McLean’s Selections for Turfway Park on Saturday, March 22 — Jeff Ruby Steaks Day

(Stats to be updated)

Here’s our looks and comments at and on today’s card at the new and improved; remarkable and glistening Turfway Park, nestled in the hustle and bustle of Florence, Ya’ll:

1st: 7-8/12-9-11/6/(13)…We kick-start the greatest day of the meet with a nice MSW event for the 3YO fillies. I go hard with the top two picks here, led by Spinning Glory (7). This one comes from the barn of Larry Rivelli, who is winning at a .36% clip here this meet after 47 starts. He picks up his regular rider, who has won with .33% of 21 mounts for the barn. Ran a very game 2nd here on March 6. Wheels right back. Has speed will travel. Pepper Girl (8) goes for a talented trainer, who knows how and where to spot them. Also, barn wins with .31% of those that return as a beaten favorite. This one does fit that category. Look for this one to be near the back of the pack early and come with a serious run late. If that style is preferred over the ASW today, look out. If not, look elsewhere later in the card. I bet the 7 across the board and double down on the win wager. I box the 7-8 in the exactas. I will key those two over/under the 12-9-11-6 in two smaller units. 

2nd: (14)-11/2-12/(13)-6-7/8-3-4/9-1…If Painted Desert (14) gets in here? I stop the writing. And, I just go to the betting. This one ran a nice 2nd here as the beaten favorite on Feb. 27. Look for this daughter of Medaglia d’Oro to run much better if she gets in. If she gets in. If not? I go to Les is Best (11), who will get the riding services of the great Frankie Dettori. Ran 2nd in the Gowell Stakes as a maiden. Has late run and could be a tough out here under any circumstance. But this new rider will ask a lot. I bet the 14 if in. If not, I will be the 11 across the board and double down on the win wager. I box these two if both get in and then key them both over/under the 2-12-13-6-7 in two smaller units. 

3rd: 8-10/1-4-5-12/6-(13)-11…Fast Solution (8) gets the nod here after winning the first 3 races of the career. But this one will be trying tougher in this spot. Have to respect. But have to question, too. Gray’s Fable (10) comes from the barn of Wesley Ward, who used to dominate here. Has won with only 4 of 45 this meet. Imagine that? Can you imagine that. At one time, his win percentage would have been 20 or 30 points higher. Tough meet. But this one has a 2nd in only previous try here and may get the job done. I bet the 10 across the board and double down on the win wager. I box the 8-10 in the exactas and then key the 8-10 over/under the 1-4-5-12 in two smaller units. 

4th: 12-3/2-6/4/11-(14)/1…Sinister Smile (12) has run two times here and been second in each. Close each time, but still 2nd. Gets blinkers for the first time here and the barn is 0-for-13 with this equipment change. Are you paying attention? Too early in the card? For that reason, I go to the 2nd pick here — Sound Cause (3). This one is still hunting that elusive first win after 8 starts, but does have 4 seconds on the resume. I give this one the shot here. I bet the 3 across the board and then box the 12-3 in the exactas. I will key the 3-12 over/under the 2-6-4 in two smaller units. 

5th: (14)-2-9/4-6/3-1-7-8…Faith Understood (14) is on the outside looking into the field from the AE List. But if this one were to get in, she is worth a serious look. Trainer is very solid, winning at a .20% rate over the last 239 starts. This one is a G3 Stakes placed winner of one, too. Has travelled before and has performed admirably. Look out here. If not in? I go to Lady of Power (2), who is 8-1 in the ML. Won the MSW here last time, coming from off the pace. This daughter of Hard Spun is made for the AW and gets a veteran rider back in the saddle here. I bet the 14 if in. If not, I bet the 2 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. 

6th: (14)-9/10-5-6/8-4-7/11-3-1…If White Lilacs (14) draws in to this one from the AE List, I tag along for the trip. Has not been out in a year and may need one, to be sure. But is trading well for a barn that can win off the bench. Worth a look. If the AE doesn’t make the field, I revert to Gloriannia (9). Has been off since December at Woodbine, but has a ton of AW experience. Has hit the board in each of the last 5 outings, too. Modest bet here. I bet the 14/9 across the board and then box these two i the exactas. I will key the 14-9 over/under the 10-5-6 in two smaller units. I go light here.

7th: 7-12/5-6/4-3/8-1-9…Latonia Stakes…This will kick start the first of six straight Stakes events today and this route for the older fillies should be a good one, too. I go with Austere (7), who is listed at 6-1 in the ML. Gal nearly won here on March 1 and has faced tougher in her career, to date. Bred for the AW, to be sure, and goes for a barn that has won .20% of 71 starts here this winter. Has the ability to stalk, but can kick it on in the stretch. I like. A lot. Dreaming of Mo (12) nearly won the last time out and was just a neck behind our top contender here. Picks up a rider who won on her back in the Fall at Churchill Downs. That may push this one a little farther ahead. I bet the 7 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will box the 7-12 sternly. I will key the 7 over/under the 12-5-6-4-3 in two smaller units. 

8th: 2-3-1/5/7-4…Rushaway Stakes…Urban Planner (2) gets the checkmark here. Has won two in a row since being moved to the grounds. Rider is one of the best in these here parts and this one has the speed and the ability to stalk. Versatile type. Street Boss is a solid sire for the AW surfaces and this one looks the part. Game Warrior (3) ships in from the Left Coast to try the AW for the first time. Accomplished on the grass and, often times, that converts nicely to this racing surface, too. Last race was top notch, down the hill. End of Romance (1) is my surprise winner here. Has not races since last October, but the trainer knows how to get them ready and has won with .24% when routing for the first time. Irish-bred should like this spot. I bet the 1 — take note — to win/place/show and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the 1 over/under the 2-3-5 in two smaller units. 

9th: 6-7-4/1/8-2//3-5…Animal Kingdom Stakes…Big Vince (6) is my play here. This 3YO gelding has run here twice before. Won both for a trainer winning at a .36% clip after 47 starts this meet. Nice. Gets one of this meet’s top riders up and, again, will have the speed to carve out a good trip. Question is? Is he good enough. Well, we shall see, but there trainer and rider have teamed up to go 2-2-0 in the last 5. Just a reminder. Kale’s Angel (7) is the ML favorite and ships in off a Stakes win at Oaklawn Park last time out. Certainly has the credentials to be testy, but has never run over AW before. That is always a big question. Is here, too. Coming in Hot (4) has run here three times with two wins in the saddle cloth. Bombed when stretched out to 11/16-miles in the John Battaglia. Returns to sprint distance here. That makes this one a threat. Again. I bet the 6-4 across the board and then box these two sternly in the exactas. I will key the 6-4 over/under the 7-1-8-2 in two smaller units. 

10th: 6-8/2-3-11/10/(13)/12…Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes…Encino (6) is now a 4YO son of Nyquist, but, better yet, a horse that just loves this place and this track surface. In 3 times over it, he has 2 wins and a second.x Won the John Battaglia here a year ago on his way to winning the G3 Lexington at Keeneland in late April. That was the last time we saw him until this winter at the Fair Grounds. Has speed and has talent. Look for him to utilize both here. I toss the race at Gulfstream Park. That track just wasn’t to his liking. Hush of a Storm (8) is another who thrives at Turfway Park. In 11 trips here, he has 4-2-4 record. Nearly won the Dust Commander here  on Feb. 15 in the last outing. Will come from well out of it. Does he have the trip to run down the winner? I don’t think so. I bet the 6 across the board and double/triple down on the win wager. I will key the 6 over/under the 8-2-3-11-10 in the exactas. 

11th: 3-11/12-4-2-1/7-(13)/6-8/5-10…Bourbonette Stakes…Admit (3) is a daughter of Blame, who could have a big day today. This gal has run here three previous times for trainer Tommy Drury, one of the best young trainers in the game today. She has 2 wins and a runner-up. Came too late to catch White Rocks last time out, but has game and talent. Look out here in this spot. White Rocks (11) got the early jump on the entire field last time out and never looked back. Was up by over 8 lengths at one time. That won’t happen in this spot today and the speed may end up drilling her here. Lost to our top pick in the MSW on Dec. 12. But the trainer does win with .25% of those that won the previous time out. And, that is with a sample size of 160. Threat. I bet the 3 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will key the 3 over/under the 11-12-4-2-1-7 in the exactas. 

12th: 9-2-4/6-(13)-3/5-7-8/12…G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks…Poster (9) has a chance today to pin his name, image and likeness up as one of the best to ever have run at Turfway Park. The 3YO son of Munnings has 3 wins and a third in 4 career starts and has wins over three different track’s surfaces. Will try the Tapeta for the first time here, but there is no reason to think he won’t like it. Has two wins over the grass and one over the dirt in the G2 Remsen last December. Ran 3rd to John Hancock and just behind Owen Almighty in the Sam F Davis Stakes at Tampa last time out. John runs today in the Louisiana Derby as the prohibitive favorite and Owen came back to win the Tampa Bay Derby. This one looks awesome here. Charlie’s to Blame (2) has won 2 in a row for trainer Peter Burton and has become a grass specialist on the West Coast. Should, by conventional wisdom, adapt to the Tapeta here. Coming off a layoff, but the band wins with .20% of the last 264 when away this long. Sharp work here on March 14. Should be ready. Final Gambit (4) is a son of Not This Time and comes from the Brad Cox barn. Has experience edge, with two trips over this track. Broke the MSW last time out. Big jump, but don’t leave out. I bet the 9 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will key the 9 over/under the 2-4-6-13-3 in the exactas. More with the 2-4 than the others.

13th: 8-7/5-2-9/6-10-1-(14)…Oh Really (8) looks the best in the finale on this fantastic day of live racing at the new oval. This 4YO son of The Factor goes for great connections. The owners once had a KY Derby winner. Can you name him? This one has every right to dominate in here. Has run three times in the career — all at Turfway Park — and has never missed the board. Look for this one to graduate today. Barn wins with .33% of the last 54 to return as a beaten favorite. Retained (7) defeated our top pick last time out with a gate-to-wire effort. Look for this one to try the same thing here. But there is another who may push the pace this time around. I bet the 8 across the board and double down on the win wager. I will key the 8 over/under the 7-5-2-9 in the exactas. Love the 8. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene