Exotics Plays for the Chorleywood Stakes

A very talented field of 11 will vie in Saturday’s $175,000 Chorleywood S. at Churchill Downs. The group features a bit of everything in the 1 3/8-mile turf endeavor, and I’m keying in on a trio of contenders for the extended turf test. 

Chorleywood Exotics Plays

• $6 exacta key box 9 with 2,6 ($24)
• $1 trifecta 9 with 2,6 with all ($18)
• 50-cent trifecta 2,6 with 9 with all ($9)
• 10-cent superfecta 2,6,9 with 2,6,9 with 2,5,6,9,10,11 with 2,5,6,9,10,11 ($7.20)

#9 Winning Spirit (12-1) is my value play in the field and can surely win the race while making his 2024 debut. The German-bred has flashed good potential in his career overseas, and the son of Soldier Hollow has a lot of room to move forward while making his 10th lifetime run on Saturday. 

Now in the hands of sharp horseman Christophe Clement, who does great work with imports, the colt brought a hefty sum at the Arqana ‘Arc’ Sale in the fall and has posted a slew of morning drills to ready for his stateside bow. Joel Rosario will be in the silks and I like the pairing with the top pick. 

Godolphin homebred #6 Bold Act (3-1) is among the bevy of exotics players in the field. By New Approach, the gelded four-year-old is very consistent and comes off of solid runs in both the Elkhorn S. (G2) and Louisville S. (G3) since reappearing in the U. S. The Irish-bred bay has burned a lot of money in his last pair while falling short as the odds-on choice on each occasion, but he still merits a ton of respect with Tyler Gaffalione taking the reins for Charlie Appleby. 

Grade 2 victor #2 Webslinger (4-1) is 2-for-3 beneath the Twin Spires and has placed in a pair of graded tilts in succession, including a third-place finish in the Turf Classic (G1) most recently. Conditioned by Mark Casse, the one-run closer is a question mark at the 1 3/8-mile voyage, but he performed well at 10 furlongs as a sophomore and might find the journey to his liking in this one. Constitution gelding is well drawn near the fence to save ground early, and he’s not impossible in his initial try at the trip with Jose Ortiz in the irons.