It's "Downs After Dark" at Churchill Downs Saturday night featuring a pair of graded stakes (Photo credit: Churchill Downs)
The party is at Churchill Downs on Saturday night as the Louisville racetrack offers up its “Downs After Dark” program, highlighted by a pair of turf stakes for three-year-olds.
A field of 13 will line up in the $100,000 Commonwealth Turf (G3) going 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn turf course. The Todd Pletcher trained Winning Cause is the lukewarm 4-1 morning line favorite.
The colt has won one of four starts on turf and is coming off a good effort in the Fayette (G2) on poly at Keeneland.
Arkansas Derby (G1)runner up Frac Daddy was dusted in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and is looking for a new career on the lawn. The colt beat first level allowance foes on turf at Saratoga this summer but was outrun in the Saranac (G3) in his first stakes try on grass.
The $175,000 Mrs. Revere (G2)is also going to be a great betting race with a field of 14 going to the post under the lights in the ninth race on the card.
The Bill Mott trained Tapicat is the 7-2 morning line favorite off a runner up finish in the Pebbles at Belmont Park going a mile on the grass on Oct. 14.
No turf race in Kentucky wold be complete without a couple of “Kitten’s” and we have a pair in the race. Emotional Kitten (4-1) won the Hilltop and was second in the American Oaks (G1) this year, and Quality Kitten (15-1) makes her stakes debut after starting her career with a couple of wins.
There is a trio of stakes on the Aqueduct card on Saturday afternoon including the $250,000 Red Smith Handicap (G3).
The Red Smith drew 13 including Canadian International (G1) runner up Hyper (5-2) and the filly Tannery (5-1) who is coming into the race off a victory in the E.P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine.
My Best Plays Report for Saturday includes my nine strongest plays from Aqueduct and Churchill Downs.
Let’s head out to Churchill Downs for Saturday night’s featured race of the day:
Churchill Downs Race 9 The Mrs Revere G2 (Post time 8:36 ET)
9 Remember Then 12-1
1 Emotional Kitten 4-1
13 Tapicat 7-2
8 Nellie Cashman 9-2
Analysis: Remember Then caught a sloppy track last out in his first start here, making a mild late rally to finish third against Alw-3 optional claimers. Her lone go on turf came two back in the Pucker Up (G3) where the filly checked in fourth. She was down along the inside without clear sailing and then angled off the inside in the stretch for clear running room. She picks up Leparoux here and this gal should like turf. She is by Pulpit out of the turf stakes winner Owsley ($866,705) who has dropped three other winners including a pair of turf winners, top earner Arthur’s Tale ($407,520). The $350,000 Keeneland purchase is in good hands with the Jonathan Sheppard barn and we should catch a generous price on this filly.
Emotional Kitten was outrun in the early going, came wide into the stretch and got going too late in a seventh place finish in the Queen Elizabeth II (G1), beaten three lengths for the top spot. Two back the filly was a good third in the Del Mar Oaks (G1). That was a solid field that included Wishing Gate, who won Autumn Miss (G3) in her next start and fourth place finisher Kitten’s Dumplings. who won the QE II. The winner Discreet Marq came back to run second in the Garden City (G1) and then won the Pebbles. The Wesley Ward trainee looks like she is going to get a solid pace to run at.
Tapicat came off a two month break last out with a game second in the Pebbles, beaten just 3/4 of a length for the top spot. She has won three of six on turf in her career including the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay back in February. This is just her fourth start since that win and the Bill Mott trainee should get a good trip sitting just off the pace. She does draw a tough post here and the 7-2 morning line looks a tad light, but she still appears to have some upside.
Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 6-1 or better.
EX: 1,9 / 1,8,9,13
TRI: 1,9 / 1,3,8,9 / 1,3,4,8,13
