Check out my Thursday (9-25-25) Churchill Downs Race 7 analysis below.
CD 7 (Alw-127k/1x, 3&up, 1 1/16 miles dirt) – Post Time 7:57 PM ET
Primary – #9 NAVAJO WARRIOR, #1 Hop Sing
Secondary – #3 Maximum Promise, #6 Coalmoon
Horse Comments:
#9 Navajo Warrior (7-2) is 5-for-7 with a pair of runner-up finishes since October 2024. He won at 8T (March 1) and at one mile on dirt April 27. He won another flat mile dirt race at SA May 26, and he moved to the Saffie Joseph, Jr, barn and struck again in a flat mile dirt race at SAR as the favorite Aug. 31. The versatile gelding should get pace to chase and could easily score again under his new rider Irad Ortiz, Jr.
#1 Hop Sing (5-2) was part of the trifecta in his last five starts. He stretched out, set the pace, and missed by a head at 9f Aug. 10. Winner No Bien Ni Mal (BRL) clicked right back in the G3 Greenwood Cup on Sept. 20, and show finisher Tuscan Gold missed by a nose on Sept. 13. He reunites with Luis Saez and should attend the pace from the inside post.
#3 Maximum Promise (3-1) graduated by 14 lengths as the favorite in a flat mile dirt race at Ellis Park last summer. Since that win, he has competed in five sophomore stakes races with show finishes in the Battaglia Memorial and G3 Jeff Ruby on all-weather ground. He was unplaced in his last two graded turf routes and he switches surfaces, adds lasix, and removes blinkers in his second start after a layoff.
#6 Coalmoon (10-1) was 5th of 8 in a turf route stakes race at Ellis Park last time. Before that, he ran well in back-to-back local dirt starts and might outrun his odds for profitable allowance trainer Paulo Lobo.
Wagers:
#9 to win
Exacta box 1-9
Trifecta 1-9/1-3-6-9/1-3-6-9
Recent 2025 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Sept. 2 – Marian Cross ($5.00)
Sept. 7 – Modus Bestia/Latitude/Cheever Trifecta ($80.20)
Sept. 14 – Lovin’ On the Run ($6.40)
Sept. 15 – Calvin’s Ride ($7.80)
Sept. 23 – Uncle Truly/Shadow Factor Exacta ($5.00), Trifecta ($11.40)
Sept. 24 – Dragoon Guard/Bendoog Exacta ($7.78), Trifecta ($14.40)
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