BetAmerica’s horse racing pick of the day: July 17, Ellis Park

Weekday picks and plays for Thoroughbred racing.

Friday, July 17

Ellis Park, Race 8: Allowance (1 mile, 5:10 p.m. ET)

#2 West Sider (6-1 on the morning line) might not be a superstar in the making, but he doesn’t have to be to win this 1-mile allowance race for 3-year-olds and older horses.

A son of champion 2-year-old Uncle Mo, out of an Elusive Quality mare, this Triple Crown nominee is bred to enjoy dirt and handled the surface just fine in his debut on Feb. 2 at Santa Anita, where he rallied from off the pace to win by 2 1/2 lengths for trainer Bob Baffert.

West Sider subsequently switched to turf and finished seventh in a March 20 allowance, then shipped halfway across the country to race under the care of Bret Calhoun. In his debut on the Midwest circuit, West Sider made a mid-race move in a 1-mile turf allowance June 15 at Indiana Grand and flattened out to finish fourth.

The pace setup didn’t do West Sider any favors at Indiana Grand, considering the final quarter elapsed in just :22.79, which favored the frontrunning winner and made it difficult for West Sider to rally.

Returning to dirt in his second start off the layoff could make all the difference for West Sider, which stamps this 6-1 shot as a lucrative play.

Let’s bet West Sider to win and box him in the exacta, with fellow Triple Crown nominee #5 Churn N Burn.

$18 to win on #2 West Sider
$4 exacta: 2 with 5
$8 exacta: 5 with 2
Total: $30

Good luck!