Horse Pick of the Day – The Summit of Speed

Race-day: 7/10/2009

Race-time: 3:56 pm est.

Calder Racecourse will host their Summit of Speed this Saturday. The BetOnline online racebook will be there to provide some terrific wagering opportunities.

On Friday, the Summit of Speed write-up will be posted, but in the mean time, there is a terrific turf race going off on Friday at Calder that could provide profits to horseplayers.

Turf racing on Calder’s lawn can sometimes favor front runners.

Let’s take a look at Race 8 at Calder on Friday.

Calder Racecourse – Race 8

Claiming $25,000 n2L

For Three Year Olds and Upward Which Have Never Won Two Races

1 1/16th miles on turf

Galloping Thunder – - 5/2 morning line

There just isn’t a whole lot of speed in this race. I fully expect this son of Victory Gallop, who has a record of 1-1-1 out of 8 lifetime races, to take the lead and either lay off of my second choice in the race, or simply go on with it. Galloping Thunder is coming off of a maiden victory and usually that would spell underlay, but he’s shown the ability to run on the pace in his last two, can transfer to the main track with ease if rains arrive and this race is taken off the grass, and has continued to work steadily throughout his career.

Blink And Dance – - 8/1 morning line

Blink And Dance will probably go off closer to 20 to 1 in this race which makes him a nice long shot play as he is the only true confirmed front runner in this field. Yes, he was eased in his last. Yes, he’s moving up in class and his trainer is 0 for 19 in 2009, but he figures to either get an easy lead or to track Galloping Thunder through soft fractions. He could surprise at big odds in this.

Caravel – - 9/5 morning line

Caravel could stay close to the pace but more than likely he’ll be three or four lengths off. My main knock is that he couldn’t put away an optional claiming $16,000 n1x field in his last and is coming off of a layoff. Caravel isn’t all that great off of layoffs and has been slow out of the gate in his last few races. He’s a truly iffy proposition at the odds.

Wagering Strategy

I’m going to bet Galloping Thunder to win only. Then, I will go for the money in the exacta by putting Galloping Thunder, Caravel, and Blink and Dance into an exacta box. I will skip the trifecta in this race.