Churchill Downs Pick 3 play for Tuesday, April 30

An interesting early three-race sequence caught my attention at Churchill Downs on Tuesday. Here's how I will take aim at my play. 

Pick 3 Wager

$5 Pick 3: 1,2,6 with 1,2,3 with 6 ($45)

Pick 3 Analysis

Race 3 – Starter Allowance (6 1/2 furlongs dirt)

A solid group of fillies and mares will go postward in the dash. #1 Condiment Girl (3-1) is the one to beat in my eyes for trainer Rob Atras. The Outwork five-year-old has run well on the surface in the past, and she gets a pass for stopping early while in with much better last time out at Oaklawn Park.

#2 Sense You Left (5-2) is my close second choice and a must-use for Mark Casse. The seven-year-old daughter of Street Sense has run four good ones in succession since being claimed in December and will appreciate the cutback in distance under Johnny Velazquez. And while I was disappointed by the performance from #6 Goshen (9-2) at Keeneland most recently, I still think that she has a chance in this spot. The Classic Empire filly was an easy winner in her lone prior run on the course, too. 

Race 4 – Maiden Special Weight (1 1/4 miles dirt)

Juddmonte homebred #2 Batten Down (1-1) is a towering presence in the field for conditioner Bill Mott, but I’m not convinced that he is a single. The well-bred son of Tapit has gone close in both of his route attempts to date, and the move to 1 1/4 miles seems like a logical one with Junior Alvarado in the silks. 

I also will use #1 Bricklayer (5-1) with Irad Ortiz Jr. signed on. The Always Dreaming colt showed a big move forward going long and moving to the dirt at Keeneland most recently, and the late energy that he displayed gives me confidence that he will enjoy more distance going forward. 

Al Stall’s #3 Mo Rum (8-1) is the controlling speed in the heat, and I greatly prefer to have the pacesetter on my ticket at a price. 

Race 5 – Allowance (1 1/16 miles turf)

I find it impossible to look past #6 Battle of Normandy (8-5) in the closing leg. The Shug McGaughey trainee hasn’t run in a while and will have an equipment change with blinkers going on, but his overall body of work appears to be too much for this cast. Tyler Gaffalione will guide the City of Light colt once again.