Check out my Monday (4-14-25) Will Rogers Downs Race 8 analysis below.
WRD 8 (Wilma Mankiller, fillies and mares, 6f) – Post Time 5:30 PM ET
Primary – #3 TAKE ME SERIOUS, #1 Gray Lightning
Secondary – #2 Palacein
Horse Comments:
#3 Take Me Serious (2-1) won the local Miranda Diane last year and landed the place in this event. She fired trifecta shots in seven of her last eight starts (2 state bred stakes wins). She returned from a layoff and dueled and finished third as the beaten favorite in the Miranda Diane March 24. She owns early-pressing versatility and might move up in her second start after a layoff. Joe Offolter has good stats with his non-graded stakes starters and she drew outside her main two rivals.
#1 Gray Lightning (5-2) is 3-for-5 with a runner-up finish and a show finish, and her three wins were by a combined 32 3/4 lengths. She made the lead in all five starts and her new trainer Armando Hernandez is a profitable 27% with this type of layoff runner. This is her first start in 10+ months and she should be all over the pace from the inside post. She drilled a 5f bullet for this at OP March 31.
#2 Palacein (5-2) wired the field in this event last year, and is 0-for-7 with four minor awards since. She missed by a neck in a local allowance sprint March 3 and might maintain sharp form in her third start after a layoff.
Wagers:
#3 to win
Exacta 3/1-2
Exacta 1-2/3
Recent Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
March 24 – Carousel Queen ($4.20), Trifecta ($33.20)
March 27 – Air Combat/Into Pleasure/Mish Trifecta ($58.40)
March 28 – Maltese Falcon ($8.00)
March 29 – Banishing ($5.20), Trifecta ($26.00)
April 1 – Loveaboveandbeyond/Joy in Grace Exacta ($18.80)
April 2 – Andrea/Obliging Exacta ($27.80), Trifecta ($48.80)
April 7 – Colloquial ($2.70)
April 13 – Future Is Now/Pandora’s Gift ($23.78)
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