Home Forums Sports Picks Central Trackside Picks Racing 5/20

Arlington Park (2nd) Saber, 4-1
(7th) Way Down South, 8-1

Belmont Park (5th) Rocketing Returns, 3-1
(9th) Ommadon's Answer, 9-2

Calder Race Course (4th) Babylon Rich, 5-1
(5th) Joyful Bird, 8-1

Charles Town (3rd) Wild Saint, 5-1
(4th) Zacharys Gold, 4-1

Churchill Downs (2nd) Face the Fire, 7-2
(7th) Missy Lou, 6-1

Evangeline Downs (5th) Darien Gap, 8-1
(6th) Galapin in a Haze, 3-1

Finger Lakes (5th) Sir Cryptomite, 8-1
(6th) Myah's Summer, 3-1

Golden Gate Fields (3rd) Siberian Magic, 7-2
(7th) Shadow Silks, 7-2

Hollywood Park (3rd) Trick Skate, 7-2
(8th) Secret Tapit, 8-1

Lone Star Park (6th) Barclay Drive, 9-2
(9th) Almost Summer, 4-1

Louisiana Downs (6th) Sunbrook, 6-1
(9th) Sure Fire Tempest, 7-2

Penn National (6th) Royal Stylist, 6-1
(7th) Western Fault, 3-1

Pimlico (2nd) Shiloh's Pride, 4-1
(9th) Dorothy's Diamond, 3-1

Presque Isle Downs (1st) Truly Broadway, 3-1
(8th) Ready to Win, 5-1

Courtesy of Mike Dempsey

Here is today's opening race from Belmont Park to get our day off to a good start:

BEL Race 1 Alw $39,000N1X (1:00 ET)

#6 Simmy 3/1
#3 Vicarious 7/2
#5 Sweethearts Kiss 6/1
#1 Under the Rainbow 9/2

Analysis: #6 Simmy stalked the early pace from the rail and weakened in the stretch to finish sixth last out on the turf. This gal does not have much in the ay of turf pedigree and seems better suited for dirt. She was only beaten 3 1/2 lengths and the winner Lovely Promise came back to beat $35K non winners of three in her next outing on May 16. Ramon picks up the call and was aboard this filly three back when she broke her maiden on the inner going a mile.

#3 Vicarious has caught wet tracks in 5 of her last 6 starts, and was a good second two and three back. However, she has now failed at this level 12 times in her career. She makes her first start off the bench here for the Jerkens barn that is 1 for 9 with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff. It's not a real tough spot but the price may end up on the light side.


Wagering

WIN: #6 to win at 5/2 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 1,3,5,6
TRI: 3,6 / 1,3,5,6 / 1,3,5,6,7

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Churchill Downs:

CD Race 8 Alw $50,000N1X (4:29 ET)

#3 Lady Etienne 6/1
#5 Connie and Michael 4/5
#6 Flying Spur 5/1
#4 Lady Durlyn 5/1

Analysis: #3 Lady Etienne caught a muddy track last out, dueling for the early lead and unable to hang with the winner late in a runner up finish. The mare was 5 1/2 lengths clear of the rest of the field in the effort. She beat $30K non winners of two in her previous outing at Keeneland over the poly. She broke her maiden over the main track here back in '08 and appears to have some upside as she may catch a fast main track for the first time since her seventh place finish off the long layoff three back.

#5 Connie and Michael makes her first start since last fall where she was third in the Miesque (G3) on turf. She made her first two career starts on the fake stuff, breaking her maiden in her debut, and then checking in eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). She popped a bullet work over the main track here, but is making her first start on dirt off nearly a six month break at less than even money. Tough to get excited about backing her at that price.

Wagering

WIN: #3 to win at 9/2 or better.
EX: 3,5 / 3,4,5,6
TRI: 3,5 / 3,4,5,6 / 2,3,4,5,6

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 8 OClm $75,000N3X (4:45 ET)

#1 Lemon Spice 5/2
#3 Eighttofasttocatch 15/1
#4 Carson Hall 3/1
#7 Prussian 6/1

Analysis: #1 Lemon Spice returns off a seven week break and drops into an easier spot after taking on Grade 3 foes last out. The gelding won a pair of turf races at Gulfstream Park early this year, winning a $50K claimer and a conditioned allowance race. He fits well here as he makes his first start for the Brown barn that is 22% winners (with a +ROI) with newcomers to the barn.

#3 Eighttofasttocatch might be too fast to catch here as the gelding really is the lone speed signed up. The gelding beat Alw-2 optional claimers last out after setting moderate early fractions for his first career win on turf. He makes his second start off a six month break and if he can shake loose early here he may prove tough to catch.

Wagering

WIN: #1 to win at 2/1 or better.
EX: 1,3 / 1,3,4,7
TRI: 1,3 / 1,3,4,7 / 1,3,4,5,7


Live Longshots:

These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.


Churchill Downs

R3: #5 Celadon 8/1
R4: #7 Grand Performer 8/1
R4: #4 Phenomenal 12/1
R9: #10 Star Chamber 15/1


Good luck today!

BEL 1st (Post time 1:00)

1 Mile | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Allowance | Purse: $39,000

Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Under the Rainbow Velasquez C Hernandez Ramon M 117 Blk-On L 9-2
1A 5 Amiga Del Sol Maragh R Kimmel John C 117 L 9-2
2 2 Roaring Aly Corujo W Johnson Cleveland 110 7 L 20-1
3 3 Vicarious Hill C Jerkens H Allen 121 L 7-2
4 4 Sweethearts Kiss Prado E S Ferraro James W 117 L 6-1
5 6 Every Little Thing Cohen D Contessa Gary C 117 L 5-2
6 7 Simmy Dominguez R A Violette, Jr. R A 117 L 3-1
7 8 Allthesingleladys Castellano J J Giglio, Jr. D 117 L 12-1

A-Coupled: Under the Rainbow and Amiga Del Sol

Exacta, Trifecta, Pick 3 Races (1-3), Daily Double Wagers

Brian Blessing's Pick's 5-6-7

Every Little Thing beat all but one solid runner in her last race and has a shot to handle this group with a stalking style the expected strategy today

HOLLY 7th (4:07)

1 1/2 Miles (Turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Allowance Optional Claiming ($40,000) | Purse: $44,000

Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Brushburn Blanc B Knapp Steve 124 L 3-1
2 2 Universal Peace Espinoza V Drysdale Neil 124 L 4-1
3 3 El Indy Bejarano R Ascanio Humberto 124 $40,000 L 4-1
4 4 Dynamic Range Pedroza M A Canani Julio C 124 $40,000 L 2-1
5 5 Favorite Meeting Garcia M S Bainum William E 120 $40,000 L 15-1
6 6 Thorondor Baze T C Vienna Darrell 124 L 7-2

$1 Exacta / $2 Quinella / $1 Trifecta $1 Superfecta (10-cent min.) / $2 Double

Battagliaspicks 1-6-4

#1 Brushburn- has really picked it up since changing barns via the claim box. He has won two of his last four missing the other two by a nose. He has never been better and should love this longer distance.