2023 Cornhusker H. (G3) exotics plays and field analysis

Multiple graded stakes winner and 2022 Belmont S. (G1) third-place finisher Skippylongstocking will headline a field of 10 three-year-olds and older in the 1 1/8-mile Cornhusker H. (G3) on Saturday.

Below we examine the full Cornhusker field and offer our best exotics plays — including exacta, trifecta, and superfecta tickets — for Race 8 at Prairie Meadows on July 8.

Cornhusker H. selections

• #3 Call Me Fast (9-2)
• #8 Warrant (4-1)
• #5 Skippylongstocking (3-1)

Cornhusker H. exotics

• $3 Exacta: 3 with 5, 7, 8 ($9)
• $1 Trifecta: 3 with 5, 7, 8 with 5, 7, 8, 10 ($9)
• 10-cent Superfecta: 3, 8 with 3, 5, 7, 8 with 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 with 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 ($7.20)

#1 Giant Game (15-1): The Giant’s Causeway four-year-old placed third to Corniche in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) as a two-year-old but finished far back in eighth in his only other two graded stakes attempts, both at age three. Thus far in his four-year-old campaign, he's earned a 4-1-2-0 mark, with Brisnet Speed figures in the 94-97 range in his last three, and wired a 1 3/16-mile allowance at Churchill Downs last out. The Dale Romans pupil will move back up in class off a two-month layoff to race at Prairie Meadows for the first time. The rail post is winning at a 27% clip, and jockey Martin Garcia is a 21% winner with routes, but Romans is a 5% winner in his last 96 graded stakes and an 8% winner with his last 180 shippers.

#2 Promise Keeper (8-1): By Constitution, the five-year-old was nailed at the wire to finish a neck second in a 1 1/8-mile allowance optional claimer at Ellis Park on June 11. The gelding posted a 95 BRIS figure under Luis Saez and will get a rider switch to David Cabrera, a 10% winner with routes. The chestnut will make his third start since transferring to the barn of Dallas Stewart, a 5% winner in graded stakes and a 10% winner third off the layoff. Promise Keeper is 5-2-1-1 from today’s distance but has not visited the winner’s circle since the Peter Pan (G3) in May 2021.

#3 Call Me Fast (9-2): The four-year-old led in the stretch of the Blame (G3) last out but was caught in the final sixteenth by multiple graded stakes hero Rattle N Roll and finished second by 1 1/4 lengths. The Dialed In gelding flashed a career-best 100 BRIS figure and placed second two back to the same rival in the Ben Ali (G3). With Rattle N Roll out of the mix here, the Michael Puhich trainee may be able to pull off a slight upset in his third consecutive ride with Julien Leparoux, a 15% winner with routes. Call Me Fast comes in with the highest last race speed figure among the field, and he earned a 121 Class Rating for his performance in the Blame. He also posted a bullet five-furlong workout on July 1, indicating he’s sharp and ready for his second try at 1 1/8 miles.

#4 Double Thunder (30-1): Since moving to the barn of Kelli Martinez, Double Thunder has recorded Speed figures ranging from 71 to 87. The Super Saver gelding was fastest last out when winning a one-mile claimer in his lone start at Prairie Meadows and can improve second start off the layoff, but his Speed figures pale in comparison to the rest of the field.

#5 Skippylongstocking (3-1): The inconsistent four-year-old will make his first start since finishing fifth as the favorite in the Ben Ali (G3), in which Call Me Fast was second to Rattle N Roll. Two back, Skippylongstocking posted a 100 BRIS figure when winning the 1 1/16-mile Challenger (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, and he scored a victory at today’s distance in the West Virginia Derby (G3) back in August when racing on a sloppy track. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is a 23% winner with horses coming off a layoff of 46-90 days and a 27% winner with beaten favorites, but just an 11% winner in graded stakes. Edgard Zayas will pick up the mount and has won 11 of his last 47 races paired with Joseph.

#6 Fleetridge (20-1): Another runner whose Speed figures rank poorly compared to the field, Fleetridge was last seen winning a one-mile allowance while recording an 86 BRIS figure and will stretch back out to 1 1/8 miles, a distance from which he has a second and third from two starts. The Ghostzapper gelding placed second as a 32-1 longshot last year in the Cornhusker, and he owns a 5-3-2-0 record at this track. Jon Arnett is a 23% winner this meet and a 25% winner with horses that won their last race, while rider Alex Birzer strikes at a 20% rate with routes and is winning at a 27% clip at Prairie Meadows.

#7 Frosted Grace (5-1): The seven-year-old won the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile last out while posting a 96 BRIS figure under Cristian Torres, who will retain the mount. The Robertino Diodoro trainee has finished first or second in all but his first of six starts since joining the trainer’s barn in November, but that first start was his lone try at today’s distance, and Frosted Grace finished far back in seventh in an allowance over a sloppy Churchill track. Diodoro is a 26% winner with horses that won their last race and a 23% winner with shippers. Torres has won 26% of his races paired with Diodoro over the last two months and 19% of his last 217 routes.

#8 Warrant (4-1): The early pacesetter raced near the front until weakening in the stretch of the 1 1/2-mile Brooklyn S. (G2) at Belmont last out but won at the same distance two back in a non-graded stakes. The Constitution five-year-old will cut back to 1 1/8 miles, a distance from which he owns a 5-1-2-1 record, and will pick up Ricardo Santana Jr., a 19% winner with pacesetter types. Trainer Brad Cox is a 30% winner with beaten favorites and a 26% winner in graded stakes.

#9 Paluxy (15-1): The five-year-old came home 6 1/4 lengths in second to today’s race rival Ain't Life Grand in the Jim and Sandra Rasmussen S. at Prairie Meadows on June 10 while posting a 90 BRIS figure. Trainer Scott Young is a 16% winner with routes but 0-for-17 this meet. Kevin Roman will stay in the saddle and is winning at a 16% clip at this track.

#10 Ain’t Life Grand (7-2): The Not This Time colt has won back to back at the stakes level while racing 1 1/16 miles and beat today’s rival Frosted Grace by two lengths two back in the Lake Ouachita S. on May 5. Trainer Kelly Von Hemel is winning at a 24% clip this meet, while jockey Elvin Gonzalez is 2-for-5 paired with the trainer over the last 14 days, but Gonzalez is just an 8% winner with his last 62 route mounts. Ain’t Life Grand posted a bullet five-furlong workout on June 23 and has earned consecutive 97 BRIS figures in his last two races. He’s also 7-for-9 at Prairie Meadows, but the return to graded stakes company may be too much for him.