Churchill Downs: Keying a 6-1 shot in the $6,301 Super High 5 carryover

The Saturday finale at Churchill Downs ended with a giant surprise as 46-1 longshot Heart Spin took home top honors in a large field. Unsurprisingly, no one hit the $1 Super High 5, triggering a $6,301 carryover into the Sunday opener.

Race 1 is a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for two-year-old fillies who brought a final bid of $50,000 or less at their most recent auction. The nine-horse field is packed with viable contenders, but we’re most interested in #3 Book’em (6-1), an unraced daughter of Belmont (G1) winner Tiz the Law.

Book’em has turned in fast workouts at Churchill Downs for trainer Bret Calhoun, who wins at a solid 15% rate with first-time starters. On May 29, Book’em breezed a bullet three furlongs in :35 1/5. On June 5, she clocked a bullet half-mile from the starting gate in :47 1/5.

These fast workouts suggest Book’em has talent, and it’s worth noting Calhoun sent out first-time starter Louisiana Jess to win a similar maiden special weight on Friday at Churchill Downs. Louisiana Jess was ridden to victory by Brian Hernandez Jr., who is also slated to guide Book’em, so why not key Book’em on top in the Super High 5? If she prevails at her 6-1 morning line odds, we’ll have every chance to cash an enticing payoff.

Who are the other key contenders? We have to respect #8 Moochie Girl (4-1) and #1 Meucci’s Revenge (3-1), second-time starters who were separated by half a length when finishing second and third over this track and class level on May 27. But #7 Citizen Judy (7-2) looms as an even stronger threat. She debuted with a runner-up finish in an unconditioned 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland, earning a 75 Brisnet Speed rating that stands out among the experienced fillies in Sunday’s field.

We’ll also use #6 Spankerboom (8-1), a first-time starter from the barn of John Ortiz, who does well debuting juveniles early in the year. As a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Mendelssohn, Spankerboom has the potential to shine at age two.

Here’s how we’ll bet the Super High 5:

• $1 Super High 5: 3 with 7 with 1,6,8 with 1,4,6,8 with 1,2,4,6,8 ($27)
• $1 Super High 5: 3 with 1,6,8 with 7 with 1,4,6,8 with 1,2,4,6,8 ($27)
  Total: $54

Good luck!