Stakes Spot Plays for Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 8
Verifying. (Photo by Coady Photography/Churchill Downs)
July 6th, 2023
A total of eight stakes races, led by a pair of Grade 3 tilts, will help comprise a massive 12-race card at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Saturday.
Race 7 – Snack H.
Indiana-bred sophomores will travel one mile on the lawn in the event, with an overflow field of 14 set to go postward. #11 Corona Grande (15-1) has yet to try the lawn, but the gelded three-year-old is bred to love the surface and has three turf-winning siblings, as well. The Genaro Garcia trainee has been on the improve since adding blinkers and is an especially generous price with Edgar Morales up.
Race 9 – Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial S.
A field of 11 boys will go 1 1/16 miles on the sod in a good betting endeavor. The wide-open contest lacks a standout and is a race worth seeking value in. #3 Me and Mr. C (12-1) has both the tactical speed and turn of foot to be a major factor in the tilt. This Khozan gelding comes off of a stakes win on the all-weather at Gulfstream Park and has won or placed in eight of his last nine races overall. The price looks excellent with Gerardo Corrales riding.
Race 11 – Indiana Oaks (G3)
Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) queen #2 Taxed (2-1) and Ashland S. (G1) vixen #5 Defining Purpose (8-5) are the headliners of the affair, but I will dabble with #3 Merlazza (6-1) for conditioner Brad Cox. The Medaglia d’Oro sophomore had won three straight prior to coming home fifth in the Black-Eyed Susan, but she was too close to a fast pace in that run and will get a better trip in this spot. The Don Alberto homebred will track a more sensible pace under Marcelino Pedroza.
Race 12 – Indiana Derby (G3)
Nine sophomores will travel 1 1/16 miles in the finale, and I can’t look past #5 Verifying (8-5), who seeks his initial stakes triumph in the contest. The talented Justify colt was a fine second behind budding star Disarm in the Matt Winn S. (G3) most recently, and a repeat of that will make the two-time Grade 1-placed colt very difficult to conquer in the closing race. Pedroza will be in the stirrups.
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