McLean’s Selections for Horseshoe Indianapolis on Wednesday, Sept. 11 — Stakes Day

(Diamond Solitaire)

(Stats need to be updated)

Here’s our looks at “The Shoe” on this Stakes Day program. We will be back to watch and wager on and with our prized Diamond Solitaire, too. Let’s have a great ole’ time at the ole’ ball yard this afternoon. First post is 2:10 p.m. ET.

1st: 8-5/6-10/9//2-1-4-7…Humor’s Image (8) gets the nod in the ole’ lid-lifter up at “The Shoe” this afternoon, which will feature two Stakes events for the Indiana-breds. This 3YO gelding is an Indy-bred, too, and looking for the initial win of he career. Has two 3rds on the resume in the first five starts. Two in a row. Now will try to inch up the ladder here. Trainer has .19% winners when returning as a beaten favorite. That’s twice the average win rate. Rider gets the apprentice allowance. Should help. Has speed. Needs to get the ground now. Creek Valley (5) has been out 10 times so far. Has hit the board in 4 of those, with 3 runner-ups on the card. Has those 3 in a row after getting Lasix and the blinkers six starts ago. Rookie rider jumps from our top pick to this one. Interesting swap. I bet the 8 across the board and then box the 8-5 in the exactas. I will key the 8-5 over/under the 6-10-9 in two smaller units. 

2nd: 1-4-2/5/3-6…Macho Man (1) gets the rail and this 2YO son of Thousand Words is coming off a win first time out when spotted in the #9 hole. Went off that day at nearly 18-1 odds. Pay day. Cha-ching. I’m a firm believer if you don’t go to the wedding (big score) then you don’t go to the funeral (next time out). But this one looks like the real deal for a trainer winning at a .29% clip this meet. I can’t ignore this one. Ace It (4) ran in the Saratoga Special just two starts ago and slipped to 5th after punching the pace in the early going. Still? I very impressive run. Will be the tough out here and the one to beat. I bet the 1-4 — take note — across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 5 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 3-4-7/6//1…Retail Therapy (3) is a Blame filly who I looked at possibly claiming just a few starts ago. Falls to just $7,500 here after trying the turf the last 3 outs. Without success, mind you. Gets back to the dirt here and the barn wins with .27% when dropping this much at one time. Best career number came on a sloppy track. Rain? Vostra (4) ran at this same level last time and was a well-beaten 3rd, but has hit the board in each of the last 3 outs. Still? Zero-for-20 lifetime. Ugh. Greatest Moment (7) goes for a top trainer, who is winning at a .23% rate this meet and that is after 78 starts here. Gets a new apprentice for the reign job. Has won half of the last 4 rides for this barn. Impressive. I bet the 3-7 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 6 in two smaller units. 

4th: 4-1/(8)/7/3/5/6…Counterstrike (4) has run two impressive 2nds in a row and just may inch up the respectable order here. Gets the grass again, and has a 1-4-4 mark in 15 tries over the sod so far. But most of those came against tougher competition. Gets a KY-based rider to journey up for the trip. Look out here. May be coming with a flurry late. Carotari (1) is a speedy type and has a much better rate over the grass. In 35 grass starts, this one has a 9-8-4 mark. Trainer is winning at a .33% rate here this meet and knows how to spot his horses and win races, too. Will be a tough out. I bet the 4-1 across the board and then box these two sternly in the exactas. Sternly. 

5th: (13)-(14)/7-11-4/9-8-12-3/1-6/5-10…My top picks here in this Indiana-bred 2YO MSW race both come from the AE List. If they get in this 5.5-furlong sprint, then I think both or either are must use steeds on the front end. If not, and most likely they will not draw in, then I revert to my “Upset Special of the Day” — Illegal Contact (7). This 2YO gelding is listed at 10-1 in the ML, but seems much better than that to me. Trainer is red, red, white, white hot, hot. Over the last 19 saddle jobs, the trainer is 7-2-1. Nice. And, the trainer wins with .21% when running one in a sprint edition. The dam of this first time starter has 3 winners from 4 starters, too. Adds up for me. Hanksatank (11) is another long-shot possibility. Is listed at 12-1 in the ML. Works are OK and the dam has a winner from one starter, so far. Like the rider, who is winning at a .15% rate this meet. Chance here. I bet the 13-14 if either or both get in. If not, I bet the 7 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will box the 7-11-4 in the exactas. I will key the 7 over/under the 11-4-9-8-12-3 in two smaller units. 

6th: 1-6-8/3/4/2-7/5…This is the second turf event of the day and I go to the rail to saddle up with Indian Creed (1). This 3YO son of Jimmy Creed returns as a beaten favorite when running 4th there on Aug. 15. Led all the way until it counted that day. Spit the bit after the early fractions cooked too much. Gets a heady rider back in the saddle and the barn wins with .22% as a beaten favorite. Look out. Chisel (6) goes for the hottest trainer in the Midwest and comes in here off a string of top 3 finishes. Four in a row, to be sure. Rider is winning with .26% of the last 31 ups for this barn. Threat. Shiesty to Chase (8) has a win and a 2nd in 4 grass starts, to date. Ran huge last time out and the third place horse came right back to win the next out. I bet the 1-6 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I wheel the top 3 numbers over/under the 3 in two smaller units. 

7th: 5-1/3/10/6/2-8-9/4…Hoosier Heartland Handicap…This is a 11/16-mile event for the older fillies and mares. Disclaimer alert. We own the 5. We cherish the 5. We love the 5. We will be screaming, hollering and cheering on the 5. That’s just what we do. Every time she runs. In 33 lifetime starts now, she has earned over $434,000. She has been so good to all of us. We hope that she gets her first win at this distance. In 12 tries? Five seconds. Two Thirds. Now to get the first win. My“Key Play of the Day.” To be sure. I bet the 5 across the board and double/triple down on the win wager. I will key the 5 over/under the 1-3-10-6-2-8-9 in the exactas. More with the 1-3-10 than the rest. I will hit the 5-1 exacta box more than once, too. Sternly. 

8th: 7-9/3-8-4/2//6…Empire Handicap…This is the male version of the last race. I go with an ole’ reliable for me — Mr Chaos (7). He has won nearly $600,000 here and has a 2-0-2 record in 5 starts this year. May prefer shorter distances than this, but is 1-2-0 at this pole. C.J.’s Storm (9) has a shot here. Has not won in 6 starts this year, though, and will need a big effort to hold the top choice off. I bet the 7 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will box the 7-9 in the exactas. I will also key the 7 over/under the 9-3-8-4-2 in two smaller units. 

9th: 5/6-1/7/2-8…The finale gets us a “Key Play of the Day.” This 1-mile turf event looks like it should be dominated by Lilmorecraken (5). This one is even money in the ML, according to Brisnet.com. And, she has deserved it. She has hit the board in 6 of 9 lifetime and has always been on the board in 3 turf races. Still looking for the first sod win, but I like — er, love — her chances here. I bet the 5 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will key the 5 over/under the 6-1-7-2-8 in the exactas. More with the 6-1 than the rest. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene