Thoroughbreds: Garrity never met a card he didn’t like at Will Rogers, plus races from Sunland Park.
We're back at it after a gargantuan weekend, and we're already looking ahead to this Saturday, which features the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, the Blue Grass at Keeneland, and the Santa Anita Derby -Handicap double at Santa Anita. But it's not Saturday yet; it's Tuesday, and we've gone through today's light slate to find a few plays. Let's get right to it.
We'll start in the 2nd at Will Rogers Downs in Oklahoma, which goes to post at 2:45 pm Eastern. This is a $5,000 claimer for older females at 5 1/2 furlongs on the main track. We like a longshot here, 6-Star of Kobol. She has a pattern of good race, bad race, good race, and so on, and she's coming off a bad race, which means she's due for a good one. Combine very vulnerable favorites with a pace setup that should suit this 4-year-old filly's late running style, and we think she is worth a play. We will bet her to win at 10-1. The bet: Will Rogers Downs, Race 2, $15 to win on 6-Star of Kobol.
There's a rare midweek stakes race at Will Rogers Downs, the overnight, $50,000 Highland Ice Stakes, which goes off as Race 9, with a post time of 6:15 pm Eastern. It's for horses 3 and up, and there is an overwhelming and worthy favorite: it's 6-Welder, who's even money on the morning line, but will be even shorter at post time. We don't think he's worth a win bet, but we are going to pound him in the late double, with the inside horse in the 10th, 1-Fearless Will. The bet: Will Rogers Downs, Race 9, $25 double, 6 (Welder) with 1 (Fearless Will).
The 10th (post time: 6:45 pm Eastern) is a Maiden Special 5 1/2 furlong dirt spring for Oklahoma-bred 3-year-olds, and Fearless Will just missed, running second, in an open Maiden Special race at Sam Houston. Dropping in here against state-breds should be a much easier spot for him, and we expect him to dominate the race from start to finish. We'll bet him to win at 5/2. The bet: Will Rogers Downs, Race 10, $25 to win, 1-Fearless Will.
We'll also drop in on our longtime Tuesday pal, Sunland Park, where' we'll make two quick plays. Race 2 (post time 3:16 pm Eastern) is a Maiden Special for fillies and mares 3 and up. The horses here who have run do not look to be fast enough to win at this level, so we'll turn to a first-time starter: we're taking a shot with the outside horse, 8-Heartless Sofiya. This may be the first race for this 3-year-old filly, but she comes from a powerhouse barn that is good with first time starters, and she has worked in the morning like they're cranking her up to win first out. She also gets the outside post, which in this one-turn Sunland sprints is a distinct advantage. We will bet her to win at 6-1. The bet: Sunland Park, Race 2, $15 to win on 8-Heartless Sofiya.
The 5th at Sunland (post time 4:34 pm Eastern) is a 6 furlong sprint, and a conditioned $8k claimer for older horses. We like 3-Vigorously Juan. This horse is moving up in class, but he's also coming off two straight wins, and his form seems to be on the improve. This is a move we like: a sharp trainer moving a horse up when he is running well. His last two Beyer Speed Figures are better than any earned by any other horse in their last two, and he's got tactical speed, which he'll need from the inside. He's a good play at 9/2. We will bet him to win. The bet: Sunland Park, Race 5, $20 to win on 3-Vigorously Juan.
That's all for today. Good luck at the windows.