McLean’s Selections for Horseshoe Indianapolis on Friday, Aug. 11

All Stats Are Now Updated

Here’s our looks at “The Shoe” on this Friday, when we hope to see the successful return of our very own Knight’s Move:

1st: 4-2/1-7//3/6/5//8…Irish Tap (4) gets the nod in the ole’ lid-lifter up at “The Shoe” on this Friday kick-start to the weekend. This 4YO daughter of Tapiture comes in off a near-missed 2nd last time out against tougher competition. The Louisiana-bred was beaten just a neck and now has a 1-1-2 mark in 8 starts here. If she can duplicate that kind of effort at this level? Look out. Barn is winning with .17% of 152 starts here this meet. Tribal Spirit (2) goes for a top trainer on the grounds , who has won with 39 of the first 184 starts here — which computes to a win ratio of .21%. Was claimed for $5,000 last time out and now returns for the same level. Barn wins with .15% of those making the first start after the purchase. That is with the last 206. Rider has won with .16% of the last 19 for this barn. I bet the 2 — take note — across the board and then box the 4-2 in the exactas. I will key the 4-2 over/under the 1-7 in two smaller units. 

2nd: 2-6/3/5/1-4…Nixa (2) looks best on paper here. This 3YO daughter of Palace comes in off three straight starts at the MSW level. Drops to the $15,000 MCL ranks here and the barn wins with .33% of the last 18 to back this kind of class drop. Gets a heady rider up and this jockey has won with 3 of the last 9 for the outfit. Lots to like here. Angelsndisguise (6) nearly won last time out, when offered up for $10,000. Moves up in class after that performance and picks up the barn’s go-to rider again. Has speed and may be the one to catch. I bet the 2 across the board and then box the 2-6 in the exactas. I will key the 2-6 over/under the 3-5 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 6-5/2-3/4/1/7…Tattered Heart (6) won the last time out and loses that condition, but should be a tough out here, as well. Gets the apprentice back in the saddle and the barn does win with .31% when trying to repeat in the  claiming ranks. Stalking speed is the perfect road trip here. Look out. Wild Tapit (5) is a 5YO mare who has a ton of experience here. Has raced 20 times before. Has hit the board in nearly .33% of those tries. But? Has just one win. Ugh. I bet the 6 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will box the 6-5 in the exactas. I will key the 6 over/under the 5-2-3-4-1-7 in two smaller units. 

4th: 5-1-6/2-8-9/4-3-7/10…The first grass event of the day will be contested at 11/16-miles and I saddle up with More Than Glory (5). This one comes from a top barn operation, which wins with .35% of the last 37 to drop into the claiming ranks for the first time. Moves back to the sod, too, and that should help. Has a runner-up in two previous shots over the grass. Ultimate Mission (1) drops another run on the claiming ladder after a near-miss 3rd last time out. Lost by only a length that day and had a rather wide trip. Has a 1-1-2 record in 7 previous tries over the sod and the dam of this one has thrown 3 turf winners. Lady With a Cause (6) will make the first start on the grass here after being claimed last time out. The barn is 0-for-30 in first tries at sod racing. That’s with the last 30. Ugh. I bet the 5 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I will box the top 3 numbers in one exacta, and I will key the 5 over/under the 1-6-2-8-9-4 in two smaller units. 

5th: 3-4-7/5-6/2-1…This is a MSW event for the Indiana-bred 2YO fillies, who are stretching out for the first time. I go with Rafaella (3) in this spot. The youngster goes for a barn that is winning with .10% this meet and returns here after 2 straight 2nds while sprinting. Barn does win with .25% of those returning as a beaten favorite. But? Barn is 0-for-31 when first time routing, too. Ugh. J’s Naughty Kitten (4) ran two good ones before throwing a clunker in the slop last time out. Toss that one and this one looks the part, too. Barn is fitting this one for blinkers for the first time and wins with .25% of the last 8 to do that. Also? Barn wins with .18% when routing for the first time. Better. Rushin Lucy (7) could be the first Upset of the Day. This 2YO looks like she will relish the additional ground and the art does very well when stretching out from two sprints into a route. Wins with .23% of those kind. I bet the 4-7 — take note — across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the 4-7 over/under the 3-5-6-2-1 in two smaller units. 

6th: 6-9-10/(13)/5-12/4-7-11-3/2…This is a 1-mile event over the sod and I will go with Maintainer (6). This 4YO gelded son of Air Force Blue comes in with a win in three previous tries over the turf. Comes from a Stakes-winning dam who has thrown 5 turf winners from 7 starters and has a Stakes-winner progeny, too. Breeding is there and drops from tougher company into the claiming ranks for the first time. This trainer is 0-for-26 in that category stat, though. Ugh. Oneparticularharbor (9) is another from the same barn and will go to the first try on the sod. Barn does better there, winning with .11% of the last 27. Gets the barn’s go-to rider up. If it comes down between these two? I like the latter. Fixitwithforward (10) could be an Upset of the Day II. This 3YO gelded son of American Pharoah won the last time out, but that was in the MCL ranks at Ellis Park. Should fit OK here in the first try against winners. Maybe? I bet the 9-10 — take note — across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the top 3 over/under the 5-12 in two smaller units. If it comes off the sod, I will go with the MTO entry — #13.

7th: 5-7-8/9-2/4/1-6-3…This will be the return, hopefully, for our very own Knight’s Move (9). And, I think he has a shot at definitely being an Upset Special of the Day. This guy won his very first race of his career here over a year ago. Right out of the shoot. Came with a late rush to get up at the wire that day. We tried Stakes company in just his 2nd career start. Held his own against some good ones in there, too. Got hurt last summer and we gave him some considerable time off and away at the farm to get everything back in good working order. Has been training well and waiting for a race to fill. Now, here we are. The distance may be a tad too short for him, but he looks and acts the part. I’m in. Healing Waters (5) could be an Upset Special of the Day for me, too. This one is listed at 15-1 in the ML, as well. Has not raced since last year, as well, and will make the first start for the new barn operator, who is winning with 2 of 6 so far this meet. Chance. I bet the 9 across the board and then key the 9 over/under the 5-7-8-2-4 in the exactas. More with the 5 than the rest. 

8th: 7-3/10/2-11-4/12//1-5…The final Thoroughbred race of the day is a 1-mile test over the sod and I will go with Backyard Justice (7). This 3YO gelding will return to the sod here after getting rained off last time out in the Stakes event. No match that day on a track that he didn’t prefer. Before that? Had two 2nds and  a win over the grass course here. Could pop again with that kind of form. Corona Grande (3) goes for a top trainer in these parts and will make the adjustment over to the grass here. Barn wins with only .06% that make this surface switch. Ugh. I bet the 7 across the board. Double down on the win wager, too. I will box the 7-3 in one set of exactas. And, I will key the 7 over/under the 3-10-2-11-4-12 in two smaller units. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene