Check out my Thursday (6-25-26) Churchill Downs Race 7 analysis below.
CD 7 (OC-125k/1x, 3yo, 6.5f dirt) – Post Time 7:54 PM ET
Primary – #7 MUNNINGS CHALLENGE, #9 Blacksmith
Secondary – #6 Doublecents, #10 Lincoln’s Law, #1 It’s Our Time
Horse Comments:
#7 Munnings Challenge (7-2) battled on the pace and held the place from post 2 in his 6f bow, and he stalked and cruised by 5 lengths from the outside post second time out. He attended the pace from the inside post and was second best May 29 and Brad Cox is 35% with beaten favorites. He gets a more comfortable post and reunites with his debut pilot Irad Ortiz, Jr.
#9 Blacksmith (9-2) was the beaten favorite in his first two dirt sprints, and he stretched out and was clearly second best behind his chalky stablemate Litmus Test in the G2 Los Al Futurity (December 2025). He returned to the maiden ranks and was less than even money Jan. 9, and he stalked below par fractions and ended up third by a length. Robusta won that one and finished second in the G2 San Felipe, and runner-up Cherokee Nation earned a 100 BSF in his Feb. 27 maiden romp. This one looked good on Feb. 20. Florent Geroux took over the reigns and he chased from second and graduated by 3+ lengths as the favorite at one mile. He raced wide and was no threat when last seen in the G2 LA Derby March 21. Bob Baffert’s $525k Liam’s Map colt turns back and fired a local half-mile bullet for this June 17.
#6 Doublecents (5-1) stalked the pace and was clearly second best to Munnings Challenge April 11, and he aired by 11 lengths as the favorite second time out. He stalked the pace and held the show May 29 and finished behind Munnings Challenge again. He should impact the pace.
#10 Lincoln’s Law (6-1) chased from third and smartly won his 6f bow Feb. 28. He ran into romping winner Cannoneer at one mile second time out and ended up a clear second, and the distant show finisher was a next-out winner. He added blinkers and finished up the track from post 10 in a local route May 2. He reconnects with his winning rider Luis Saez and this shorter distance helps.
#1 It’s Our Time (5-2) is tough to trust as the favorite. He ran off the screen by 17 lengths in his SAR bow at this distance last summer, and he attended the pace and faded in his next two flat mile starts as the beaten favorite around one turn. This is his first outing since November 2025 and it is possible that he is a one-hit wonder. They paid $425k for this one and he adds lasix and Jose Ortiz got to know him last time.
Wagers:
#7 to win
Exacta 7/6-9
Exacta 6-9/7
Trifecta key 7/1-6-9-10
June 2026 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
June 1 – Hector ($3.00), Exacta ($8.60), Trifecta ($19.60)
June 4 – Magnanimous Max ($7.90), Exacta ($68.58)
June 5 – Portfolio Duration ($10.00), Trifecta ($424.68)
June 18 – Lady Rose ($2.86)
June 19 – Watch Over Us/Cammy’s Girl Exacta ($12.00)
June 20 – Twisted Humor/Perfect Smile Exacta ($5.60)
June 24 – Movie Night/Wrong Shoes/Highgrove Trifecta ($24.28)
*All winning wagers based on $2 payoffs unless noted otherwise.
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