Comments Added: McLean’s Selections For Churchill Downs on “Super Stakes” Saturday — Sept. 14

(The graphic on the cover was created by my great friend Dennis Trusty and his team of compadres…the magazine article is all about the Louisville Thoroughbred Society, a private club in downtown Louisville, which is all the rage. All. The. Rage.)

(Stats to be updated)

It may be a bit rainy today, but don’t let it soak out your parade. What a day of racing has been carded at the big oval in Louis-Town for today. Five Stakes on the card. Three of them are Graded. And, the list includes the prestigious Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes, as well.

Figures to be a blast. Even if the track is a bid muddy and the rains are a bit cloudy.

Go to the track, if you can. Find a dry spot to land. And, watch and wager on the best Thoroughbred racing in the United States of this America. Bar none.

Here’s our looks and wagering strategy for today:

1st: 6-3-1/2//5…Temecula (6) gets the nod in the ole’ lid-lifter at Churchill Downs this afternoon. This 3YO is by one of my favorite sires of all time — Speightstown. Has a win and a runner-up in 5 career cars and nearly had the win at Saratoga last time out. Trainer is having a solid year and wins with .24% of the last 76 to run in the claiming ranks. Worth the claim price of $80,000 here. I bet the 6 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the 6 over/under the 3-1-2 in two smaller units. 

2nd: 3-7/8-1-4-9/5//2-11…Lotus Case (3) is my first “Upset Special of the Day.” This daughter of Flatter has not run in a race since 2023. Over a year ago. Ran a 2nd in that one at Delaware Park. And, now shows up here? And, I pick on top? Yep. This one is training lights out for one of the best claiming trainers in the game and gets Lasix for the first time. Barn wins with .24% of the last 54 to pick up the anti-bleeder medication for the initial time. Gets a rider who does well for this barn. Could pop at a solid number. Beach Bunny (7) has run twice this year and came up with a 2nd at this level last time out at Ellis Park. Could improve enough to be a factor in this grouping. I bet the 3 across the board and then box the 3-7 in the exactas. I will key the 3 over/under the 7-8-1-4-9-5 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 6-7-1/10/8/4-5-9/2…Mandalorian (6) goes for a barn that is winning at a .23% rate this year and that is with 106 starters. Wins with .26% in the 2nd start off a layoff, too. This guy broke the MSW last time out by over 12 lengths. Just drew off easily. Look at this one to  be a tough customer in this group. Mr McGregor (7) could spice up the odds board. Listed at 8-1 in the ML, according to my great friends at Brisnet.com. Was claimed in the last effort and moves up. Barns wins with .16% of the last 157 to make the first start after the racetrack purchase. Chance. Merit (1) should fit nicely in here, with the drop in class. Barn wins with .14% when going to the claiming ranks for the first time. Gets a new ride who should be perfect for this scenario. I bet the 6 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the 6 over/under the 7-1-10-8-4-5 in two smaller units. 

4th: 4-1/9-7-10//3…Union Mist (4) gets my check mark here. This 3YO daughter of Union Rags has hit the board in each of the last 3 and seems to be improving right now. Has a good 2nd in only previous try over an “off track.” Vanished (1) has never been over an “off track,” but has speed and is coming off a vacation. Barn wins with .17% when away this long. New rider may assist this effort. Sharp work on Sept. 8. I bet the 4 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I box the 4-1 in the exactas. I will key the 4-1 over/under the 9-7-10 in two smaller units. 

5th: 2-6/3-4/1/5…Open Mind Stakes…The first of 5 Stakes events on the card today and this one is for $300,000 and the older fillies and mares. I go with Zeitlos (2) and the team at Stonestreet Stables. This gal has hit the board in 11 of 14 lifetime starts and is coming off a miss at Saratoga when she was moved to the sod for only the 2nd time. Only beaten a length after a furious late rally. Gets back to Churchill Downs and the main track here. Has gone 3-1-0 in 5 starts over this dirt and a perfect 2-for-2 on an “off track.” Enough for me. My first Key Play of the Day. I go…Across the board on the 2 and double/trip down on the win wager. I box the 2-6 in the exactas. I will key the 2 over/under the 6-3-4-1-5 in two smaller units. 

6th: 10-12/3-9-2-7/11-8-1-5/4…Star of Wonder (10) has snot started since June 2 when running over the slop here. Wonder what happened? But this colt won that day by over 3 lengths. Must have liked the mud and the track and the competition. Moves up here to face winners for the first time, but could be the real deal. I bet the 10 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will box the 10-12 in the exactas. I will key the 10 over/under the 12-3-9-2-7-11 in two smaller units. 

7th: 7/1-4-3/5-2/6-8…G2 Locust Grove Stakes…The next “Key Play of the Day” comes in this 11/16-mile Grade 2 event with the 5YO mare Shotgun Hottie (7). This daughter of Gun Runner has won just 1 of 6 starts this year, but has been so close that she could have won two more. Easily. Ran up against Raging Sea in the G2 Shuvee last time out and that one came right back to win again. Has a 1-2-0 mark in 4 starts here, but the most impressive thing its that she has 2 of her 6 wins over an “off track.” I like. I go. I bet the 7 across the board and then double/triple down on the win wager. I key the 7 over/under the 1-4-3-5-2 in the exactas. More with the 1-4-3 than the others. 

8th: 13-9-12/9-2-10/3-6-7-4…G3 Pocahontas Stakes…This is the first points trip for the 2025 Kentucky Oaks and it is a doozy. What a nice group of 2YO fillies are lined up here. I go to the far outside and pick Kimchi Cat (13). These are the same connections that teamed up with Serengeti Empress a few years back. This gal may not have that type of speed, but the daughter of Twirling Candy has a win over an “off track,” and two wins in a row at Saratoga. She will have to get some tactical position from this far outside post and that may compromise her the most. But she has the speed to negotiate a good trip. Strong State (9) ran a better-than-looks 4th in the G1 Spinaway Stakes last time out. She was so wide in that one that it hurt any chance to rally strong. Can come from back and does have experience now over an off track. Gets Irad back. Watch out here at a solid price. Stilettos (12) is a Texas-bred who runs like a lightning bolt. Has two wins in two starts and nobody has suggested, yet, that she may not be good enough to run against the likes of these. Has speed. And, she will travel. Fits. I bet the 13-9 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the 13-9 over/under the 12-9-2-10-3-6 in two smaller units. 

9th: 10-2/7-6/5-9/8-3…Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes…This one is my pride and joy. If it wasn’t for my partner, Mike Schnell, and Churchill Downs, the LTS would not have gotten done and completed. But Mike and the team at CDI made “The Dream” a reality and now we have the best private club in the entire United States of this America with the best staff in the entire world. It is a great place and a fantastic location to watch and wager on the best racing, too. I love it. And, Churchill has named this Stakes in honor of the club, as well. For my money, this is the best field ever assembled for the LTS Stakes. It is deep and wide. Skelly (10) comes in with a record of 10 wins and 6 seconds in 17 lifetime starts. How would you like to own this 5YO gelding? Wow. Just ran 2nd in the G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes at Saratoga. Has a 2-1-0 mark in 4 starts over the off going and has a 1-2-0 record in 3 starts here. Adds up for me. Closethegamesugar (2) nearly won the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar last time out. Before that won two Stakes here in a row. Doesn’t have the experience over the wet track and that’s the reason I give the edge to the top pick. With horses like this, though, the Stakes could end up a Graded event next year. Here’s hoping. I bet the 10 across the board and then double down on the win-place wager. I will box the 10-2 in the exactas. I will key the 10-2 over/under 7-6-5-9 in two smaller units. 

10th: 5-12-11/2-10-1-3-8/7-9…G3 Iroquois Stakes…The featured event of the day will be the first points race for the 2025 Kentucky Derby and it may be one of the best fields I have ever seen for this event. Ever. Amazing. Owen Almighty (5) has breezed to two wins in just two starts and had a super sharp work son Sept. 7. Son of Speightstown looks like a good one and gets Irad to come in for the mount. Wow. Politicallycorrect (12) just ran 2nd to the top pick at Ellis Park. Dueled head to head until he could not longer in that one. May take a different strategy here with the change in riders. Can rally, too. Mesero (11) is owned in part by Mike Schnell, my partner in the LTS. Be a great day for him to give out a trophy and then get one. And, this son of Not This Time looks and acts like the real deal. Won in the mud at Ellis. Great experience. I will also give a strong look and include Giocoso (2) in this spot. Another son of Not This Time won his last start over a firm grass course at Ellis Park. Beat our horse, Courageous Clay, in that one. We came back and ran a real solid 2nd at KY Downs. If this guy converts to the main track? Look out at big odds. I bet the 5-11-2 across the board and then I box the 5-11-2 (take note) in the exactas. I will key the 5-11-2 over/under the 12-10-1 in two smaller units. 

11th: 11-5/8-9-10/7/2-6-4…The day’s finale is a MSW event that will be for the 2YO colts and going the route distance of 11/16-miles. Kinetic Control (11) has to break from the far outside and that could be a compromising factor. But this guy ran a huge 2nd in his career opener and the barn does win with .16% on the 2nd try and with .16% when going a route for the first time, too. Tickled Quist (5) is going for the 2nd time and for a top barn operation in the entire world. Trainer was with .30% when going a route of ground for the second time. Was well bet in the debut, when he was 5th at Ellis Park. Look for a lot more effort here. I bet the 11 across the board and then box the 11-5 in the exactas. I will key the 11-5 over/under the 8-9-10-7 in two smaller units. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene