Check out my Friday (5-3-24) Race 9 analysis at Churchill Downs below.
CD 9 (G2 Eight Belles, 7f)
Primary – #7 DENIM AND PEARLS, #1 Impel
Secondary – #11 My Mane Squeeze, #9 Halina’s Forte, #4 Trial
Horse Comments:
#7 Denim and Pearls (3-1) won her first two starts around one turn, and was second in the Year’s End and Martha Washington (slop) in a pair of two turn flat mile starts. She turned back in the Beaumont at seven panels on April 7, and she stalked and ran away to win by 9 1/4 lengths. Flavien Prat rides her well and she is a solid win contender from a stalking position if she duplicates her last. She is 3-for-3 in one-turn races.
#1 Impel (5-2) has a good sheets pattern. She pressed the pace and beat a next-out winner by 3 1/4 lengths in her sprint bow at 7-2 odds, and stretched out and romped by 8 1/2 lengths as the favorite on March 3. She pressed, dueled, and was best of the rest in third behind Kentucky Oaks entrants Leslie’s Rose and Just F Y I in the Grade 1 Ashland on April 5. Her winning rider Florent Geroux stays put and she turns back in her third start after a layoff.
#11 My Mane Squeeze (6-1) could not cope with two turns and graded company when finishing up the track as the beaten favorite in the Fantasy (G2) on March 30. She was fidgety from the inside post and never got involved. She is 4-for-6 with a pair of show finishes in one-turn races vs. New York-bred company. Luis Saez wins races with Mike Maker and she is capable of competing with these on her best day.
#9 Halina’s Forte (10-1) took a shot in the Ashland (G1) last time. She stretched out, set the pace, and weakened to last place at 17-1 odds. She fired exacta shots in her first four starts in sprint races including a stakes win at seven panels on Feb. 17. The early-pressing filly gets the services of Jose Ortiz.
#4 Trial (15-1) is interesting at a price. She rallied for the win in her local dirt sprint bow last fall. She was unplaced second time out in an all-weather sprint stakes, and bounced back with a synthetic sprint win on Feb. 21. She stretched out and was 7th of 10 in the Bourbonette Oaks on March 23. She turns back and returns to dirt in her third start after a layoff. Look for her in the late going under Joel Rosario.
Wagers:
#7 to win
Exacta box 1-7
Trifecta 1-7/1-4-7-9-11/1-4-7-9-11
Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners – April 2024
April 5 – De’ Medici/Feel the Magic Exacta ($55.40)
April 10 – Native Land/Heartened/Rocketeer Trifecta ($49.04)
April 14 – Tizzy in the Sky ($3.70) – Aqueduct Stakes Triple-Header
April 14 – Antonio of Venice/Doc Sullivan Exacta ($8.90) – Aqueduct Stakes Triple-Header
April 14 – Sunday Girl/My Shea D Lady/Sohana Trifecta ($37.40) – Aqueduct Stakes Triple-Header
April 15 – Palacein ($7.00), Trifecta ($63.60)
April 16 – Jackman/Connors Outlaw/C W Prize Trifecta ($85.20)
April 19 – Raging Sea ($7.58)
April 22 – Far Mo Power ($17.00), Trifecta ($317.80)
April 23 – Masrour/Neigh Dude Exacta ($6.80)
April 24 – Accede ($5.56), Exacta ($12.52)
April 25 – Bourbon Heist ($5.74)
Please visit The Runaway Horse Shop to purchase my Santa Anita Park analysis and Triple Crown Series full cards.
