Check out my Thursday (9-4-25) Kentucky Downs Race 9 analysis below.
KD 9 (One Dreamer, F&M, 1 mile 70 yards turf) – Post Time 5:57 PM ET
Primary – #5 VIVE VEUVE, #7 No Mo Candy
Secondary – #6 Watchtower, #4 Grayosh, #8 Pharoah’s Wine
Horse Comments:
#5 Vive Veuve (5-2) was part of the exacta in all four starts since moving to the Joe Sharp barn. She won her last two optional-claiming turf routes as the favorite and she got pace help in both of those races. She beat next-out winners on June 21 and Aug. 7 and earned a strong late pace rating last time. She landed the show in the local Music City (G3) at 6.5T last year.
#7 No Mo Candy (3-1) has the ability to get out there and set the pace and she might get brave if she slows things down on the front end. She won the G3 Pebbles last year and is 0-for-3 since. She controlled the pace and weakened to fourth in the G3 Matchmaker in July (Grayosh 3rd), and she chased, led, and missed the place by a head in the G3 Ballston Spa on Aug. 8.
#6 Watchtower (15-1) ran well off the bench in the Yellow Ribbon (G2) at Del Mar on Aug. 9. She was patiently handled early and the fractions were slow (24.93, 49.73, 1:14.25), and betting favorite Heredia (GB) controlled the pace and wired the field. This filly showed nice late interest and missed the place by a nose. She won the G3 Autumn Miss last fall and will try to get involved late under her new rider John Velazquez.
#4 Grayosh (4-1) stalked and scored by a neck in the G2 Lake Placid at Saratoga last summer and she lost all four starts since. She rallied to miss by a neck in a slow early/fast late edition of the G3 Matchmaker at 9T in July. Her winning rider Prat sticks with her and she can stalk or close.
#8 Pharoah’s Wine (8-1) won back-to-back optional-claiming flat mile turf races at Churchill in May and June, and she rallied to miss by a head in a flat mile turf stakes affair at Ellis Park on Aug. 3. She has won at Kentucky Downs before and Dale Romans is a profitable 22% in the non-graded ranks. She is sharp and versatile and should offer value.
Wagers:
#5 to win
Exacta box 5-7
Trifecta key 5/4-6-7-8
Superfecta 5-7/5-6-7/all/4-5-6-7-8
Recent 2025 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Aug. 8 – Sammy Davis ($5.80), Trifecta ($33.80)
Aug. 9 – Privman ($4.00), Exacta ($5.80)
Aug. 11 – Grounded ($12.80)
Aug. 12 – Dreaming of Kona ($8.80), Exacta ($20.40)
Aug. 14 – Roselee May/Thebestisyettobe/Eternal Reign Trifecta ($141.40)
Aug. 16 – Nitrogen ($6.10), Exacta ($11.20), Trifecta ($36.20)
Aug. 21 – Thirsty Trickster/Liquid Spirit/Perfect Life Trifecta ($276.60)
Aug. 23 – May Day Ready/Play With Fire Exacta ($12.20), Trifecta ($30.20)
Aug. 30 – Tommy Jo ($4.00)
Aug. 31 – The Padre ($3.40)
Sept. 2 – Marian Cross ($5.00)
Please visit The Runaway Horse Shop to purchase my full cards.
