Spot plays for the Debutante, Bashford Manor and more
Magic Dance winning her debut at Churchill Downs - Coady Photography
The 2019 Churchill Downs spring meet wraps up Saturday, with a 12-race card that features three stakes races.
Juveniles will take the spotlight in the $125,000 Debutante Stakes and $125,000 Bashford Manor Stakes (G3), while older sprinters will shine in the $120,000 Kelly’s Landing Stakes.Let’s put together a few spot plays for the stakes races.
Race 8: Kelly’s Landing Stakes
#8 Warrior’s Club looms as the deserving favorite in this seven-furlong sprint, since he competes almost exclusively against graded stakes company and is dropping in class. But Warrior’s Club is a late-running type who finishes second or third more often than not, so I don’t want to rely on him at a short price.I’ll go with a hunch play. There isn’t a ton of speed in the Kelly’s Landing, and that could lend an advantage to #4 California Night. Trained by Mike Maker, this son of Midnight Lute has set the pace in his last five starts and has prevailed three times competing primarily against quality company in New York. He won over this seven-furlong trip at Belmont on May 2, and with recent Brisnet speed figures in the 98-99 range, he’s fast enough to challenge for victory in the Kelly’s Landing.
Let’s keep things simple and bet California Night to win.
$10 to win on #4 California Night
Race 10: Debutante Stakes
It’s going to be tough for anyone to beat #7 Magic Dance if the daughter of More Than Ready runs like she did in her debut three weeks ago. On that occasion Magic Dance tracked a solid pace sprinting five furlongs at Churchill Downs, then took command and powered clear through a :12.04 final furlong to prevail by 4 3/4 lengths. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who has won the Debutante four times, Magic Dance posted fast speed figures (84 Beyer and 91 Brisnet) that stamp her as clearly the filly to beat Saturday. The stretch out to six furlongs shouldn’t be an issue, since Magic Dance doesn’t appear to be a speed-crazy sort.Let’s play Magic Dance in the exacta with #2 Indy Takes Charge, a stoutly-bred daughter of Take Charge Indy who broke her maiden by 3 1/4 lengths sprinting five furlongs at Churchill on May 31. The extra distance should only benefit Indy Takes Charge, who is bred to excel running long.
Let’s also single Magic Dance in a double bet with #1 Phantom Boss and #10 Rowdy Yates in the Bashford Manor Stakes.
$12 exacta: 7 with 2 $8 exacta: 2 with 7 $5 double: 7 with 1,10 ($10)
Race 11: Bashford Manor Stakes (G3)
#1 Phantom Boss might have what it takes to win the six-furlong Bashford Manor Stakes. In his debut sprinting 4 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita Park, he was beaten just a neck by Fore Left, who came back to win the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park in impressive fashion. Then Phantom Boss dropped into state-bred company at Santa Anita and broke his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths over next-out winner Pas de Panique to earn a 78 Beyer speed figure.Phantom Boss has excellent early speed and figures to use it from his rail post, which will allow him to work out a ground-saving trip. Let’s bet him to win and play him in the exacta with #10 Rowdy Yates, an Asmussen-trained colt who led all the way to break his maiden by 4 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs last month.
$10 to win on #1 Phantom Boss $5 exacta: 1,10 with 1,10 ($10)
Total: $60
Good luck!
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