We know everyone (at least it seems like everyone, or at least everyone in our world) is immersed in the football season with wall-to-wall college football on Saturday, but Team Tuley is still looking for value at tracks from coast to coast.
Last Saturday, I came through with a 12-1 winner as Red Knight ($26.04 to Win, $9.50 to Place) won the Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes at Kentucky Downs and we had it on top. It certainly helped cut our losses on a rough college football Saturday.
Anyway, I’m joined this Saturday by our regular crew of Rampart race and sports book manager Duane Colucci and my longtime racing friends Ed Sehon and John Lauro as we tackle the cards at Belmont at the Big A (that’s a mouthful) in New York, Monmouth Park in New Jersey, Woodbine in Canada, Churchill Downs in Kentucky and Los Alamitos in California.
SATURDAY
Belmont at the Big A Races Nos. 2-5 (1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes a $0.50 Pick 4 (cost $45)
Race 2: 1,2,6
Race 3: 2,5,6,9,10
Race 4: 7,8
Race 5: 1,3,5
Belmont at the Big A Race No. 3 (2:02 p.m. ET/11:02 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #1 Indemnify (7-5 morning line). “After a pair of narrow defeats in previous maiden tries, colt looks much the best vs. nine other winless ones. Irish-bred might be fast enough to wire field for super Chad Brown-Flavien Prat combo. Wager: Win and Daily Double with 7 in next race.”
Belmont at the Big A Race No. 4 (2:31 p.m. ET/11:31 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #7 Megnetron (6-1 morning line). “Sharp NY-circuit conditioner Jeremiah Englehart moves gelded son of Take Charge Indy up to open company, while stretching him out to a mile. Seasoned HOF rider Javier Castellano retains mount. Wager Win.”
Belmont at the Big A Race No. 7 (4:07 p.m. ET/1:07 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes three in the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes: favorite #1 McKulick (4-5 morning line) for Chad Brown and Irad Ortiz Jr.; longshot #5 Miss Yearwood (8-1) ships in for hard-luck Chris Landeros for father-in-law Ian Wilkes; and #6 Beside Herself (4-1) for sharp Todd Pletcher-Favien Prat duo. Wager: Box 1,5,6 Exacta and Trifecta boxes.
Belmont at the Big A Races Nos. 7-11 (4:07 p.m. ET/1:07 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes a $.50 Pick 5 (cost $72)
Race 7: 1,5,6
Race 8: 1,4,6,9
Race 9: 2,7
Race 10: 1,3
Race 11: 4,8,9
Woodbine Race No. 7 (4:22 p.m. ET/1:22 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #3 Appraise (5-1) in the Grade 1 Pattison Summer Stakes. “This price is shorter than I usually aim for, but this 3-year-old colt should be able to sit off the pace and unleash a big move heading into the stretch like he has in his two career starts. Trainer Chad Brown’s stats are impressive as always, plus he and Manny Franco are hitting at 14 percent the past two months.”
Churchill Downs Race No. 8 (4:22 p.m. ET/1:22 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #4 Li’l Tootsie (8-1 morning line) in the Grade 3 Locust Grove Stakes. “Winner of back-to-back listed stakes should show speed stretching out slightly. She is 3-for-5 at Churchill and can handle this level on her best. Amoss and Morales hitting at 19 percent with a $3.14 ROI when combining. Bet 4 to Win and key 4 over 1,2,3 in Exactas, Trifectas and reverse.”
Churchill Downs Races Nos. 8-11 (4:22 p.m. ET/1:22 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes a $.50 Pick 4 (cost $48)
Race 8: 1,2,3,4
Race 9: 1,3,5,9
Race 10: 4,6
Race 11: 5,10,11
Monmouth Race No. 11 (4:53 p.m. ET/1:53 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #1 Let’s Go Big Blue (8-1 morning line) in the $500,000 Nownownow Stakes. “This George Weaver 2-year-old crushed in his debut at Saratoga. Eric Cancel is here for the mount after a successful summer with several Weaver runners. Easily can get the distance and should be rolling in the lane. Bet 1 to Win and key 1 over 2,7,10 in Exactas, Trifectas and reverse.”
Churchill Downs Race No. 9 (4:55 p.m. ET/1:55 p.m. PT)
John Lauro likes #9 Echo Again (2-1 morning line) in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes. “This is the best 2-year-old in the country and will prove it in convincing fashion. After this win, bettors will decide favoritism in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile between Echo Again and the West Coast monster from Bob Baffert named Cave Rock, the winner of last week’s Del Mar Futurity. Straight Exacta (9-6) with #6 Jace’s Road.”
Woodbine Race No. 8 (4:55 p.m. ET/1:55 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #6 The Grass is Blue (12-1 morning line) in the Grade 1 Seaway Stakes. “As I was handicapping this seven-furlong race, I was looking for a filly or mare to steal it on the front end, but as I kept finding horses with early foot, I knew I needed a horse to be able to come from just off that torrid pace and The Grass is Blue fits the bill. Wager: Win and Place.”
Los Alamitos Race No. 8 (7:05 p.m. ET/4:05 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #2 The Chosen Vron (9-5 morning line) in the $75,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes. “Ran very well at long odds in the Pat O’Brien. Third off the layoff and nice class relief should handle these. Bet 2 to Win and key 2 over 1,4,5 in Exactas and Trifectas.”
