McLean’s Selections — With Comments — for Turfway Park on Friday, March 24

Stats Now Updated

Here’s our looks for the 9-race card on Friday eve:

1st: 2-6-3/1/7/4-5…Cronus (2) gets the nod in the ole’ lid-lifter at the new and improved Turfway Park this evening. This 5YO gelded son of Constitution drops from the MSW ranks to a $30,000 price tag here. May improve with a return to the route distance, too. Trainer has won 2 of the last 5 outs and the rider has won with 2-of-10 for this trainer, too. Drop in class elevators this one. Dom Gervasio (6) should be a contender, but the barn has gone 0-for-34 this meet. Ugh. This 4YO gelding does like the track, though. Has gone 0-1-2 in 3 previous. Tap the Candy (3) may be the PT favorite. Ran for this same level last time out and was beaten just 2 lengths. Will press the front-runners along life’s path tonight. I bet the 2 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over/under the 1 in two smaller units. 

2nd: 6-5/3-1/8-4/9/2-7…Vettori Kin (6) won the last time out here on March 4 as the PT favorite. Got up to win that one by a skinny nose and was all out at the wire. Same connections return here and should be coming late, again. But the last effort may have milked this 10YO a bit. Weary. Not So Easy (5) was claimed last time out and will run for a trainer who has just 5 starts over the past two years. Was right in the hunt until the end of the last one. Bailed. Returns as a beaten favorite here and gets a solid rider for the journey. I’m in here. I bet the 5 across the board — take note — and then box the 6-5 in the exactas. I will key the 6-5 over/under the 3-1-8-4 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 8/4-6/2-5-1//7-8…The first “Key Play of the Night” comes here with Battling Bailiff (8). This 4YO son of Honor Code won just two starts back and looked to be right in the hunt last time out. Early fractions probably cooked the idea. If this one can moderate the lead a bit more? Look out here. I bet the 8 across the board and then key the 8 over/under the 4-6-2-5-1 in the exactas. More with the 4-6.

4th: 10-5/1-3-9/7-8-6/4///2…On a Spree (10) is my pick here. This 7YO gelding ran a nice 2nd last time out and plummets in the ranks here. Barn wins with .14% of the last 28 to make this type of a plunge. Has a 1-1-0 record in 4 previous here and has the stalking ability to come running. Carom (5) drops off a win here on March 10. Interesting approach. Should figure nicely in this equation. I bet the 10-5 across the board and then box these two sternly in the exactas. I will key the 10-5 over/under the 1-3-9-7 in two smaller units. 

5th: 7-3/11/5/2-1/12//10/8-4…Scattershack (7) is another from the barn of Juan Cano that looks good tonight. This 4YO was claimed four starts ago and has not run a lick since. But gets the huge drop in class here and that could wake this one up a bit. Barn wins with .14% on the drop. War Safe (3) will try the route distance for the first time and the barn wins with .07% of the last 28 to try that. But this one, too, gets a class relief and that could help the top apprentice rider in the country these days. I bet the 7-3 across the board and then box these two in the exactas. I will key the 7-3 over/under the 11-5 in two smaller units. 

6th: 2/1/4-6-8//5-7…The next “Key Play of the Night” comes here with Tolkien (2). This one won just two starts ago, coming late in the proceedings and then was shipped to Gulfstream Park for a try. That didn’t fare too well and now he’s back on a surface he may prefer. Look for this one to like a homecoming. I bet the 2 across the board and then double down on the win wager. I will key the 2 over/under the 1-4-6-8 in the exactas. More with the 1.

7th: 1-5/4-8/3-6/2//7…Protomagic (1) draws the rail in this 11/16-mile adventure, but that should neither help or hurt. This one will do all of her running in the deep stretch. Will come light a freight train and will need some guidance to clearance from a veteran rider, who is on a good streak now. My pick. Kick Out the Jams (5) drops back to a level where she was competitive at just two starts ago. Has never won here after 8 starts. But does have a couple of 2nds and three more 3rds. I bet the 1 across the board and then box the 1-5 in the exactas. I will key the 1-5 over/under the 4-8-3-6 in two smaller versions.

8th: 3-1/5-9-8-10/2-11/7//6-4…Ravella (3) goes for one of the hottest trainers on the grounds, and the barn has won with .25% of 71 starts this meet. This one has run 3 big races in a row. Could have easily made it 3 in a row last time out, when lost at the wire. Returns as a beaten favorite here for a rider who has gone 5-2-2 in the last 18 ups. Sharp work on March 18. I’m in. All in. I bet the 3 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will box the 3-1 sternly in the exactas. I will key the 3-1 over/under the 5-9-8-10-2 in two smaller units. 

9th: 6-9/4-(14)-2-10/1-8/11/5…We add a race tonight and I go with Fredericia (6) in this spot. This 4YO Point of Entry filly drops a couple of classes and that could make a huge difference here. Ran well against tougher just two starts ago and the trainer knows how to get to the circle. Smooth Like Ice (9) could be our upset winner of the night. This one gets Lasix for the first time and the barn wins with .20% when adding the anti-bleeder meds. Was claimed for $15,000 and now starts for $7,500. Hmmm. I bet the 6-9 across the board and then box these two in the exactas. I will key the 6-9 over/under the 4-14-2-10-1-8 in two smaller units. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene