Tampa Bay Downs budget plays for Saturday, April 11

Tampa Bay Downs plays host to a nine-race card on Saturday, and I have four value horses of interest to me. Here is how I plan on using them in my plays:

Race 4

#6 Buffalo Max (7-2) showed vast improvement second time out when rallying to be a clear runner-up at the level. Gelding is the first out of a winning dam and will be tough to deny with even slight improvement on Saturday for Raines.

#8 Poznan (3-1) missed by a nose most recently and upgrades to Centeno today. Timothy Hamm’s #11 Enjoy Baseball (4-1) runs as a gelding off the break and class drop. He could be involved from the break.

Wager

• $5 Exacta: 6 with 8,11 ($10)

Race 5

Turf race lacking class seems like the time to take a swing for a price. #5 Medal of Fact (15-1) has yet to impress from a pair of sprints on the dirt for Boyce, but I expect big improvement on the surface change. The Factor gelding sports a decent turf pedigree, and I like the fact that he has shown early interest in both tries to date.

Wager

• $1 Exacta Key Box: 5 with 1,2,3,4,8 ($10)

Race 6

#5 Zitman (9-2) is one of two live contenders in this claiming event for Rigattieri. Big Brown gelding goes turf-to-dirt on the class drop and figures to get a strong pace to rally into today. Bay could be let go at a nice price under Raul Mena.

Wager

• $5 Win and Place: #5 Zitman ($10)

Race 9

I acknowledge that #5 Astroturf (5-2) will be tough in the finale for Thomas, but #8 Channel Stuffer (9-2) intrigues me in his first attempt since August of 2018. Stidham trainee flashed good potential overseas as a juvenile, and the first-time gelding will be ready for a sharp layoff barn.

Wager

• $5 Exacta Box: 5-8 ($10)

Good Luck!