Horse racing Best Bets for Saturday
The sports betting menu is full, but there’s still time to look for horse racing value on Saturdays.
I’m joined by our regular crew of my handicapping friends – Rampart race and sports book manager Duane Colucci, Ed Sehon and John Lauro – as we have plays at Gulfstream, Aqueduct, Laurel, Keeneland and Oaklawn. In addition, don’t forget that Sehon (aka Mr. Ed) has his breakdown of the Keeneland card at
VSiN.com/horse-racing/.
Good luck today (and every day)!
Gulfstream Race No. 7 (3:42 p.m. ET/12:42 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #2 Big and Classy (5-2 morning line). “Trainer Bobby Dibona claimed gelding off back-to-back synthetic sprint scores. Fast work and addition of rider Reyes point to hat trick. He might not be that big or classy, but has look of a winner here. Wager: Win.”
Laurel Race No. 8 (3:57 p.m. ET/12:57 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #10 Hello Hot Rod (20-1 morning line) in the ungraded Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes. “The outside post is a concern, but it might help us get close to the morning-line price for the projected front-runner to steal this race. Even though this is a step up in class, Hello Hot Rod is 2-for-5 at this track and should also benefit from the shortening up in distance as he’s 2-for-3 at 7 furlongs. Trainer Brittany Russell is hitting 23% in non-graded stakes and is 4-for-6 when using jockey Jevian Toledo the past two weeks and 43% the past two months. Definitely worth a flier. Wager: Win and Place.”
Aqueduct Races Nos. 6-9 (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes a $.50 Pick 4 (cost $45)
Race 6: 4,6,8
Race 7: 1,2,3,9,11
Race 8: 3,6,7
Race 9: 3,6
Gulfstream Race Nos. 8-11 (4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes a $.50 Pick 4 (cost $45)
Race 8: 6,7,9,10,11
Race 9: 2,6
Race 10: 1,4,5
Race 11: 1,2,11
Keeneland Nos. 8-11 (4:44 p.m. ET/1:44 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes a $.50 Pick 4 (cost $60)
Race 8: 1,3,10,11,12
Race 9: 3,5,6,8
Race 10: 2,4,5
Race 11: 2,4
Keeneland Race No. 9 (5:16 p.m. ET/2:16 p.m. PT)
John Lauro likes #6 Disarm (7-2 morning line) in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes. “Disarm, who needs a Top 3 finish to earn enough points to make the Kentucky Derby in this final prep race, has a class edge coming out of the Louisiana Derby. I’m singling my three picks here in the Cross Country Pick 5”
Aqueduct Race No. 9 (5:38 p.m. ET/2:38 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #3 Quiescent (10-1 morning line). “Bobby Ribaudo has been a solid trainer for years, especially with turf runners. Huge workout on April 5 and a hot Eric Cancel spell victory for this filly off the layoff. Also adds Lasix. Bet 3 to Win and key 3 over 1,6,7 in Exactas, Trifectas and reverse.”
Keeneland Race No. 10 (5:48 p.m. ET/2:48 p.m. PT)
John Lauro likes #2 In Italian (4-1 morning line) in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes. “In Italian returns off her second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.”
Dave Tuley likes #1 Pizza Bianca (20-1 morning line). “If someone can push In Italian on the early lead, this could set up for a closer. Pizza Bianca could get that dough rising late for owner Bobby Flay in her 4-year-old debut (so she has the right to improve from her SoCal races for trainer Cristophe Clement). We probably won’t get close to 20-1 with the scratches, but still worth a shot. Wager: Win and Place.”
Gulfstream Race No. 11 (5:50 p.m. ET/2:50 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #11 Mo Rissa (6-1 morning line). “Improving rider Edwin Gonzalez inherits mount from vet Jose Castellano as young gal returns to turf and stretches out. Class jump after big move following bump in last says sophomore filly is ready to score. Let’s go Mo. Wager: Win and Place.”
Oaklawn Race No. 9 (5:58 p.m. ET/2:58 p.m. PT)
John Lauro likes #10 Strobe (7-2 morning line) in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Stakes. “Strobe is undefeated on dry land!”