Check out my Thursday (5-1-25) Churchill Downs Race 9 analysis below.
CD 10 (Opening Verse, 4&up, 8T) – Post Time 5:47 PM ET
Primary – #9 BRILLIANT BERTIE, #10 Lagynos
Secondary – #6 Major Dude, #8 Georgie W
Horse Comments:
#9 Brilliant Berti (3-1) was 5th of 8 in his turf route bow last year, and he won five of his next six starts. He is 3-for-3 at CD including a win in the American Derby, and he also captured the Gun Runner (KD) and G3 Bryan Station (KEE). He landed an outer post in the G2 Muniz Classic at FG March 22 and forwardly placed runners were best that day, and he never got seriously involved. This is his second start after a layoff and his connections chose this race over Saturday’s G1 Turf Classic. There seems to be some pace to chase and he might be able to rally for the win.
#10 Lagynos (5-1) won back-to-back stakes races at the end of his sophomore campaign last year, and he ended up an even third in the slop in his KEE return April 6. His winning rider Flavien Prat stays put and he guided this one home in the local G3 Commonwealth Turf last fall.
#6 Major Dude (5-2) did not have the best trip from an outer post as the beaten favorite in the Appleton March 29. He has been a quality turf performer for quite some time. He won the G2 Pilgrim in 2022, the G3 Kitten’s Joy and G2 Penn Mile in 2023, and the G2 Ft. Lauderdale late last year. His winning rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. stays put and he figures to stalk the pace from a middle post.
#8 Georgie W (20-1) owns early-pressing versatility and is usually in the mix. He returned from a long layoff and landed the place as the beaten favorite in a race originally scheduled for turf and run at one mile on dirt at KEE April 7. William Walden shows a profit with horses moving from dirt to turf, and he should be forwardly placed and might outrun his odds under Luis Saez. He broke his maiden in a turf route.
Wagers:
#9 to win
Exacta box 9-10
Trifecta 9-10/6-8-9-10/6-8-9-10
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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