Older Males Go for Grade 1 Glory in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile!
Santa Anita, 3 and up Shoemaker Mile. 1 Mile Turf (Grade 1).
Bet PTC.com Selections (SA Race 6, 7:40 Eastern):
1st – #1 Heart to Heart 2nd – #2 Twentytwentyvision 3rd – #3 Tourist
HEART TO HEART was pressed hard through a career high (on firm) BRIS E2 pace rating and still finished well in the Makers Mark Mile at Keeneland. With the 50 day gap between races and the inside draw from post he should be very tough to beat. TWENTYTWENTYVISION is as honest as they come and that last “wet fast” race on the main track tells me he in on target for this spot. TOURIST is a good animal and he has great E2 pace figures but I wonder if he’s fresh enough to contest for the win after running on May 1st, and then shipping out west.
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Older Mares line up in the Grade 1 Vanity!
Santa Anita, Fillies and Mares, 3 and up Vanity Mile. 1 Mile Dirt (Grade 1).
Bet PTC.com Selections (SA Race 7, 8:00 Eastern):
1st – #2 Beholder 2nd – #4 Taris 3rd – #1 Stellar Wind
BEHOLDER is the best dirt female in the world when she’s right, and she appears to be on the top of her game again, having won her 2016 comeback race and 9 or her last 10 races. TARIS annihilated a Grade 1 field going 7 furlongs on Derby day on a track that may have well been to her liking. She tries the route game once again here. STELLAR WIND is horse that needs a LOT of time between races but her works appear to be very good and it is a good spot to try to get more black type.
Midwestern Sprinters “Throw It Down” in Churchill Downs’ Grade 3 Aristides Stakes
Churchill Downs, 3 and Up Aristides Stakes. 6 Furlongs (Grade 3)
BetPTC.com.com Selections (CD Race 10, 5:21 Eastern):
1st – #3 Limousine Liberal (7/5) 2nd – #4 Union Jackson (3/1) 3rd – #5 Alsvid (3/1)
LIMOUSINE LIBERAL takes a nice class drop and his 6th place finish on May 7th was deceptively strong. The six-furlong distance also suits (4-2-1-0). UNION JACKSON appears to be the only plausible threat to the favorite. He has a great win record (6-4-1-0), and his trainer picks a good time to try stakes company. Keep in mind however his win percentage when fresh is not overwhelming (4-2-1-0, including his debut). ALSVID on sort of a roll, having an interesting record over his last 10 starts (10-0-4-4). Seems like a likely horse to get into the super.
Three year old Turf Routers Aim for Grade 3 Black Type in Belmont’s Pennine Ridge!
Belmont Park, 3 year olds, Pennine Ridge Stakes. 9 Furlongs Turf (Grade 3)
BetPTC.com Selections (Bel Race 8, 5:13 Eastern):
1st – #2 Camelot Kitten (8/5) 2nd – #8 Converge (6/1) 3rd – #4 Azar (5/1)
CAMELOT KITTEN woke up with the blinkers on Derby Day, paying a $39.40 win mutuel. Can he do it again? He might be good for another effort, so I am going to put him on top. CONVERGE hasn’t put in his best effort in his last two races, but he has a good Belmont record and trainer Chad Brown’s “uncoupled entry mate” often wins. AZAR was given no favors in the post draws of his last two races (12 of 12 at Turfway and 13 of 13 on Derby Day – a 0.64% chance) and finally moves inside to post 4 and keeps top grass jockey John Velazquez. Some things to like.