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The national simulcasting slate is a bit light today, which is not unusual for a Tuesday. We are going to take a slightly different wagering approach, taking a quick look at a number of races at a few different tracks, rather than focusing on just one of them. We will note that we expect fast dirt and firm turf everywhere, so let's go.
Parx Racing, Race 4, 2:16 PM ET
$25,000 Claiming, 1 mile 70 yards, turf, Fillies & Mares 3 & up
This turf claimer at Parx drew a good field of nine. There's a lot of speed in this race, so we're looking for a horse coming from off the pace. We think a long shot is worth a long look here: it's 3-Sugar Streak. Her sire, Creative Cause, was a dirt runner, but Creative Cause's sire was Giant's Causeway, who was an all-time great turf horse. Her breeding suggests she may like turf; her slow early/fast late running style should be a fit on the turf, and her trainer, Mario Pino, has a very good 20% win rate with horses making their first start on the grass. We will bet her to win at 15-1. The bet: Parx Racing, Race 4, $15 to win on Sugar Streak.
Fort Erie, Race 4, 2:44 PM ET
$3,000 Claiming, 5 furlongs, dirt,3 & up
The heavy favorite in this race up in Canada is 2-Aerial Attack, who's 7/5, primarily because of his superior early speed.When he's been able to establish the early lead, he's won, but the one race when he was headed early, he lost badly. There's a lot of speed in this race, and he drew an inside post, which is tough on speed horses, so we think he probably will not get an easy lead, and that means he's worth playing against at a short price. We will go with 4-Holtz, who has shown the strongest finishing kick of any horse in the field. We will bet him to win at 4-1. The bet: Fort Erie, Race 4, $15 to win on 4-Holtz.
Thistledown, Race 4, 3:10 PM ET
Allowance, 5 1/2 furlongs, dirt, 3 & up
There's a field of six in this one, a good allowance race in Ohio. It's another race with a lot of early speed, so we are looking for a stalker, a horse who will sit just behind the leading group. The horse we like is 3-Midnight Mikey, who should settle just off the pace, and seize control of the race in the stretch. He's trained by high-percentage trainer Louis Ruberto, and will be ridden by top jockey Luis Quinones. We will bet him to win at 3-1. The bet: Thistledown, Race 4, $25 to win on 3-Midnight Mikey.
Indiana Grand, Race 5, 4:07 PM ET
Maiden Special Weight, 1 mile, turf, 2-year-old fillies
This is a good betting race, with a full field of twelve. We like a first-time starter, 5-Indellibly. This girl has been working well in the morning, is trained by Brad Cox, who's good with firsters and with turf horses, and her breeding suggests she will be ready to fire at first asking. We will bet her to win at 7/2. The bet: Indiana Grand, Race 5, $20 to win on 5-Indellibly.
Indiana Grand, Race 7, 5:03 PM ET
Allowance, 1 1/16 miles, turf, Fillies & Mares 3 & up
We like 10-In Focus here. This 5-year-old mare has the best speed figure in her last race, and also has displayed the strongest finishing kick in the field. That makes it easy: when you see a grass race where the horse who is fastest overall is the one who finishes most strongly, you bet the horse. We will bet her to win at 3-1. The bet: Indiana Grand, Race 7, $35 to win on 10-In Focus.
That's all for today. As always, good luck at the windows.