Check out my Wednesday (4-30-25) Churchill Downs Race 9 analysis below.
CD 9 (William Walker, 3-year-olds, 5 1/2 furlongs turf) – Post Time 4:52 PM ET
Primary – #1 OUT ON BAIL, #9 Warheart
Secondary – #3 Bridle a Butterfly, #11 Governor Sam, #6 Makeit to Cheyenne
Horse Comments:
#1 Out On Bail (7-2) scratched out of the Palisades at KEE on April 6 when that race was taken off the turf course and run in the slop. He fired trifecta shots in all six starts last year. He hit the board in his first two dirt starts, and won his next two turf sprints including the Skidmore. He completed the exacta in his next two turf sprint stakes races and Luis Saez got to know him last time. This is his first start since October and he sports five local works for this including half-mile bullet April 8.
#9 Warheart (12-1) was beaten 34 lengths in the Turfway Prevue Jan. 4. I will just draw a line through that one. He was right there in all three turf sprint starts including a stakes win in the Atlantic Beach at 6T last fall. Prat takes the call and he owns early-pressing versatility.
#3 Bridle a Butterfly (30-1) can pass horses and that might be a good thing with multiple early runners, but he was out of the trifecta in both stakes starts. He moved to the Al Stall, Jr. barn and rallied for the place at 5.5T March 14. I can see him rallying for a share at a price.
#11 Governor Sam (8-5) had a productive juvenile campaign with a trio of turf sprint stakes wins and a show finish in the G1 BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. He drilled a 5f bullet for this in Florida April 12 and he should be all over the pace under his winning rider Paco Lopez.
#6 Makeit to Cheyenne (4-1) improved speed ratings in all three starts. He was up the track in his turf sprint stakes bow at GP last May (runner-up next-out winner), and he made the lead and wired the field at MTH second time out (runner-up next-out winner). He was out of action for 7+ months and went all the way in an all-weather sprint at GP March 7 (runner-up next-out winner). Irad Ortiz, Jr. got to know him last time and he might be the one to catch.
Wagers:
#1 to win
Exacta 1-9/1-3-9
Trifecta 1-6-9-11/1-6-9-11/3
Recent Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
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 Exacta ($23.78)
April 14 – Palacein/Take Me Serious Exacta ($19.40)
April 15 – C W Prize ($6.20), Exacta ($13.00)
April 16 – Augusta Melody ($6.34)
April 26 – Mink’s Palace ($10.06)
April 27 – Annan ($4.40), Exacta ($14.20)
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