Race Day – Horse Picks and Free Plays

Padding Your Bankroll: Friday April 3

Padding our bankroll may have gotten easier now that Keeneland opens its doors today for their 15 day spring meeting.

We have plenty of solid racebook wagering opportunities at both the Big A and Keeneland. Today’s Pick 3 play comes early in the day, the three-race sequence getting underway in the third race at Keeneland and is a $24 investment.

Today’s Play of the Day from Keeneland:

KEE Race 8 Alw $54,000N2L (4:35 et)

#11 Wildcat Brief 5/2

#9 Final Judgment 8/1

#2 Brother Keith 3/1

#10 Heart of a King 10/1

Analysis: #11 Wildcat Brief is coming off a solid effort in a runner up finish in the Capessela on the inner surface at the Big A. The winner of the race was Not for Silver, who came back to finish second in the Private Terms in his next outing at Laurel Park on 3/21. Two that our top pick beat last out have come back to beat allowance foes in their next starts. The colt owns a solid pace profile throughout and it is just a matter of whether he takes to the fake stuff, but has the pedigree to do so. #9 Final Judgment was a smart looking maiden winner last out at Fair Grounds in his fifth career start. Three runners have come out of the race to run back and a pair of them were next out grads.

Wagering

WIN: #11 to win at 9/5 or better.

EX: 9,11 / 2,9,10,11

TRI: 9,11 / 2,9,10,11 / 2,5,6,9,10,11

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Keeneland:

Starting in Race 3: $1: 2,7 / 1,3,6 / 2,3,4,8 = $24

KEE Race 3 Clm $10,000 (2:05 et)

#2 Thiscatcanscat, #7 He’s a Dixie Boy

#2 Thiscatcanscat invades from Tampa where she dueled for the early lead and weakened to finish third against $6.25K company. This guy has done some of his best running on the fake stuff (12-3-2-2) including a win over the main track here back in ’07 versus $30K non winners of two. He looks capable of handling the step up to the $10K level. The runner up in his last race was Dynaquake, who came back to finish third versus $16K claimers in his next start at Tampa on 3/31. Albarado takes the call for a low profile outfit that is 0 for 3 at Keeneland going back a year.

#7 He’s a Dixie Boy is returning off nearly a two month break and shipping in from Fair Grounds. Last out the six year old chased the early pace but was unable to get to the gate to wire winner. He was 7 1/2 lengths clear of the rest of the field in the effort. No recent works since his bullet on 3/7.

KEE Race 4 Clm $20,000N2L (2:35 et)

#6 In Grand Style, #1 Singing Rose, #3 River Barrow

#6 In Grand Style is making her first start since graduation day last May where she beat $25K maiden claimers on Tapeta at Presque Isle. She has a light work tab, just three published morning drills, but the Reed barn hits at a 21% clip with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff. It is not a real tough spot for her return and her 6/1 ML looks fair enough.

#1 Singing Rose chased the early pace and could not catch a loose on the lead gate to wire winner last out at Gulfstream versus straight $35K claimers. It as her first go against winners and her first start off a eight month layoff. She is proven on poly, breaking her maiden at Woodbine last July in a race that produced a couple of next out winners.

KEE Race 5 Alw $54,000N1X (3:05 et)

#8 Warn, #2 Ksar Ghilane, #4 Blackberry Road, #3 Pool Play

#8 Warn gets the call in the first turf race of the meeting, and it is a wide open affair. Our top pick has had a few too many tries at the level for my liking, but the gelding should get a good pace set up here as there is plenty of early speed to assure an honest pace. Two back he rallied nicely to finish second, beaten just a nose for the top spot. In the three starts before that, he ran into repeat winners. He has the right patient jock in Leparoux and we should catch a decent price.

#2 Ksar Ghilane invades from the left coast and goes from Frankel to McGee. Two back this guy was a close up third behind repeat winner Red Arrow, who beat Alw-2 foes in his next outing on 2/8. The new trainer adds blinkers and this guy has enough pedigree to handle the extra ground. He is by Grand Slam out of a Pleasant Colony mare who has dropped two other turf winners.

Price Plays:

These are price plays to watch today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.

Aqueduct

R4: #5 Martha’s Mandate 10/1

R5: #7 Ocala Jorge 8/1

R6: #3 Geroni 8/1

R7: #9 Slick Wheelie 12/1

R9: #9 Adam’s Nay 12/1

Good luck padding your bankroll today!