Saturday Stakes Pick 3 at Keeneland

A handful of graded tilts will be hosted by Keeneland on Saturday during an afternoon that will have a huge impact on the upcoming Breeders’ Cup World Championships. I will take aim at the trio of races that serve as "Win and You’re In" events. 

Race 7 Wager

• $1 Pick 3: 1,2 with 2,4,5,8,10,11 with 1,5,9 ($36)

Race 7 – Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G2)

An automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) is on the line in the six-furlong affair. Seven fillies and mares will go postward in the heat, and I’m not over the moon with any of the entrants. I’ll be somewhat aggressive in siding with the pair of inside runners to commence the play. 

#1 Clearly Unhinged is one of two major players in the dash for Steve Asmussen, and she fits perfectly in this spot. Into Mischief filly has been in good form in four tires since joining the barn in 2024, and I feel that she will get a good trip while always forwardly placed from the rail under Cristian Torres. 

John Sadler’s #2 Anywho lacks consistency and is not proven at the level as of yet, but she has had the misfortune of hooking Sweet Azteca in two straight and will appreciate avoiding that dynamo on Saturday. The Bolt d’Oro filly is capable of running big on her best day, and the price will be right, too. 

Race 8 – First Lady S. (G1)

A talented field of 11 will vie in the one-mile turf affair. There is little chance that I can narrow this field down too much with so many logical contenders in the contest. Irish import #2 Tarawa has a lot of appeal for the always dangerous Dermot Weld. The Shamardal four-year-old brings in regular pilot Christopher Hayes, which is a major positive as well. 

Chad Brown will saddle four, including defending champ #4 Gina Romantica, Just A Game (G1) starlet #8 Chili Flag, and two-time Diana S. (G1) queen #11 Whitebeam, and I will use each of those three. 

The Ian Wilkes-trained #5 Walkathon has won stakes races at Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, and Kentucky Downs in her last trio of performances, and it would be quite a feat if the Twirling Candy mare takes this race for something of a Bluegrass State superfecta, which she can. #10 Ag Bullet has run a pair of fields off of their respective feet as of late for conditioner Richard Baltas and I can’t dismiss the gray.  

Race 9 – Breeders’ Futurity (G1)

Since I expect to get fair prices in the first two legs of the play, I don’t mind using three in the finale of the sequence. Hopeful S. (G1) runner-up #1 Ferocious is the top pick, but powerful debut winner #5 East Avenue and Todd Pletcher’s #9 Tenacious Leader will also be added.