McLean’s Selections For Ellis Park On Saturday, July 20

(Stats to be updated with Horseshoe Indianapolis this week)

Here’s our looks for this Saturday card at the ole’ “Pea Patch,” which had no soybeans planted this year and now is sporting a new lake. We may need to call it the ole’ “Fishing Hole,” soon.

1st: 1-5/4-7/3-6-8/2…Battleoflexington (1) gets the call in the ole’ lid-lifter this afternoon at the hottest little racetrack in West Kentucky. This 4YO, New York-bred comes in off a misfire against much, much tougher competition last out. Gets the huge drop and spreads out to a route race, too. Barn wins with only .07% when dropping into the claiming ranks for the first time, but this one ran a very nice allowance event at KEE must three races ago. Gets a veteran rider who knows his way around an oval. Looks the best here. Summer in Aiken (5) is 8-1 in the ML and could spice up the odds rack a bit here. Ran a very nice one last out against weaker. Moves up the ranks, but not a deep field, either. Trainer winning at a .20% clip this year. Warrants a look. I bet the 1-5 across the board and then box these two in the exactas. I will key the 1-5 over/under the 4-7-3-6-8 in two smaller units. 

2nd: 9-8/(11)/1-4-5/10/2…Go Gemma (9) could pull a bit of a surprise here for trainer Robbie Medina. This one is listed at 6-1 in the ML, but ran huge last time out when trying the sod for the first time. Just missed at “The Shoe.” Gets a hot rider up, who has won with .19% of the last 16 mounts for this barn. Will be close to the lead early on. Can she hold on? Walk Street (8) edged our top pick last time out when closing hard. Trains is winning at a .05% rate this year? Ugh. I bet the 9 across the board and then box the 9-8 in the exactas. I will key the 9-8 over/under the 11-1-4-5 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 6-7/3-1/4-5/2…All West (6) nearly won at this same level last time out and faces an easier group here for a veteran barn outfit. Rider is holding his own at the meet and has a lot of experience with this 8YO gelding. Veteran gelding has a win and a third in three tries here before. Like this one. Hoodlum (7) is the likely favorite, and could be salty. Ran two good ones out of the last 3, but idle since mid-May. Barn wins with .20% off the bench. I bet the 6-7 across the board and then box these two sternly in the exactas. I will key the 6-7 over/under the 3-1 in two smaller units. 

4th: 1-8/5-3-4-7/2-6…Montevallo (1) won the last time out and drops off the win. Maybe. The starter allowance company is probably tougher than the higher-priced claimers. Still, this one looks good right now and should be a tough out. Will be close to the lead if James Graham can boot him home. Striking Sparks (8) goes for an underrated trainer, who wins with .33% of the first 6 this meet. Has hit the board in 5 of 6 here. Rider has won with .23% of the last 22 for this trainer, too. Looks like the one to beat, for me. I bet the 8 — take note — to win/place/show and then double down on the win wager. I will box the 1-8 in the exactas. I will key the 8 over/under the 1-5-3-4-7 in two smaller units. 

5th: 9-10-1/7-(13)/2-6-8/11-12…Rothko (9) will make the first start for trainer Brad Cox. This 2YO son of Tapit is out of Covefefe, whose 3YO just won over the grass to break the MSW. I like the barn, which wins with .22% of first time starters in the last 603. But Tapits can take awhile to learn the game. May need one. Tappan Street (10) is another from the Cox barn and this one is a first timer, too. But this one is by Into Mischief and the dam has already thrown 1 winner from 1 starter. May go to this one, instead. I bet the 10 — take note — to win/place/show and then box the top three numbers in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 7-13 in two smaller units. 

6th: 9-8/2-3-6-10/(13)-(12)/5-1/7-4…Bushido (9) has run 8 times over the grass in the career and has a nice 2-1-1 record. Same mark for the distance, too. Gets a top rider from Indy to travel down and he has won with .29% of the last 7 for this trainer. Look out speed here. Ducale (8) will be coming late in the proceedings and may need a little more ground than today’s race affords. But the son of Twirling Candy can motor late. I bet the 9 across the board and then box the 9-8 in the exactas. I will key the 9-8 over/under the 2-3-6-10 in two smaller units. 

7th: 9//8-10/3-6//1…The first “Key Play of the Day” comes here with Believe Her (9). I have this 3YO daughter of Bee Jersey ranked well ahead of the rest and I love the 3-1 ML odds. Has raced once at this distance and it was a win. Trainer and rider hook up often and should improve at this shorter distance. Barn wins with .30% — yep, .30% — in the claiming ranks. I bet the 9 to win/place and then double/triple down on the win wager. I will key the 9 over (only) the 8-10-3-6 in the exactas. 

8th: 1/2-4-3/7-9-8/(13)//5-6…The second “Key Play of the Day” comes here with the rail bird — Idratherbeblessed (1). This 4YO son of Unified has raced over this sod twice before with a win and a runner-up. Has been facing tough customers at Churchill Downs and now faces a little softer group here. In 5 tries over the turf, this one has a 1-1-1 mark. Look out for this one — closing mid-pack. I bet the 1 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I will key the 1 over/under the 2-4-3-7-9-8 in the exactas. 

9th: 7-4/3-5/1-(14)/2-(13)-11…Alcove (7) is the nod in the finale. This 3YO is another from the barn of Cox and has run two good ones to start the career. Looks poised for a big performance here and the barn wins with .31% when the blinkers come off and with about the same percentage when returning as a beaten favorite. Dam has a winner from two starters. But this is the first turf try to the son of Twirling Candy. I bet the 7 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will box the 7-4 in the exactas. I will key the 7-4 over/under the 3-5-1-14-2 in two smaller units. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene