Final Version: McLean’s Selections For Keeneland on Sunday, April 10

Another very good day at Keeneland on Saturday. Had 4 winners on the 11-race card, in attention to picking the winner of both the Toyota Blue Grass and the Wood Memorial in our weekly “Saturday Racing Preview Show” with my great host Dave “Buzz” Baker.

We added 6 exactas on the day, and our two “Key Plays of the Day” rendered a win and a 2nd.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Here’s our looks for the Sunday card:

1st: 2-1/8-5-6/4/7-3…The ole’ lid-lifter is the first 2YO race of the meet for the fillies. In the inaugural “baby race” on Friday, the “guru” — Wesley Ward — was dusted. Not common around here. We will give him redemption time here and go with both of his would-be “stars” in Gila (2) and Starstriker (1). Both of these get top riders for the job and both have been training well for the debut. I give a slight edge to the 2, because she does NOT draw the rail — which can be tricky for a newcomer. Sire withs with .16% with first time starters and the trainer is 2-for-6 to begin the meet. The rail bird is a Brit-bred and may be better suited for the grass, after all. Gets Irad Ortiz up, though, and you have to consider a guy winning half of his starts so far this meet. I bet the 2-1 across the board and then box those two in the exactas. I will key the 2-1 over (only) the 8-5-6-4 in a smaller unit.

2nd: 8/5/6-12-(13)/4-9-11/7/2-1…The first “Key Play of the Day” comes here in the 2nd with Four Dawn (8). This 3YO daughter of Nyquist drops into the claiming ranks for the first time and moves from the turf to the dirt for a red-hot stable. Ran well two starts ago and broke the MSW at the Fair Grounds. May be a good claim here. I bet the 8 across the board and then key the 8 over/under the 5-6-12-13-14-9-11-7 in the exactas. More on top. More with the 5. 

3rd: 8-12/9-1/6/2-4-11/10-3/7…I go with another crazy “8” here in Distinctlypossible (8). This 3YO daughter of Curlin is trained by Chad Brown, who just won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday and ran 2nd in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. This one gets Lasix for the first time and the barn wins with .25% of those. Has been off since running 2nd in the G1 Alcibiades here last October. If ready? And, this barn knows how to get them ready…then bon voyage. I bet the 8 to win/place/show and then box the 8-12 in the exactas. I will key the 8 over/under the 12-9-1-6-2-4-11 in two smaller units.

4th: 6-3/1/4-7-8/2/5-9…Bagboss (6) has never missed the board in 5 career starts to date, and may have found the right group here to post the 2nd win on the resume. Son of Speightstown (and if you read me much, you know I love this sire line) is coming off a near-miss 2nd last time out and the winner returned to win again the next time out. Gets Irad in the saddle here. Look out. Milliken (3) may be the PT favorite and returns as a beaten favorite from the last time out. Barn wins with .23% of those kind. Has never missed the board in 4 career starts and ran a bang-up 2nd to Olympiad last October here. Olympiad has developed into one of this game’s best. Threat, to be sure. I bet the 6 across the board and then box the 6-3 in the exactas. I will key the 6-3 over/under the 1 in two smaller versions.

5th: 7-1-10/1A-8-3/6-5-11/9…This is a 11/16-mile allowance over the sod, and I will spread out here, just a bit. OK. More than a bit. Slight edge goes to Highest Honors (7) — a 6YO son of Tapit who won the last time out when moved to the sod for the first time by trainer Chad Brown. Looks like he liked the surface switch just nicely. Gets a rider who had a field day here on Saturday. May have found his niche. Mr Dumas (1) has hit the board in the last four outings and has a win and a 3rd in two previous tries here. In 4 starts at this distance? A record of 2-1-1. Rider is not getting many chances so far this meet, but the kid can saddle. Look out. Eons (10) gets a poor post to begin the operation, but he’s a deep closer and may prefer to let the early birds go, any ole way. Rider is as good as they come these days and this one drops from having run in 7 straight Stakes events — 4 of them Graded. May like this bunch a whole lot better. I bet the 7-10 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the 7-10 over/under the 1-8-3 in two smaller units.

6th: 11-9-(13)/12-4-5-(15)/(14)-1-3-6-7/8-2/(16)…Sweet as Pie (11) gets an outside post for Team Pletcher, who may be getting used to that starting spot. Seems as if all of his are posting up late. But it may not matter as much in this sprint event. Gets Lasix for the first time and drops from 2 straight Stakes efforts to this spot. Look out if ready and poised, and this barn knows how to get them ready and poised. Devine Charger (9) gets Lasix for the first time, as well, and this one is coming off a nice 3rd last time out at Tampa. Moves up in class, to be sure, but has run some good ones in the past. I like the odds here, and may spice up the odds rack a tad. Fannie and Freddie (13) is a must, must, must use if she draws in from the AE List. Watch carefully for this one. Could be the one to beat. I bet the 11-13 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers . I will key the 11-13 over/under the 9-12-4-5-15 in two smaller units.

7th: 7/5-2-8/1/6…Palisades Stakes…The 2nd “Key Play of the Day” comes here with Twilight Gleaming (7), who will be making her 2022 debut. Raced 5 times last year with a 3-2-0 record. One of the wins came in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint — which we touted her very strong at odds of over 5-1. Thanks. Looks ready. Looks willing. Is able. I bet the 7 to win/place and then key the 7 over/under the numbers listed. More with the 5-2-8 than the rest.

8th: 2-7/1-4-6/5/3…G3 Beaumont Stakes…Radio Days (2) ships in from New York for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey (and, for Matt Carothers, of TVG, the nickname is short for “sugar,” damnit). This 3YO daughter of Gun Runner comes in off a disappointing effort in the Busher Invitational last time out when stretched out to a mile. Back at 7 furlongs here and she ran a huge 2nd in the G3 Forward Gal at that distance two back. Gets a huge, huge, huge rider switch here. Top rider in the world up now. Ok. I’m in. I bet the 2 across the board and then box the 2-7 in the exactas. I will key the 2 over/under the 7-1-4-6-5-3 in two smaller units.

9th: 11/3/(15)-(16)/8-7/6-5-2/9…The finale is an endurance test over the sod and I will go with my last “Key Play of the Day” here and with Ridley’s Major (11). Don’t like the post, but plenty of time to get things right for a top jockey. This one was nominated for the Triple Crown, but has found the grass footing to be the niche. Gets Lasix for the first time here and will face winners for the first time after snapping the MSW at Gulfstream Park in mid-December. Little refresher after that. Works solid enough. Should be poised. I bet the 11 across the board and then key the 11 over/under the 3-15-16-8-7-6 in the exactas. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene