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Check out my Thursday (5-30-24) Churchill Downs Race 7 analysis below.

CD 7 (OC-100k/3x, 3&up, 7f) – Post Time: 7:54pm EDT
Primary – #9 SCOTLAND, #5 Raise Cain
Secondary – #7 Extra Anejo, #4 Oscar Eclipse, #1 Eyeing Clover

Horse Comments:

#9 Scotland (5-1) fired in his first three career starts around one turn last year. He stretched out and wired the field in the restricted Curlin Stakes at Saratoga last summer, and runner-up Il Miracolo and show finisher Blazing Sevens were next-out winners. This one battled on the pace and faded in the G1 Travers and G1 PA Derby, and Bill Mott stopped on him and gave him several months off. He resurfaced in a similar local sprint on May 2 and he stalked outside and missed the place by a head in a clear show finish as the beaten favorite. The Good Magic gelding has worked three times since his last and should move forward under his new rider Irad Ortiz Jr. He projects a stalking trip while out in the clear. 

#5 Raise Cain (6-1) graduated in his second career start in 2022, and competed in the stakes ranks in all fourteen starts since. He won the G3 Gotham and listed Perryville last year, and exits an even fourth in the G1 Churchill Downs. A stalking trip is expected under his winning rider Luis Saez, and he is classy enough to take this. 

#7 Extra Anejo (7-2) has always been held in high regard but has been unable to stay healthy. He controlled the pace and romped by 9 1/2 lengths in his extended sprint bow as the favorite at Keeneland in 2022. He disappeared for more than seven months and landed the place after a slow start second time out. He romped in a flat mile affair at Ellis Park last June, and was an okay fourth in the G1 Haskell when last seen. This is his first start in more than ten months and he sports a pair of local bullets for this. He is a contender but his numbers are nothing special and he will take more money than he should based on hype and reputation.   

#4 Oscar Eclipse (12-1) competed at this distance on three occasions and he won twice and missed by a neck in the other. He captured the Sir Shackleton at seven panels in his March 30 return and regressed from post 10 in the restricted Knicks Go at one mile on May 4. He is back at his winning distance in his third start of the year. 

They are probably going to get aggressive early with #1 Eyeing Clover (12-1). He wired the field in his first two lifetime starts last year and he wore blinkers in those races. He was fourth as the beaten chalk in the G3 Gotham, and he removed blinkers and won the Hot Springs at one mile last spring. He was a close third in the Texas Derby and went to the shelf after running last in the Iowa Derby. He was best of the rest in third in his sprint return, and stalked and ran last as the beaten chalk in an extended sprint at Keeneland on April 25. He puts blinkers back on in his third start of the year and might attempt a wire job from the inside post. 

Wagers:

#9 to win

Exacta box 5-9

Trifecta key 9/1-4-5-7

Trifecta 1-4-5-7/9/1-4-5-7

May 2024 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners 
May 4 – Vahva ($5.44), Exacta ($13.20)
May 9 – Mosler Time ($10.20), Trifecta ($20.50)
May 9 – Mosler Time/I Can Do It Double ($65.80)
May 10 – Dontim ($11.20), Trifecta ($168.80)
May 11 – Musical Rhapsody/Duvet Day Exacta (SA Best Bet, $9.20)
May 11 – Party With Paddy ($4.20)
May 11 – $5 Golden Hour Double (SA 9, GG 8) – $35.00
May 12 – Special Club ($5.20)
May 12 – $5 Golden Hour Double (SA 9, GG 8) – $59.00
May 20 – Luv to Win ($7.40)
May 21 – Tony Small ($9.80)
May 25 – Legend of Time/White Palomino/Royal Majesty Trifecta ($33.80)

Please visit The Runaway Horse Shop to purchase my Santa Anita Park analysis and Triple Crown Series full cards.

Jarrod Horak

Jarrod Horak posts stakes recaps from Del Mar and Santa Anita Park, along with full card recaps and free stakes picks from Southern and/or Northern California.

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