Check out my Thursday (10-10-24) Keeneland Race 8 analysis below.
KEE 8 (Alw-140k/1x, 3up, 1 1/16 miles turf) – Post Time 4:44 PM ET
Primary – #1 MAJOR DUDE, #10 Chasing the Crown
Secondary – #6 Gigante, #3 Masteroffoxhounds
Horse Comments:
#1 Major Dude (4-1) stalked the pace and came up empty in the Fourstardave (G1) on Aug. 11. He won the Kitten’s Joy (G3) and Penn Mile (G2) last year. He had lasix in his first two optional-claiming turf routes this year, and he was second by a neck on June 23 and first by 2 lengths as the favorite on July 20. Todd Pletcher’s $550k Bolt d’Oro colt does some of his best work at this distance (4 2-1-1), and he sports back-to-back Saratoga bullets for this. He goes back on lasix and Prat takes the call, and a ground saving stalking trip is expected.
#10 Chasing the Crown (3-1) finished an even fourth as my top choice in the Tapit Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 29. He fired trifecta shots in 12 of 15 turf outings and won both of his non-stakes starts this year. He likes this distance and placed in the Arlington (G3) and Wise Dan (G2) prior to his last. Luis Saez takes the call and he guided this one home in a turf route at Churchill last year.
#6 Gigante (9-2) makes his first start in more than six months for Steve Asmussen, and this is his first non-stakes start since August 2022. He won four stakes races last year including the Grade 2 Secretariat. He is 0-for-2 with zero top three finishes at Keeneland.
#3 Masterfoxhounds (4-1) missed by a neck in a stakes race on yielding ground on July 6, and that was his first start in more than eight months. He has not won a race since the John Henry Turf Championship (G2) in 2022, and this is his first non-stakes start since March 2022. He will probably attend the pace under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Wagers:
#1 to win
Exacta box 1-10
Trifecta 1-10/1-3-6-10/1-3-6-10
October 2024 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Oct. 1 – Beads ($10.20), Exacta ($28.00)
Oct. 3 – Donegal Momentum/Royal Majesty Exacta ($61.00)
Oct. 4 – Sea Runner ($3.60), Exacta ($9.40), Trifecta ($77.80)
Oct. 4 – SA (races 8-9) – $5 Late Daily Double ($47.00)
Oct. 6 – Iron Man Cal ($4.60)
Oct. 9 – Green Light ($3.42)
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