How to bet the Isaac Murphy Marathon S. on April 27

The feature of a nine-race card at Churchill Downs on Tuesday is the $130,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon S. Contested at 1 1/2 miles on the dirt, the testing event attracted a very good field of eight with a few horses of excellent value.

Isaac Murphy Analysis

There is pace in the race with multiple contenders that prefer to be in the mix early on. #1 Burning Bright (8-1) on the stretch-out, Temperence Hill S. runner-up #2 Lone Rock (8-5), Grade 2-placed #3 Dack Janiel’s (6-1), and local stakes victor #5 Ry’s The Guy (4-1), will all prompt the action from the opening bell. I envision the tempo to be on the swift side for the distance, which will aid the chances of my top pick inside the final furlong.

#4 Portos (6-1) lacks the resume of many in the field, and the Todd Pletcher four-year-old has never run this far, but I am very intrigued with the well-bred son of Tapit. The colt debuted at Saratoga at two going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, a move not utilized by many horses, and showed late interest when finishing just 3 1/4 lengths behind the winner. He broke through in his fourth start in a big way at Aqueduct that season in a nine-furlong tussle when drawing off by 10 lengths.

The homebred finished a promising third in the Withers S. (G3) in his sophomore bow, but checked in last in the subsequent Louisiana Derby (G2). A pair of unplaced efforts followed, but the gray was an impressive allowance victor at Keeneland last time out when cruising home a facile winner in his second 2021 assignment.

I think that the move to a marathon trip will be ideal for Portos, who has been training well this campaign. The Pletcher barn is not known for bringing horses back off just 10 days' rest following a race, but that is the move this shedrow will employ on Tuesday, and I find that to be a huge sign of confidence. Tyler Gaffalione will guide the late runner and have him moving best in the stretch.

Isaac Murphy Wagers

• $10 win and place #4 Portos ($20)
• $2 exacta key box 4 with 1,2,3,5 ($16)