The Jury: Expert Picks, Bets and Fades for Aug. 3-4 [Video]

Racing analysts Ashley Anderson, Darin Zoccali, and Nick Tammaro converse over their best bets and fades for Ellis Park Preview Weekend, Del Mar, and more. Ashley gives her thoughts in the written portion below. Be sure to check out Darin and Nick's opinions in our on-camera portion as well!

Best Bet for Weekend Racing

Ashley Anderson:

#3 Regal Realm (5-1) in Sunday's Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile S., a one-mile turf event for fillies and mares at Ellis Park. The Animal Kingdom mare won the Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs three back, then finished her four-year-old season with a fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Forever Together S. at Aqueduct, where she took a short lead in the stretch but was overtaken at the sixteenth pole. She returned off a lengthy layoff for her five-year-old debut, when she came home a half-length fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Indiana General Assembly H. and is eligible to step forward second start off the layoff for trainer Jonathan Thomas, a 29% winner in non-graded stakes.

Regal Realm has failed as the favorite in her last two but can improve with the cutback in distance. The five-year-old is 6-3-0-2 at a mile and will retain Florent Geroux, a 30% winner this meet at Ellis. Regal Realm is also the top runner among the field based on Brisnet Prime Power rankings and is seven points higher than the next-closest runner, morning-line favorite #11 Walkathon (3-1). I'll play the Kentucky-bred in an exacta with versatile runner #9 Bolivie (12-1), who set the early pace in the Indiana General Assembly but is capable of closing late from far off the pace as well.

Top Fade for Weekend Racing

AA:

#6 Legendary Lore (3-1) in the fourth race at Ellis on Sunday, a one-mile claimer for three-year-olds and older. The five-year-old Practical Joke gelding is making his first start since returning to the barn of Steve Asmussen and won just one of seven starts when previously conditioned by him. 

He cut back to a sprint distance in his most recent start, when saddled by trainer Troy Newton in a six-furlong claimer at Churchill in June, and will stretch back out to a distance from which he's 0-for-10 for his career. Legendary Lore last reached the winner's circle seven starts back when he got up late to win by 2 1/2 lengths in a 1 1/16-mile claimer over a wet-fast track. There is not a ton of speed signed on in today's race, and he may not get the ideal setup to close late at the shorter distance. I instead like the recent form of #1 Platinum Ghost (5-1), who makes his first start off the claim for Denis Roberson and will pick up hot jockey Jesus Castanon. He'll look to set the early pace and may have his way from start to finish.

What Else Is Worth Noting

AA:

Louisiana-bred mare Ova Charged will go for her eighth straight victory on Saturday at Ellis Park when she takes on seven rivals in the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S. The daughter of Star Guitar has been on a tear since transferring to the barn of Shane Wilson, going 7-for-7, including six victories in 2024. A versatile runner with stakes scores on both the dirt and turf, Ova Charged earned her first graded win on the grass in the 5 1/2-furlong Unbridled Sidney (G3) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard at Churchill Downs. She'll cover the same distance at Ellis and is unbeaten from five starts at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

She won't have it easy, though, as she drew the far outside and will face some tough competition at Ellis, including recent Pea Patch S. winner #6 Niki Nine Doors (6-1), late runner #4 L J's Emma (10-1), who boasts a 7-3-0-2 record from today's distance, and horse for the course #2 Bling (8-1). Another interesting rival is #5 Red Carpet Ready (2-1), a three-time graded stakes winner by Oscar Performance who will try turf for the first time. The four-year-old is out of a dam who has produced one turf winner, and Oscar Performance's progeny are winning at an 18% clip first time on the turf.