FRIDAY, MAY 6
CHURCHILL
SPOT PLAYS
Race 7 – Alysheba Stakes
#7 Happy Saver
In the headline
race of the weekend for older horses, take this lightly raced Grade 1 winner who
is now entering his 5yo season for trainer Todd Pletcher with Irad Ortiz aboard. Has never run off the board in
8 career races, including a very good second last time out in the Grade 1
Clark, coming within a half-length of monster favorite Maxfield. Lost a pair of
races last year to Max Player, but those races were at Max Player’s wheelhouse
distance of 1 ¼ miles. Today this horse gets a crack at turning the tables on
that rival at this much shorter distance of 1 1/16 miles, which favors Happy Saver.
Much more proven and seasoned than the favorite, Olympiad, and a good bet at
7-2 odds on the morning line.
Race 11 – The Kentucky Oaks
#10 Kathleen O.
Plus play an exacta box with #7 Echo
Zulu
#10 Kathleen O. will be
the horse to beat in this loaded renewal of the Kentucky Oaks. She is undefeated
in her four career races including three stakes wins at Gulfstream Park where
she posted big speed figures and no rival came close to her. Shows an ideal
improving pattern in every race, good connections, perfect post draw, and will
have no problem with the distance.
Play in exacta box with #7 Echo
Zulu, who is the 2yo filly champion and star attraction in this race who
is looking to keep her career record unblemished after winning all 5 races so
far, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and her 3yo debut in the Fair
Grounds Oaks for trainer Steve Asmussen. No one is better than her, but the
only question is the distance of this race at 1 1/8 miles which is further than
she’s ever gone. She will face pace pressure and need to fend off a good field
all the way after just barely surviving by a nose last time at 1 1/16 miles against
horses that weren’t this good. Still tough to leave out of the exacta boxes.
FRIDAY, MAY 6
CHURCHILL
RACE 1
8 Fannie and Freddie 3-1
4 Sequist 7-2
6 Customer Driven 9-2
RACE 2
11 Inventing 7-5
10 Misread 7-2
3 She’s Keen 15-1
RACE 3
8 Aviano 4-1
1 Q F Seventy Five 7-5
4 Myopic 8-1
RACE 4
7 Juju’s Map 1-1
5 Semble Justice 10-1
8 Illiogami 4-1
RACE 5 – Modesty Stakes
8 Bleeker Street 9-5
1 Fluffy Socks 3-1
7 Curly Ruth 6-1
RACE 6 – La Troienne
2 Shedaresthedevil 6-5 Best Bet
4 Battle Bling 6-1
6 Pauline’s Pearl 2-1
RACE 7 – Alysheba Stakes
7 Happy Saver 7-2
5 Olypiad 9-5
1 Max Player 5-2
RACE 8 – Edgewood Stakes
5 Dolce Zel 5-2
2 My Philly Twirl 10-1
3 McKulick 7-2
RACE 9 – Eight Belles Stakes
3 Marissa’s Lady 7-2
8 Matareya 5-2
9 Awake at Midnyte 15-1
RACE 10 – Twin Spires Turf Sprint
10 Arrest Me Red 4-1
3 Caravel 5-1
8 Gear Jockey 5-1
RACE 11 – The Kentucky Oaks
10 Kathleen O. 7-2
7 Echo Zulu 4-1
4 Nest 5-2
1 Secret Oath 6-1
RACE 12
4 Society 8-1
9 Wish You Well 9-5
5 Angitude 6-1
RACE 13
8 Colorful Mischief 5-1
6 Little Blaze 6-1
12 Milan’s Girl 5-1
10 Merci Road 8-1
