Final Version: McLean’s Selections for Horseshoe Indianapolis on Veteran’s Day — Friday, Nov. 11

Stats Now Completely Updated

Here’s our looks at the card at Horseshoe Indianapolis on this most honorable of holidays — Veteran’s Day. The little track in Shelbyville, IN always does a most wonderful job of celebrating this occasion — when we pause to honor those that have give this country and each of us the most important thing in life. They give us peace. They give us the ability to live each day not worried about danger and harm. They give us security against harm’s way and those that would wish to end both our society and way of life. They give us more than those things, though. They give us their all. Each day. Every day.

On this day, Horseshoe Indianapolis — led by General Manager and great friend Eric Halstrom — will take time to honor employees that have served in the military.

On this day, Horseshoe Indianapolis will take time to introduce members of the military — both past and present — and invite some to the winner’s circle to be honored and recognized.

On this day, Horseshoe Indianapolis and its’ great family of folks — from track staff to jockeys and trainers — will donate funds to assist the great program at Helping Veterans & Families of Indiana (https://www.hvafofindiana.org/).

On this day, Horseshoe Indianapolis will reach out to several public handicappers and ask some of us to place a $250 wager on the Pick 5 for this day’s card. If we hit, the proceeds will be donated to help fund the unbelievable work of this amazing charity — who serve those who have served and given so much to us.

Eric Halstrom takes great pride in this day and this event. In his own way, he is honoring his own Dad, too. His father served in World War II and later in Korea. He gave much. To all of us. Including a great son, who is one of the best racetrack executives in the entire industry.

Let’s pause a moment on this Friday to honor each and all that have worn that uniform of all our military branches, and have helped protect us; our way of life; our soil; our world.

Let’s pause just a moment on this Friday to think of those veterans who have returned home and have struggled to find their way back into society, and fight each day, now, to just find something good to eat and a warm place to lie at night.

Let’s pause just for a moment to honor these warriors, and dig deep into our own memories and pockets to help them recover in a better way.

Here’s our picks for this Friday — Veteran’s Day. I will wager on each race on the card. Each dollar that I win will be donated to the same charitable organization:

(https://www.hvafofindiana.org/).

I will play along with my compadres and hope to hit the Pick 5 that Horseshoe Indianapolis will fund and donate, if we are lucky enough to win.

And…

I will play my own $250 Pick 5 ticket, as well. If that one hits, the total amount will be donated, too.

It is such a small thing to do to recognize the sacrifice and the donation of blood, sweat and tears to our country and to each one of us. We owe them so much. We owe them our thanks.

Here’s our picks:

1st: 1-2/5-7-3/6//4…C F V Texas Red (1) gets the nod in the ole’ lid-lifter up at “The Shoe” on this remarkable day and card. This 3YO gelding has raced here 7 times in the past and has a 1-1-0 mark. But he will be dropped down several rungs in the claiming ladder for this effort and the barn wins with .17% when plunging this much. Gets a top rider who won on this one here on Aug. 15 to break the maiden. Has speed. Plenty of it. And, may be able to dictate the tempo from gate to wire over a track that does favor front-runners. Just Phil (2) nearly won at this same level last time out here on Oct. 20. Has a 1-2-3 mark in 13 starts here and does have a win and a 2nd in 5 starts at this 1-mile distance. Will be coming late in the proceedings and gets a newcomer to the jock’s room here for the mount. Interesting. I bet the 1-2 across the board and then box these two in the exactas. I will key the 1-2 over/under the 5-7-3-6 in two smaller units. 

2nd: 1/6/2-5/3-4…The first “Key Play of the Day” comes here with the uno, again, and Rio Lady (1). This 3YO daughter of Gormley nearly won at this same “bargain bin” level last time out and will now make the 2nd start off a claim for a top barn on the grounds. Trainer has won with .25% on second tries and that’s with the last 102 to do so. Gets the meet’s top rider up and he has won with .25% of the last 44 for this outfit. Should be stalking and running best in the lane. My pick. I bet the 1 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will key the 1 over/under the 6-2-5-3-4 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 2-4/5-1//6/3…Skys Image (2) gets the nod in this tilt. The 3YO Indiana-bred daughter of Ready’s Image has run in two Stakes events in a row. Held her own in the Lady Fog Horn last time out. Pushed the pace in that one. Returns to a more likely spot here and the drop in class should help. Rider has gone 4-2-0 in the last 15 ups and this one has a 1-1-1 mark here in 12 starts. Quite Whimsical (4) will stretch out to a route distance here after two sprints in a row. Barn wins with 0-for-15 when doing that. And, this one has only 1 win in 21 previous tries here. Hmmm. I bet the 2 across the board and then key the 2 over/under all the numbers listed. More with the 4-5-1 than the rest. 

Start of the Pick 5 Begins Here:

4th: 2-3/1-7//4-5/6…Single Her (2) is a 2YO daughter of Get Stormy and could be considered for just that status here — a single. The gal has run here twice already. Both 2nds. One of those was on the turf. Last one was a stretch out to the 1-mile over the main track. Nearly pulled off the win that day on Oct. 20. Gets a new rider up here and that is interesting. Look for this one to push the pedal early and often. Can she hold on this time? Classy Dream (3) ran 3rd behind our top pick last time out as the favorite. This barn wins with .37% of the last 30 to return to the gate as a beaten favorite. Has speed, but is more of a stalking type. Look out here. This one could be primed. I bet the 2-3 across the board and then box these two sternly in the exactas. I will key the 2-3 over/under the 1-7 in two smaller units.

5th: 2-4-1/8-3-9-(10)/7//5/6…Artie’s Rumor (2) returns to the sod here after nearly winning the last time out on Oct. 19. Came with a major effort late, but just couldn’t get past. The race before was a huge effort at Kentucky Downs. Has hit the board in the last 3 and 4 of the last 5. Has 3-1-3 record in 11 tries over this sod. Looks well spotted and the rider comes up from KY to take this mount. Adds up to stout. Jeopardy Theory (4) is an Indiana-bred stepping up and out to face open company and will have his hooves full. But this one ran a huge 2nd against similar last time out and has the ability to be tough in this spot. Can come late. Can go early. Versatile sort for a top barn operation. Chance here. Border Town (1) goes for the barn of Mike Maker, who has had a bit of a slow meet here this year. But this one was claimed at Del Mar in late August and ran well at Laurel in late October. Fits nicely here and will be coming very late in these proceedings. If it stays on grass? Look out. I bet the 2-4 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 8-3-9 in two smaller units.

6th: 8-1-11/5/3-6-9/2-4-7/10…Prince Act (8) ran a good one against open company last time out and now gets back to just Indiana-breds here. That should assist and a new rider will take the reins. Jockey has won with .12% of 427 mounts his meet and has done OK for this barn — winning at a .17% rate. Has speed and can stalk the leaders. Should be a tough out here at the wire. Benny’s Legacy (1) goes for a trainer who has won with .20% of the first 30 starts here this meet. Drops considerably for this try and should be a threat at this level. Has a 2-4-3 record in 21 starts here. But most of those against tougher. Mr. Springtime (11) drops deep into the claiming ranks here, as well. Has 2 wins and 2 thirds in just 6 starts here. Can speed, if needed. Can stalk, if they want. Versatile wort could be a threat. I bet the 8-1 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 5 in two smaller units.

7th: 2-9-5/1-6-10/3/4-7/8…Mi Crescendo (2) goes for a top barn operation on these grounds and picks up a solid rider here, too. Has a win and a 2nd in 5 previous tries over this surface and the barn wins with .22% of the last 435 in the claiming ranks. Rider has gone 4-2-0 in the last 15 ups. This one has speed to use early and can finish the job, as well. Toss the last one and this one has hit the board in three straight. Compressed Energy (9) has run in two straight Stakes and now plummets back into the claiming ranks at a very affordable rate. Ran 2nd in the Lady Fog Horn last out, too. Wow performance for this one, who was 2nd in a  $5,000 claimer just three back. If she brings that same race as last time? Look out. Vavite (5) was claimed last time out at Presque Isle, when running over the AW surface. Nearly won that one, too. Moves up to face tougher here, but has hit the board in 4 of 9 lifetime. Chance. I bet the 2-9 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the 2-5 over/under the 5-1-6-10-3 in two smaller units. 

8th: 6-5/4-2/1-7/3//8…The finale Thoroughbred event on the day is a $5,000 claimer for the Indiana-breds and it will be contested at the sprint distance of 6 furlongs. I go with Lashes (6) here. This 3YO Overanalyze filly has won the last two and three of the last 4. Two of those top performances were against open company. Meet’s top rider back up. Strong. This one has hit board in 6 of 10 here. Sweet Justice (5) goes for a top trainer here, who has won with .20% of 269 mounts. This 4YO filly has gone 4-4-2 here and the jockey has teamed up to go 2-2-1 in the last 8 for this barn operation. Last one was a toss for me, as the heavy favorite. Never made the lead or the front, and that is this one’s game. Better break today and this one could be salty — again. I bet the 6-5 across the board and then box these two in the exactas. I will key the 6-5 over/under the 4-2-1-7-3 in two smaller units. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene