Saturday at Churchill Downs is one of the more playable cards on the afternoon. The 10-race slate kicks off at 12:45 eastern and is headlined by the Keertana over the lawn. The $250k non-graded stake is not amongst my spot plays on the day, but was discussed by Jeremy Plonk and I on this week’s 1/ST Call Podcast. Instead, I will focus on a pair of MSW races at one mile and an allowance sprint.
Race 1:
The Saturday opener is for fillies and mares at one-mile over the main track where I like #3 Cyawouldntwanabeya. The $800k FTS August 2023 purchase is bred to a be good one by Into Mischief out of the Tiz Wonderful mare, Selcourt. If you do not recall, Selcourt was a John Sadler trainee that was 4 for 12 on the racetrack earning a bit under $400k with all of her success going around 1-turn on the dirt. Her second foal broke from the far outside on debut at Keeneland in late April and ran a solid third against a field that included next out winner Me andMollyMcGee. She moves inside, stretches out a couple furlongs and should take a big step forward for a barn that is 5 for 18 with a $5.18 ROI over the last 30 days.
Play: #3 Cyawouldntwanabeya (8-1 ML)
Race 8:
This 6-furlong dash over the dirt marks the return of 5-2-ML favorite #6 Lotsandlotsofcandy. The Paul McGee trainee rattled off a pair of dominant wins last June and July before heading to the sidelines. The Jay Em Ess Stable filly clearly has talent, but the time off and spotty work pattern make her worth taking a swing against.
I will try to get the jump on her with #4 Twirl Around. The fellow daughter of Twirling Candy moved back to the dirt in her 4YO debut and dominated a field of 1st allowance foes on the front end. She is 2 for 2 over this surface, attracts hot-riding Luis Saez, and should be primed for a career best run second off the bench.
Play: #4 Twirl Around (8-1 ML)
Race 10:
My final play of the day comes in the finale where #7 Fact appears a standout in this one-mile excursion over the main track. The son of Instagrand ran very well to finish second on debut to the good-looking Brian Lynch trainee Big Truzz. Fact bested the third-place finisher at Keeneland last month by five lengths and Big Truzz came back to run second to Patch Adams on Derby Day. Little was lost in defeat. Plus, he has the look of a horse that should relish the added ground. With a clean trip, he should handle this field in career start two.
Play: #7 Fact (3-1 ML)
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