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SPOT PLAYS

For Thursday
TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE
Arlington Park (4th) Yan Yan, 8-1
(6th) Southern Warrior, 7-2
Belmont Park (4th) Refinery Fire, 3-1
(7th) Absoulute Heaven, 5-1
Calder (1st) Kip the Tiger, 3-1
(7th) Starship Valor, 6-1
Canterbury (2nd) Cagey, 6-1
(5th) Speakers Action, 3-1
Charles Town (3rd) Fffabulously Fleet, 6-1
(6th) Awesome Feat, 7-2
Churchill Downs (1st) Missy Lou, 3-1
(8th) Pleasant Prince, 3-1
Emerald Downs (3rd) Muy Loco, 4-1
(7th) Billy Boy Blue, 9-2
Evangeline Downs (3rd) Unitas, 10-1
(9th) One Million Rubies, 4-1
Finger Lakes (2nd) Justgivemeasecond, 5-1
(3rd) Large Popcorn, 6-1
Hastings Park (4th) Bobby Handy, 8-1
(7th) Beale Street, 9-2
Hollywood Park (1st) El Valentin, 3-1
(8th) Stormy Ambition, 5-1
Lone Star Park (1st) Winchester Bay, 7-2
(8th) Whosjetnnow, 10-1
Louisiana Downs (2nd) Livealittlebit, 9-2
(9th) Country Caucus, 7-2
Northlands Park (2nd) Discernment, 6-1
(5th) Just Like Benson, 3-1
Penn National (4th) Skippys Gator, 7-2
(6th) Runaway Legend, 3-1
Pleasanton (2nd) Saintly Spirit, 8-1
(7th) Draw Two Buck, 6-1
Presque Isle Downs (3rd) Violet Eyed Diva, 3-1
(8th) Shaggy Chic, 4-1
Woodbine (2nd) Paullinus, 10-1
(9th) Starsatknight, 10-1

BEL 9th (5:17)

1 Mile (Turf) | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Maiden Claiming ($35,000) | Purse: $24,000

Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 4 Tropical Jetset Maragh R Schettino Dominick A 118 $35,000 L 5-2
1A 11 J J Coolay Maragh R Schettino Dominick A 118 $35,000 FTL 5-2
2 8 Hear Her Roar Garcia Alan Martin Carlos F 118 $35,000 Blk-Off L 10-1
2B MTO La Belle Gabrielle Maragh R Martin Carlos F 118 $35,000 10-1
3 1 Crystal Galopoff Hill C Ryerson James T 123 $35,000 L 8-1
4 2 No Imagination Prado E S Hennig Mark 118 $35,000 L 10-1
5 3 Quixsand Velazquez J R Reinacher, Jr. R J 118 $35,000 4-1
6 5 Delightful Vicky Espinoza J L Aquilino Joseph 118 $35,000 Blk-Off L 6-1
7 6 Count Her In Castellano J J Weaver George 118 $35,000 L 5-1
8 7 Marie's Babe Santiago V Lotruglio Edward 118 $35,000 L 30-1
9 9 In Spite Of Rodriguez J Gyarmati Leah 116 7 $35,000 L 50-1
10 10 Above the Call Lezcano J Hernandez Ramon M 118 $35,000 L 15-1
11 12 Strategic Sue Studart M Morrison John 118 $35,000 L 15-1
12 MTO Illgiveyouwattever Castellano J J DiPrima Gregory 118 $35,000 Blk-Off L 5-1
13 MTO Ommadon's Thunder Lopez A O'Brien Leo 111 7 $35,000 L 10-1

A-Coupled: Tropical Jetset and J J Coolay

B-Coupled: Hear Her Roar and La Belle Gabrielle

Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10) Wagers

Brian Blessing's Pick's 7-1-11

Count her In is lightly raced and lands in a soft spot for a trainer who knows how to get his runners to fire fresh.

Belmont courtesy of Safestwager

Doubles, Pick 3's, Pick 4:
Race 6) 2/4 (If a scratch, add #5)
Race 7) 3/5/6
Race 8) 1/3/5
Race 9) 1/2/5/6/7 (You'll probably get a scratch to reduce price of ticket)

Race 6) 1 1/16 Miles (Inner Turf) Md 60,000

#4 Won Hot Kitty* Morning line 6-1.
Forget last when this filly broke poorly, got pinched, and started
behind the rest of the field. Her prior start, was her first lifetime,
and she was competitive with Md Sp Wt. I'm not necessarily a
time guy, but she covered a mile faster than any of these may be
capable. She has superior dosage numbers for turf and distance.

Safer Bet:
a) #4 to Win, Place or Show

Exotics:
b) Trifecta: 4 with 1/2/3/5/7 with 1/2/3/5/7

Race 7) 1 Mile (Turf) OC 35,000/N2X

#6 House Of Grace*
Looks like a nice one in the making. She's averaging almost
75k in earnings/start. She's dropping down from racing against
tough stake contemporaries after being purshased by
The Gondolphin stable. In last, she closed too late from the
back and ran out of track.

Safer Bet:
a) #6 to Win, Place or Show

Exotics:
b) Trifecta: 6 with 1/2/3/5 with 1/2/3/5

CDX 3rd (1:49)

6 Furlongs | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Allowance Optional Claiming ($100,000) | Purse: $56,300

Prg.na D Wayne 118 LA 5-1
6 6 Fuzzy Britches Lenclud F Dutrow, Jr. R E 113 5 $100,000 LA 2-1

Daily Double / Exacta / Trifecta / Superfecta / Pick 3

Battagliaspicks 2-6-3

#2 Brown Eyed Baby- Came through for us last out at 6-1 winning her 3rd race in 5 starts in wire to wire style. She loves to run on the front end and she will prove hard to pass again today.

HOLLY 2nd (7:33)

6 Furlongs (Turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Allowance Optional Claiming ($25,000) | Purse: $43,000

Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Danzing Tribal Garcia M Lewis Craig A 124 L 5-2
2 2 Pop'shands Are Hot Talamo J Abrams Barry 124 L 4-1
3 3 Pack Your Bags Bejarano R Carava Jack 122 L 2-1
4 4 Malone Slam Pedroza M A Heap Blake R 118 L 15-1
5 5 Nevada Worrier John K DeLima Jose E 124 $25,000 L 8-1
6 6 Detroit Donnie Santiago Reyes C Periban Jorge 122 L 3-1

$1 Exacta / $2 Quinella / $1 Trifecta $1 Superfecta (10-cent min.) / $2 Double / $1 Pick 3

Battagliaspicks 3-5-6

#3 Pack Your Bags- just missed in his turf debut then easily blew away open sprinters and was claimed. New trainer is one of the sharpest around. He doubled him up in class and he won again. He then moved up to allowance and was flying late to miss by an inch. He should get all the money today.

Courtesy of Mike Dempsey

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

BEL Race 1 Clm $35,000 (1:00 ET)

#6 The Roundhouse 5/2
#7 Samhoon 2/1
#4 It's Never Too Late 10/1
#3 Chris Got Even 5/1

Analysis: #6 The Roundhouse drops in for a straight tag here after taking on Alw-3 optional claimers in his last two starts. The five year old was not a threat after a wide trip last out going two turns in NJ. I like the cut back to one turn here and he gets a jock upgrade to Ramon. This is the easiest spot he has been in and figures to bounce back with a better effort.

#7 Samhoon came off a three month layoff and popped a 100 Beyer beating optional claimers last out at Finger Lakes. The third place finisher in the race was Executive Search, who returned to beat Alw-2 optional claimers in his next start on May 22 at Finger Lakes. He can handle the mile distance and earned his career top over the main track here last May going a mile. The barn is 22% winners moving runners from sprint to route.

Wagering

WIN: #6 to win at 2/1 or better.
EX: 6,7 / 3,4,6,7
TRI: 6,7 / 3,4,6,7 / 2,3,4,6,7

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

BEL Race 8 Alw $39,000N1X (4:45 ET)

#5 Fortunate Run 5/1
#3 Fight for V L T's 8/5
#1 Hittin the Note / #1a Steal the Shot 5/2
#4 Good Karma 8/1

Analysis: #5 Fortunate Run stalked the early pace from the inside, had to wait for some running room on the far turn, and finished well for the runner up spot last out. He was unable to get to the winner, who went gate to wire over a speed favoring racing strip. It looks as if this guy is heading in the right direction form wise and he may never catch an easier spot to pass his first state bred condition than this.

#3 Fight for V L T's went gate to wire to break his maiden last out by 11 1/2 lengths. The gelding did not beat much, but he has more upside potential than this ragged looking group that includes a couple of runners that are 2 for 41 and 44. The one turn mile should be well within his scope.

Wagering

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

Belmont Park

R1: #4 It’s Never Too Late 10/1
R4: #4 Beautiful Pear 10/1
R5: #2 Beneath the Crown 10/1
R6: #7 Chantilly G. 8/1
R8: #4 Good Karma 8/1

Good luck today!

Churchill Downs courtesy of George Fahey

Today begins the last week of this Spring Meet ‘10 here at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.na is unveiling his latest training acquisition, the 2009 Derby Champ, Mine That Bird, entering him in the featured stakes, “The Firecracker” . The race will be ran on the Matt Winn Turf Course, the first attempt on turf for the two year old Canadian Champion. His rider for the May Classic victory, Calvin Borel, will return to the saddle. The Whitney Handicap at Saratoga is the ultimate goal for the summer for the connections. (This blog will resume picking winners and being nosey around the backside for the entire Saratoga Meet).

Let’s get to it for today!

Scratches - Race 2 -#1, Race 3 -, #3, Race 4 - #1, Race 6 - #7, Race 8 #10, Race 9 - #13,#14,#15

Race 1 - Mike Johncon drops this old gal a couple rungs to the $20K claiming level. On the board 4 of seven tries at Churchill on dirt, she is where she belongs to triumph. Should be the quickest of the speed and should hold on today while shortening up to 6 panels with Jamie Theriot getting the mount. My pick!

1 - 1 - KY, Raposa, $10 WP, $5 Exacta Box 1/4/6 $50

Race 2 - William Connelly is winning at 30% here this meet by placing his runners where they can win. Back on the dirt where she runs best. Regular rider Orlando Mojica is in the irons. My pick!

5 - 2 - KY, Danging Lydia, $10 WP, $5 Exacta Box 1/3/5 $50

Race 5 - Wesley Ward has an entry in this baby filly 5 1/2 furlong dash. All are first time starters and if they can get them in the gate I’m going by past runnings of these contests in the spring meet, remembering Ward having his young girls wound up for the situation. He’s had both of them at Keeneland working bullets and gate exercises. My pick!

1 -5 - KY, Class od Fifty Two/Plain and Simple(entry), $10 WP, $5 Exacta Box 1/6/8 $50