off, Belmont Park is back in action today,
There is a good feature at Keeneland today. The $150,000 Jessamine Stakes is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In: race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The race drew a full field of two year old fillies. My top pick is House of Grace, who really looked like a promising filly in her maiden victory at Saratoga back in August.
To purchase my full card report for Keeneland and Belmont Park that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today, click here.
Here is today's opening race from Keeneland to get our day off to a good start:
KEE Race 1 Md $50,000 (1:05 ET) #11 Straight Talk 5/1 #7 Onelifeisnotenough 7/2 #12 Bulletproof Spirit 6/1 #2 Consulate 6/1
Analysis: #11 Straight Talk drops out of a $75K maiden claimer at the Spa where the gelding caught mud in a race taken off the turf. The gelding was third and fifth in two tries over poly at Arlington back in the spring. His best effort came going long on the turf at the Spa, rallying for fourth while beaten just two lengths for the top spot. The stretch out should suit here for the Motion barn that is 17% winners moving runners from sprint to route. The gelding is by Macho Uno out of the stakes winner No Foul Play ($545K) who has dropped four other foals to race, all winners, top earner stakes winner Temporary Saint ($405K).
#7 Onelifeisnotenough took some action on the toe in his two trips, both on turf. He was sixth in his debut at Ellis at 4/1, then was the beaten fav last out at Kentucky Downs, catching soft turf. Finds an easier spot here for the Arnold barn that is off to a good start at the meet (5-2-3-0). The colt is a half to a pair of winners, top earner stakes winner Munnings ($617K).
Wagering WIN: #11 to win at 7/2 or better. EX: 7,11 / 2,7,11,12 TRI: 7,11 / 2,7,11,12 / 2,4,7,9,11,12
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:
BEL Race 8 Clm $35,000 (4:45 ET) #7 Right of Way 4/1 #6 Mississippi Man 6/1 #3 Headache 2/1 #8 Woodacre 3/1
Analysis: #7 Right of Way drops out of a $50K claimer on the turf where the gelding set the early fractions and faded to finish eighth. Two of his three career wins have come over wet tracks, his last win coming over the main track here in the slop back in June. Looks like a good spot here on the class drop, the surface switch, and this guy looks extra dangerous if the track comes up wet.
#6 Mississippi Man got a 2 1/2 month break after showing speed and fading in each of his last two starts. He went real quick early last out at the Spa and just packed it in badly against $60K claimers. He has landed in the exacta in 3 of 4 trips over wet tracks and three back went gate to wire to beat $60K foes over the main track here in June. Ramon departs to ride the ML fav in here for the Maker barn.
Wagering WIN: #7 to win at 3/1 or better. EX: 6,7 / 3,6,7,8 TRI: 6,7 / 3,6,7,8 / 3,4,6,7,8
Today's Featured Race of the Day from Keeneland:
KEE Race 8 Jessamine S. (4:35 ET) #3 House of Grace 7/2 #7 Hatheer 3/1 #5 Smart Seattle 5/2 #6 Waynetta 12/1
Analysis: #3 House of Grace was a good looking maiden winner in her debut at the Spa and did it over ground labeled as good. The turf was soft yesterday and there is still some rain in the forecast for today. The third and fourth place finisher in her debut came back to graduate next out while the runner up Beautiful Song came back to run a decent third in the PG Johnson at Saratoga on Sept. 3. She has a decent pedigree, by Limehouse out of the stakes winner Gracility ($246K), who did her best work sprinting on the dirt.
#7 Hatheer showed some early zip dueling for the early lead from the inside and drew off late to break her maiden in her second career start. The runner up Dad's Crazy won the off the turf Ms Grillo in her next start on Oct. 4 at Belmont Park. A real nice pedigree on this gal, by Storm Cat out of the stakes winner Golden Apples ($1.67 million) who has dropped one other foal to race, stakes winner Habaya ($135K).
Wagering WIN: #3 to win at 5/2 or better. EX: 3,7 / 3,5,6,7 TRI: 3,7 / 3,5,6,7 / 2,3,5,6,7,12
Live Longshots: These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
Keeneland R2:#9 Miss Kristie Whiz 8/1 R4: #8 George Ray 12/1 R8: #6 Waynetta 12/1 R9: #3 Get Ready Go 10/1
Belmont Park R1: #3 Hangingonaprayer 10/1 R2: #11 Dundee 8/1 R4: #9 Too Amenable 10/1 R4: #1 Stormy Success 15/1 R7: #7 Too Critical 15/1 R7: #8 My Two Cents 8/1 R9: #6 Driven by Royalty 8/1
Good luck today!
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