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Horse Racing Selections - October 04, 2008As many of you know the "Breeder's Cup World Thoroughbred Championships" are only three weeks away, but there are many important preps that will be run this weekend at various locations, with Keeneland and Woodbine having numerous stakes that will determine some of the starters in the big races. For those not familiar with this year's setup, they will be run at Santa Anita and therefore on a synthetic main surface for the first time. All the races for fillies and mares will be contested on Friday with the males going "front and center" the next day. Wunderdog Racing will keep you informed in our Daily Newsletter as to who's in and who's out as the big event approaches. Today, we'll go to Keeneland for a pair and Belmont for a three-spot, for a total of five races for analysis and selections. Today's Best Bet is #7 Imperial Council in Race #2 at Belmont Park. Friday's Results: Belmont Park Race #7 Top Pick # 1a (Skipping Class) winning entry $4.20. Keeneland Race #8 Ex. (6-1) $20.80.  Today's Horse Racing Picks: Top pick: #7 (IMPERIAL COUNCIL) - Professional-looking performance in his debut, saw him break from the rail in a large field, rally turning for home and was out-gamed on the wire while having some traffic issues late. Latest work, the seven-furlong distance, and the outside post add up to a win. 2nd pick: #6 (American Dance) - Debut runner by "A.P. Indy" has some very fast works on view including several from the gate. Runs for the "Pletcher" barn and looks like a player at first asking. 3rd pick: #5 (Professor Z) - Well-bet in his Churchill debut in late June, he did not break with his field and has been on the sidelines since. Drill on Sept. 30 was fast and barn (Steve Asmussen) is good off the bench (25%) and solid second time out (23%). 4th pick: #4 (Mendelssohn) - Expensive ($650,000) son of "Fusaichi Pegasus" debuts for "Hall of Famer" Nick Zito. Trainer is much better second time out, but can have one ready at first asking. This field came up a bit tough. BELMONT PARK Race #5 at 3:00 PM Eastern Top pick: #4 (JUST A WARNING) - Nice effort at Saratoga in his first start in seven weeks and first at this $45,000 tag. Winner was a Schwartz/Hushion first time gelding who has since come back to run well against winners. Colt has worked three times since that comebacker and looks nicely spotted today. 2nd pick: #5 (Oceanography) - Freshened up since July 30, by trainer Bobby Frankel, gelded son of "Aptitude" will race in a claimer for the first time. Latest work says he's ready to go. 3rd pick: #7 (Gemology) - Raced wide and evenly in his first start in this country and first of any kind in 11 months. Trainer Todd Pletcher adds blinkers today and son of "Horse Chestnut*" should go better second off the long break. 4th pick: #9 (Sir Jock) - Didn't run at all at Saratoga in his return from an eight week layoff. He's raced well in several of his turf starts and he'll go "tagged' today for the first time. BELMONT PARK Race #6 (TE JAMAICA HANDICAP) at 3:30 PM Eastern Top pick: #4 (GIO PONTI) - Talented colt has been carefully handled and spotted his whole career. Excellent combination of speed/stalking ability and he's a perfect two for two on this "sod". 2nd pick: #5 (Court Vision) - I've been a fan of this runner since he won the "Remsen" (G2) last season in very game fashion. Well, he's winless since (six starts), but he has certainly kept good company. Just missed in the "Virginia Derby" (G2) to the top pick and then had a post (12) in the "Travers" (G1) on the Saratoga dirt from which he had no chance. Win contender. 3rd pick: #2 (Wesley) - Poor post (10( in his last at Delaware led to a very wide trip and a rally that was "too little, too late." Nice draw today and runner won his only other race on this course. KEENELAND Race #6 (THE WOODFORD STAKES) at 3:50 PM Eastern Top pick: #8 (SMART ENOUGH) - Stakes winner hasn't run since April, but he has done some of his best work off of layoffs. Runner brings a flexible style to the contest and will go with the "hot" Robbie Albarado aboard. 2nd pick: #4 (Atticus Kristy) - Cuts back in distance and draws inside of what I consider the major contenders. He finished a close-up fourth on Sept. 13, in his first race in almost six weeks and he's a win threat here. 3rd pick: #2 (Fort Prado) - Just missed with a late rush in the same race that our second pick comes out of. Susceptible with his style to traffic issues, he'll need a clear path to make his one big run successful. 4th pick: #7 (Rouse the Cat) - Longshot comes here from Philadelphia Park where he finished a rather "dull" third on Sept. 1. Nice works since and he could run well at a big price. KEENELAND Race #9 (THE THOROUGHBRED CLUB OF AMERICA) at 5:30 PM Eastern Top pick: #5 (SUGAR SWIRL) - Had some traffic issues in her last at Saratoga and could only manage to finish third. Best when allowed to relax and make a run, she was hustled to stay close in that Spa. race and did not offer her usual stretch kick. Race today should set-up better for her. 2nd pick: #7 (Wild Gams) - Won this race last year and trainer Ben Perkin's Jr. has raced and trained her up to this in the same manner that was successful in '07. Very dangerous opponent. 3rd pick: #1 (Indyanne) - Big speed and she has the rail to use it from. Talented "Miss" had a poor start in her last at Saratoga, had to be rushed into a fast pace, and finished a "game" second. Speed-ball has Albarado aboard. 4th pick: #8 (Any Limit) - She's finally found the form that led to her success in the past. Freshened up since an impressive score early in the Saratoga meet, she continues her good a.m. work for "Hall of Famer" Allen Jerkens. Horse Racing Picks Resources:
Check out the last five Horse Racing Picks Newsletters: Horse-Racing-Picks-October-03-2008 Horse-Racing-Picks-October-02-2008 Horse-Racing-Picks-October-01-2008 Horse-Racing-Picks-September-30-2008 Horse-Racing-Picks-September-29-2008 |
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