Churchill Downs: $9,317 Super High 5, $100 feeder tournament

We can think of two enticing reasons to play the Saturday card at Churchill Downs.

One, there’s a $9,317 Super High 5 carryover up for grabs. Two, there’s a $100 Churchill Downs Feeder to Nov. 9 Churchill Downs KDBC Qualifier tournament taking place. Bet your entire tournament bankroll ($50) across at least five races ($5 minimum per race) to compete for a spot in the Nov. 9 $400 Churchill Downs KDBC Qualifier tournament.

The carryover is on the table in race 1, a $25,000 claimer for two-year-old fillies dashing 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt. While the Super High 5 isn’t an eligible tournament wager (view the complete rules here), bettors chasing the carryover might as well utilize their handicapping to place tournament bet(s) as well.

The morning-line favorite, #3 Rose Rita (8-5), was last seen surviving a speed duel to win a $40,000 maiden claimer sprinting five furlongs at Churchill Downs. That effort yielded a 78 Brisnet Speed rating, the highest number in Saturday’s field. It’s also higher than the par winning number (76) for Saturday’s conditions.

On the downside, Rose Rita hasn’t run since June 9, and there’s no guarantee she’ll reproduce the same level of form off a five-month layoff. But trainer Wesley Ward wins at a 25% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more, so that’s encouraging. So is the fact Ward’s win percentage in claiming races stands at a powerful 39%.

So why not count on Rose Rita to finish either first or second? That seems like a reasonable approach that balances the positives and negatives of her profile. We suggest employing this strategy in both the Super High 5 (for the carryover) and a trifecta (for the tournament).

Who are the other win contenders? #4 Lookatmybuckle (3-1) could contend after winning maiden special weight and allowance races at Belterra Park. And at a higher price, #8 Bisa (8-1) must be respected off a dueling victory in a $30,000 maiden claimer at Keeneland.

Mix in fillies like #1 Sevilla (8-1) and #2 Talksalot (8-1) underneath, and our betting strategies look like the following:

Trifecta wagers for feeder tournament

• 50-cent Trifecta: 3 with 4,8 with 1,2,4,8 ($3)
• 50-cent Trifecta: 4,8 with 3 with 1,2,4,8 ($3)
  Total: $6

Super High 5 wagers for carryover

• $1 Super High 5: 3 with 4,8 with 4,8 with 1,2,6 with 1,2,6 ($12)
• $1 Super High 5: 3 with 4,8 with 1,2 with 4,8 with 1,2,6 ($8)
• $1 Super High 5: 4,8 with 3 with 4,8 with 1,2,6 with 1,2,6 ($12)
• $1 Super High 5: 4,8 with 3 with 1,2 with 4,8 with 1,2,6 ($8)
  Total: $40

Good luck!