MONDAY,
MAY 25
SPOT PLAYS
CHURCHILL
Race 8
#8 Meru
Returns from
a six-month layoff, which is the only question today, because this horse was on
another level from these last year when destroying good sprint fields,
including stakes horses, at Monmouth before losing only to Independence Hall in
the Grade 3 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct. Cruised wire-to-wire in fast time when
last seen in a sprint, and Jose Ortiz aboard today is a good sign off the
layoff. Won’t be favored.
Race 9
#10 Markitoff
Plus play exacta box w/#2 Kulik Bear
#10
Markitoff was a Graded stakes performer last year against many of the country’s
top turf horses, and even scored a close second-place finish in a Grade 2.
Needed a race last time out off of a nine-month layoff so toss out that loss.
Will benefit from that recent effort and be ready to rebound. Looks better than
these down at this level.
Play in
exacta box with #2 Kulik Bear, who ran a pair of nice turf races at Fair
Grounds most recently, including a nose loss two races ago behind a next-out
repeat winner, and then winning last time out by 4 lengths in impressive
wire-to-wire fashion. Big speed figure points him out as the prime challenger.
MONDAY, MAY 25
CHURCHILL
RACE 1
1 – #8 Full Velocity 3-1
2 – #3 The Beat 4-1
3 – #9 Mr. Pickles 5-1
RACE 2
1 – #4 Frank’s Rockette 6-5
2 – #5 Anna’s Fast 8-1
3 – #7 Specially 2-1
RACE 3
1 – #8 Nero 9-2
2 – #7 Hollis 4-1
3 – #2 Do Share 7-2
RACE 4
1 – #7 Road Game 7-2
2 – #12 Eskendereya’s Dream 4-1
3 – #9 She Love Me 8-1
RACE 5
1 – #3 Kurilov 3-1
2 – #6 Street to Indy 5-2
3 – #4 Gigging 7-2
RACE 6
1 – #4 Evil Lyn 8-5 Best Bet
2 – #1 Coldwater 2-1
3 – #7 Cirrusly 7-2
RACE 7
1 – #8 Stripping 5-1
2 – #11 Ocean Breeze 6-1
3 – #2 Union Maiden 7-2
RACE 8
1 – #8 Meru 7-2
2 – #3 Echo Town 9-5
3 – #2 Relentless Dancer 5-1
RACE 9
1 – #10 Markitoff 6-1
2 – #2 Kulik Bear 5-1
3 – #3 King Cause 5-1
RACE 10
1 – #8 Aggressivity 7-2
2 – #4 Impunity 7-2
3 – #2 Bump Bailey 3-1
4 – #3 Johnny Cab 5-1