McLean’s Selections for Horseshoe Indianapolis on Wednesday, Aug. 23 — Stakes Day

(Stats to be updated after Ellis Park’s cards on Friday, Saturday & Sunday)

Here’s our looks at “The Shoe” on Wednesday, when a couple of Indiana-bred Stakes events are on the card to spice up the iced tea:

1st: 7-10/3-2-9-8/5//1…Zipsy Rose Lee (7) gets the nod in the ole’ lid-lifter at “The Shoe” on this Stakes Day Wednesday. This 4YO Sky Mesa filly drops back into the MCL ranks for the first time since nearly winning here last November. Has made 16 passes at winning the first time, but fits here. Does have 4 runner-ups and 3 more thirds. Maybe? Nixa (10) ran well here at 5.5-furlongs on Aug. 11. That was the first drop into the claiming ranks. Goes for a top barn operation in these parts. Rider is 0-for-9 for the trainer, though. Ugh. I bet the 7 across the board and then box the 7-10 in the exactas. I will key the 7-10 over/under the 3-2-9-8-5 in two smaller units. 

2nd: 3-10-6/11-4-5/7-9/1-2-8…Phillip Snow (3) will return to the sprint distance here after trying a two-turn 1-mile event last time out. That didn’t work out. This one does have 2 runner-ups and 2 more thirds in 7 trips here. Barn does win with .25% of the last 20 when falling back into the sprint ranks and with .18% when going into the claiming ranks for the first time. Threat here with a top rider up. Jockey has won with .35% of the last 23 for this barn. My pick. I bet the 3 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the 3 over/under the 10-6-11-4-5-7-9 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 9/5-3/7/4/6-8/1-2…The first Key Play of the Day comes here with  Tale of Fame (9). This 8YO veteran has been out 50 times. The big 5-0. Has come home with a record of 12-10-7. Has gone 7-7-4 in 21 starts here. Knows his way around the oval and comes in off a very nice 3rd last time out. Falls all the way to the “bargain bin” here. I’m on board. I bet the 9 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will key the 9 over/under the 5-3-7-4-6-8 in the exactas. More with the 5-3 than the rest. 

4th: 1-4-7/2-8-5/9/3-6//10…This is a 5-furlong turf event and I will saddle up with the railbird — Margaret’s Lady (1). This one really needs to break much, much, much better than the first time out. If this daughter of Gormley can do that, she may have a shot. If not, she doesn’t. But the rail is winning at a .20% clip. Nice. Cold But Fast (4) just got tired in the first start. Daughter of Frosted may be stronger here. Barn wins with .25% of their last 28 to make the 2nd start. Nice. Nice. Back on Track (7) gets a rider who is winning at a .27% rate after 63 mounts here this meet. Should like this spot. I bet the 4 — take note — to win/place/show and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the 1-4 over/under the4 7-2-8-5-9 in two smaller units. 

5th: 5-6-4/3-7/1-10/9/2…Tour the Moon (5) has hit the board in each of the last 4 and 6 of the last 7 outs. In 15 starts here, this one has a 2-2-3 mark. Ran off to an easy win with return to dirt last time out. Loses that condition and moves up to face tougher. Chance. Hobnobin General (6) could spice up these odds rack. Returns as a beaten favorite, and the barn wins with .33% of these types. Has a 1-3-1 mark in 11 starts here, though, and that should be better. Does have a record of hitting the board in 7 of the last 9, though. Bright Brian (4) is another longshot possible. Comes back to the dirt here and that should help this one, a son of Majestic Harbor. Look for more here. I bet the 5-4 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the 5-6-4 over/under the 3-7 in two smaller units. 

6th: 3/10/1-11/6-8/5/2-9-7…The next Key Play of the Day comes here with Signature Call (3). This 3YO Tapizar filly goes for a top horseman here and has run two very nice 2nds in a row. Picks up a new rider with a huge weight allowance. Could fit perfectly here. Rider has won with 1 of 3 for this barn. Look out. I bet the 3 across the board and double/triple down on the win wager. I will key the 3 over/under the 10-1-11-6-8-5 in the exactas. Lots more with the 10 than the rest. 

7th: 6-8/1/7/10-3-5-11/2-4-9-12…Pickle Feet (6) ran a very nice one last time out after the layoff. Now, this one has been off since May, again. But this barn does well off the bench, winning with .21% of the last 14 to be away from the gate this long. Has a 1-3-1 mark here in 6 starts. Rider nearly won on this one last year. Familiar. Butch’s Best (8) returns as a beaten favorite and this barn wins with .22% of the last 76 to do that. Gets a rider who has been in the saddle the last two outs. This one is training lights out and deserves a shot here, too. I bet the 6 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I will box the 6-8 in the exactas. I will key the 6-8 over/under the 1-7-10-3-5-11 in two smaller units. 

8th: 3/6-7-11/1/4-5//8/2…Peony Handicap Purse…Louder Than Words (3) is an amazing 8-1 in the ML set by my friends over at Brisnet.com. Respect those folks a ton, but this 4YO Mr Speaker filly deserves much more respect, IMO. This one has won 3 in a row and has never missed the board in 5 outs here. Last time on turf? Was here last October. Won that one, too. Will be a tough, tough, tough out. But? We are running our very own Diamond Solitaire (6) here, too. I know she has never won on the turf and she has never won a Stakes event, either. But our 5YO mare has never been better and she is training lights out. Here’s hoping that she takes to this grass and gets a clean run. Plus, we have a big plus going in, too. We have James Graham riding. The man is as good a grass rider in the entire Midwest and is as tough as they come. We are hopeful. And, we will be there in mass to attest to our hope. I bet the 6 — take note — across the board and then double down on the win wager. I will box the 3-6 sternly in the exactas. I will key the 3-6 over/under the 7-11-1-4-5 in two smaller units. 

9th: 4-11/(13)/3/5/6-7-8-10/9-(14)…Bucchero Handicap Stakes…This is a 11/16-mile Stakes over the sod for the boys and I ante up with Strong Tide (4). This one comes out of the G1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs. Nearly won a G1 at Belmont Park in mid-May, too. Should appreciate the return to face only Indiana-breds here. If this guy can duplicate those runs? Look out. Cash Logistics (11) will make the first start since March 24. Long time off and changes back to the original barn. Won a couple of Indiana-bred Stakes in 2021 for this trainer. Lot to ask, but this one may be up to the challenge. I bet the 4 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I will box the 4-11 in the exactas. I will definitely use the 13 if it moves to the main track. If not, I will key the 4-11 over/under the 3-5-6-7-8-10 in two smaller units, too. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene