Final Version: McLean’s Selections for Turfway Park on Saturday, April 2 — Jeff Ruby Steaks Day

(Stats will be updated after Friday night’s card is completed)

Remember that first post will be at 12:45 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon for the Jeff Ruby Steaks Day card.

Here’s our looks:

1st: 9-5/6-2-1/12-11/3-7…Treasure Hunting (9), a 3YO son of Into Mischief and trained by Tom Amoss, gets our nod in the ole’ lid-lifter on Jeff Ruby Steaks Day. This one ran at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 17 and was right in the mix until he wasn’t late in the stretch. Faded aggressively in that one. Barn wins with .14% on the 2nd ask, and this one should be better with the race under the girth. Gets the barn’s go-to rider up. Fast Feliz (5) ran OK — but just OK — in the career debut here on March 12. Could improve off that one. Barn wins with .26% of the lat 97 to make the start in MSW company. Rider has won with .33% for this barn this meet. Wide open affair. Spread here, if you can. I bet the 9 across the board and then box the 9-5 in the exactas. I will key the 9 over/under the 5-6-2-1-12-11 in two smaller units.

2nd: 3-6-8/12-11/1-2-9-1A…My Lily Mae (3) gets the nod here for a barn that has gone 0-for-15 this meet. Ran a super 2nd here last time out on March 19. Just nipped at the wire. In 3 starts here now, has a 2nd and two 3rds. Rider is suspect. Take note. Byzantine (6) goes for a barn that has won only .08% of its 25 mounts here this meet. But this one ran huge to be 2nd here last time out, and lost that one by a head on the wire. Gets a rider up from the Fair Grounds to take the mount. Take note here. Paris Kentucky (8) has raced here 3 times and has a 2nd and a 3rd on the resume. Look for this one to be coming very late. If lucky, could make it happen at some square odds. I bet the 3 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 12-11 in two smaller units.

3rd: (13)-9-4/10-12/2-8-11-7/1-3-(14)-6…Jazzy Lady (13) will need some luck before this race even starts. The 5YO mare is on the AE List and will need a scratch or two to make the starting gate. If she gets in? Take note. Won at Oaklawn Park last time out and over the AW surface here? Has a win; two 2nds and a 3rd in 4 career starts. Like those stats. A lot. Golden Voice (9) drops a rung after winning here last time out. Loses that condition and will face tougher here. But came with a late rush that was quite impressive to get the win last out. Now, this one picks up the meet’s go-to rider. Threat. Splitsecondsonny (4) comes from the barn of Brad Cox, whose team is winning at a .27% rate in 64 starts this meet. Wow numbers. Again. This one break the MSW last time out by a head and on the wire. That was the first race since November. If she improves at all? Figures. I bet the 13 across the board if she gets in. If not? I bet the 9-4 across the board. I box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 10-12 in two smaller units.

4th: 5-11/1-3-8/2-9/4-10…Arronautic (5) came with a rush in the career debut here on Feb. 26. Simply ran out of ground after a very tough start in that affair. Should fit nicely here for a barn that wins with .28% in the 2nd career race. NY-rider comes in for the mount here. Nice. Leslie Chow (11) gets a tough post to start his event, but gets the meet’s go-to rider in the saddle. Barn has won with .13% of this 46 starters here this meet. But rider is 0-for-8 for this operation. Interesting. Made a nice run last time out, too. Threat. I bet the 5 to win/place/show and then box the 5-11 in the exactas. I will key the 5 over/under the 11-1-3-8-2-9 in two smaller units.

5th: 4-2-12/6-8-10-(14)/5-1-9-(13)-3…Connectthecauseway (4) is my first “Upset Special of the Day.” This 3YO son of Connect comes in off some very impressive a.m. works over this track. Dam of this one has produced 3 winners from 5 starters, too. Gets a veteran rider who has been on a bit of a roll of late. I use. Quaria Comet (2) is another first timer, and comes in for a barn that wins with .10% of the last 48 to make the initial start. Sharp works on hand, and gets a rider who knows his way around this track. Jockey has gone 4-2-1 in the last 13 mounts, too. Monocacy (12) goes for a very hot trainer, who has won with .31% of his 55 starters here this meet. Has gone 2-1-0 in the last 6 starts, too. Works are solid. Chance. I bet the 4-2 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 6-8-10 in two smaller units here, too. Wide open affair.

6th: 11-3/2-5-7-(13)/4-6-12/1-9-10-(14)…Enid (11) gets a bad post to begin this job, but the 4YO son of Tiznow has run 3 good ones in a row and two of those came over this surface. Has speed. Can burn. Will get the meet’s top rider in the saddle, too. Look out. Could be gone. Barn wins with .22% of those returning as a beaten favorite. Cryo (3) was claimed just two starts ago and now will race as a gelding for the first time. Barn is sharp and had a great meet. Rider has won with .27% of the last 11 for this trainer. Threat. I bet the 11-3 across the board and then box these two in the exactas. I will key the 11-3 over/under the 2-5-7-13-4 in two smaller units.

7th: 7-1/4-6/2-5/3…Latonia Stakes…Skygaze (7) will be making the 2022 debut and has not raced since November at Woodbine. Downside. But? This one has a perfect 2-for-2 run here over this track surface and is coming off an impressive win in Gr3 company at Woodbine last time out. In 10 lifetime starts over the AW surfaces, this 5YO American Pharoah mare has a 6-1-2 mark. In 6 starts at this distance? Has gone 3-1-2. Gets a rider who knows this track very well. And? Has won off the layoff before, too. Real threat. Crazy Beautiful (1) will be making here AW debut here, and that is a concern, too. But this 4YO daughter of Liam’s Map is certainly capable. Ran 4th in the G3 Royal Delta last time out. Nearly won the G3 Valley View over the grass at KEE last October. Talent. I bet the 7 across the board and then box the 7-1 in the exactas. I will key the 7-1 over/under the 4-6-2-5 in two smaller units. 

8th: 12-1-5/(14)/3-4-11/8/2-7-10…Rushaway Stakes…Erase (12) gets a horrendous post for this event, but the 3YO son of Dialed In looks the best in this spot. Sharp work on March 26 here and this one has plenty of early speed. That ingredient may be able to launch her to a ground-saving trip if able to clear. Rider who won on him two starts ago returns here, and that could help immensely. Choice. Grael (1) ran a good one in the Battaglia last time out and has never missed the board in 4 lifetime starts to date. Nice work here on March 25. Look for a huge effort here, too.  Tommy Bee (5) was 2nd in the Black Gold Stakes at the Fair Grounds last time out and will make the AW debut here. That is never easy, but the trainer does seem to figure it out. Has won with over .27% in the first 64 starts here this meet. I bet the 1-5 — take note — across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 14-3-4 in two smaller units.

9th: 2-1-7/4-5/8/6/3…Animal Kingdom Stakes…Higher Standard (2) ships up from the Fair Grounds for trainer Tom Amoss for this one. Won just two back and the barn wins with .27% when returning as a beaten favorite. Has speed and should be able to use it early and often here. Clever rider just won the Jockey’s title in New Orleans. Nobals (1) is a great name for a gelding. Isn’t it? Just won the Turfway Preview here last time out. Dominated in that one. Has run in 5 Stakes events in a row. Won two of them. Must use for me. Rotknee (7) is a NY-bred who will face open company for the first time, but this son of Runhappy looks like he has lots of speed and talent. I bet the 2-1 across the board and then box the top in the exactas. I will double down on the the # 2 across the board, too. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 4-5 in two smaller units.

10th: 2/1-12-10-3/4/5-6-11…Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes…Visitant (2) has run here 7 times. Has won 6 of those, with a third to boot. Loves this place. Has dominated here, too. Looks very good here, again. My “Key Play of the Day.” The trainer is hot right now and has won with .31% of 55 runners this meet. And? Trainer has won with .37% in non-Graded Stakes, too. I bet the 2 across the board and then key the 2 over/under the 1-12-10-3-4-5 in the exactas. More with the 1-12-10-3.

11th: 8-10-12/2-7-9/3-5-11/1-4…Bourbonette Oaks…This has graduated into a major prep for this year’s Kentucky Oaks. Sandstone (8) ships in to make the 2022 debut. She nearly won the G2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs last November. Has been training very well in Florida for this event and gets a top rider for the mount. Won the Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill Downs last October by over 10 lengths. Talent galore. North County (10) faced some tough ones in the G2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes last time out. Will make the AW debut here. By Not This Time, one of the hottest sires in the world right now. I can toss the last one. If she returns to form? Look out. Vergara (12) gets a horrid post, and this one will be making the 2022 debut, too. But there is a lot of talent here and should love the AW surface with this pedigree. Will be stalking from the get-go, if the rider can find a good spot. I bet the 8 across the board — twice. I box the top 3 in the exactas. I also key the 8 over/under the 10-12-2-7-9-3 in two smaller units.

12th: 7-1-8/2-6-12-(13)-5/9-3/11…G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks…Tiz the Bomb is “The Bomb” in this group, IMO. I know that this guy only won the John Battaglia by a neck, but that was truly the first race of the year for him — after the debacle at Gulfstream Park in the G3 Holy Bull back in February. I think the first start over the AW will help and give experience. Gets a top rider switch here, too. Will be coming mid-pack and that style should fit perfectly in this group. This one has a lot of talent. Most of it may be inclined to go on the turf. But has guts, too. I’m in. Royal Spirit (1) is my first “Upset Special of the Day.” This won of Into Mischief will make his AW debut here and will have to get a clean break to start the affair. But this one, trained by HOFer Todd Pletcher, has a lot of talent and the race in the G3 Kittens Joy easily could have been a winning one. Like the rider choice here. Post position is good with a clean break. But needs that. Don’t go to sleep here. Red Run (8) woke up when moved to the turf last time out. Came late to grab the win in Houston, but that race was solid.  This one has experience against our top pick, too. Has this one improved enough? Shall see. I bet the 7-1 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will also box the 7-1 in another match. I will key the 7-1 over/under the 8-2-6-12-13-5 in two smaller units.

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene