Fonner Park spot plays: Dowd Mile and Runza Stakes

Stakes racing continues at Fonner Park this week, with the $15,000 Dowd Mile S. on Tuesday and the $10,000 Runza S. on Wednesday.

Both races have drawn large, competitive fields. Let’s dig in and play along.

Tuesday

Fonner Park, Race 9: Dowd Mile S. (1 mile, 8:36 p.m. ET)

With eight victories from his last 10 starts, 8-year-old veteran #6 Mr. Tickle (5-2 on the morning line) has turned into a winning machine.

A former claimer, the son of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense unleashed a powerful rally in a 1-mile allowance race at Fonner on April 1, when he won by a length in his first start for hot trainer Marissa Black. The victory produced an impressive 94 Brisnet Speed rating, which stamps Mr. Tickle as the horse to beat in Tuesday’s feature.

But there isn’t much speed in the Dowd Mile field, which could give #1 Ted W a tactical advantage.

Victorious in three straight sprints at Fonner this winter, including the 6-furlong Tondi S., Ted W figures to be forwardly placed, with a stretch out in distance and with an inside post position. He won going a mile at Thistledown last fall and was competitive in a 7-furlong starter optional-claiming race at Keeneland, so we know he has the stamina to run long.

We’ll box Ted W and Mr. Tickle in the exacta and key them together in the trifecta.

$6 exacta box: 1,6 ($12)
$1 trifecta: 1,6 with 1,6 with 4,8,10 ($6)
$2 trifecta: 1,6 with 4,8,10 with 1,6 ($12)

Wednesday

Fonner Park, Race 8: Runza S. (6 furlongs, 8:09 p.m. ET)

#6 Love At Night (7-2) is a local sensation, with 10 wins from 12 starts at Fonner Park. She cruised to victory by 4 1/2 lengths in the 2019 Runza S. and is 2-for-2 this season. She won the Bold Accent S. in narrow fashion, then dominated the 6-furlong Orphan Kist S. by seven lengths.

But Love At Night is a one-dimensional frontrunner, and the Runza field is packed with speed. Six of Love At Night’s rivals could be involved in the early pace, which could give an edge to the late-running duo of #4 Stella Marie (12-1) and #5 Chub’s Charmer (10-1).

The former, a stakes-placed filly at Prairie Meadows, will make her first start of the season for new trainer David Anderson. The latter, a deep closer, finished second behind Love At Night in the Orphan Kist and should receive a better setup Wednesday.

Let’s key these two longshots with Love At Night in the exacta.

$5 exacta: 6 with 4,5 ($10)
$5 exacta: 4,5 with 6 ($10)

Good luck!