McLean’s Selections for Ellis Park on Sunday, Aug. 20

(Stats to be updated after Ellis Park’s cards on Friday and Saturday)

Here’s our looks at the ole’ “Pea Patch” on this Sunday Funday:

1st: 6-9-4/7-2-3/1-8…Sweet Guitar (6) is a Louisiana-bred, 2YO daughter of the state’s best stallion — Star Guitar. Pedigree has no true grass influence, but the barn is having a superb meet — winning 2 of 3 so far. With grass runners debuting? Has won with .25%. Rider has won with .33% off the last 6 for this trainer, too. Adds up to threat. Wreck It Ruby (9) has run three times already, and is coming off a distant 3rd against weaker competition last time out. Has a shot, but needs to improve. Sucre Cecile (4) goes for a trainer who is having a rough meet, going 0-for-16 to start. This one was nowhere to be found here on Aug. 4. But that one was ruled off the grass. Daughter of City of Light deserves another shot? I give her one. I bet the 6 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the 6 over/undre the 9-4-7-2-3 in two smaller units. 

2nd: 4-3-7/5/6/1-2…Mad Adam (4) gets the nod here. This 4YO Super Saver gelding comes in off a distant 4th last time out. Bumped at the start of that one and never truly recovered to show much of a threat. Toss race for me. Race two back was solid and may be good enough to win this affair. Trainer is having another solid meet. Go-to rider up. Santa Cruiser (3) used to be OK a long, long time ago. Tired at the 1-mile distance last time out. Gets a new rider after that one, that went too fast for these types. Maybe. Job Security (7) has just 2 wins in 26 starts. Ugh. I bet the 4 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the 4 over/under the 3-7-5-6-1-2 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 6-4-9/8/7-1/2/3-5…Brown Liquor Man (6) goes for a barn that has 2 runner-ups in 4 starts here this meet. This one moves up in class here after a second solid 2nd. rider is red, red, red hot. Won at least 4 on Friday. Barn wins with .21% when moving up a notch in the claiming ranks. My Uncle Frank (4) was claimed last time out and shows back up for the same purchase price. Has run two 3rds to start the career for a top barn operation. Should be right there by wire time. My Brother Keith (9) is owned by Ken Ramsey. Enough said. Horse has a shot. Owner does not. Bad karma. 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 top 3 numbers over/under the 8 in two smaller units. 

4th: 5/4-2-6/1-7/3…The first Key Play of the Day comes here with Shortly (5). This one is the ML favorite, according to my friends at Brisnet.com, and looks to be very live here. Was claimed last time out for the same purchase price as this one. Was a fast-closing 2nd in that one here on July 9. Gets a new rider, who is having a very solid meet, so far. Dam was a Stakes winner and this one could break the MCL here. I bet the 5 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I will key the 5 over/under the 4-2-6-1-7-3 in the exactas. More with the 4-2-6 than the rest. 

5th: 4-(16)/10-3-8/1-7-11/6/5/2-9-12…The second grass race of the day, and this one will be contested at the sprint distance of 5.5 furlongs. I go with Mya’s Halo (4). This 2YO daughter of More Than Ready nearly won here on debut on July 16. Looks the part. Acts the part. May run the part. I’m betting she does. I bet the 4 across the board and then double/triple down on the win wager. I will key the 4 over/under the 16-10-3-8-1-7-11-6 in the exactas. More with the 16, if it gets in. If not? More with the 10-3-8 than the rest. 

6th: 3-6/5-4/2-1…B Sudd (3) is a 4YO son of the stallion Jimmy Creed, who can toss some really fast runners. This one is slated to go 6.5 furlongs and that should be right up this one’s game plan. Barn looking for win #1 this meet. Has been off since January, but barn wins with .11% of the last 72 away this long. Looks capable. Needs to figure out how to pass at the wire. Elite Forces (6) won on debut and should win here, too. I’m on board with this one. Take serious note. I bet the 6 — take note — across the board and then double/triple down on the win wager. I will box the 3-6 solidly in the exactas. I will key the 6 over/under the 3-5-4-2-1 in two smaller units. 

7th: 6/5-8-1/3-4/2-7//9…The next Key Play of the Day comes here with Alder (6). This is another from the barn of Brad Cox, who is winning with over .30% of his runners here this meet. This one was declared a non-starter in the debut. Never caught a clean start. Has worked like crazy since then. Look out here. Could be a freak son of Hard Spun and rider is red, red, red hot. I bet the 6 across the board and then double/triple down on the win wager. I will key the 6 over/under the 5-8-1-3-4-2-7 in the exactas. More with the 5-8-1 than the rest. 

8th: (10)/1-7/3/5-6-8/2-4…If this one comes off the turf, and with the rain we are having these days? I will go to the MTO entry Promise Keeper (10). I toss the last one and figures prominently here. But if it stays on the sod, I must go looking elsewhere and I wind up on the rail with Vintage Print (1). This 6YO gelded son of Curlin has 3-1-2 mark in 12 sod races, to date, and I can toss the one over the slop here last time out. Has faced some good ones and looks formidable. Enough for me. I bet the 10 if it comes off the sod. I bet the 1 if it stays on. Across the board. Double/triple down on the win wager. And? I will key either the 10 or the 1 over/under the 7-3-5-6-8 in the exactas. More with the 1-7 than the rest. 

9th: 3-8/1-10-9/7//4-5-6…Ten Count (3) gets my checkmark here. This 3YO son of Not This Time comes in off a win at Hawthorne last time out. Has run two good ones for a top barn operation, which always seems to have her horses ready to fire. Works are good. Husband/Jockey is solid. Vale (8) was claimed last time out by a HOF trainer. Wins with .19% of the last 341 to make the first start after a purchase. Trainer’s son takes the mount. Wins with .16% of the last 25 for the dad. I bet the 3 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I will box the 3-8 in the exactas. Sternly. I will key the 3 over/under the 8-1-10-9-7 in two smaller units. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene