Boom. Evan Harlan gets up at 22/1 Friday at Keeneland and just like that the train is flush with coal. Thank god the Conductor and real turf racing has returned this spring. Us passengers aren’t worthy. Skip.
Race 5: 1 1/8 Mile. Clm 32000
#1 Saqeel (10/1) – This is a wide open claiming race and the Conductor likes this gelding breaking from the Keeneland golden rail. First off the claim for Maker last time, she ran well off the bench. She tracked a slow pace and kept grinding in the stretch. Now she drops in class and stretches out to her best distance. She also has an early pace edge over this group. All signs point to Saqeel firing her one of her top efforts, which would be good enough to win here.
Race 7: *7 Furlongs. F.Mdn 100k
#3 Soundbite (4/1) – None of the other runners in here have run close to par for this level. Of the others, the Conductor thinks #1 Illusion (6/1) and #7 Halstyn Rose (8/1) could improve the most. However, Soundbite is a well bred 1st time starter with a solid work tab for Brad Cox. On a beautiful Keeneland Saturday, she’ll be ready to role. The Conductor will lean on this filly quite a bit while many others will be spreading this race. It smells like she wins for fun.
Race 8: 1½ Mile. (Turf) G2 Elkhorn Stakes
*Gullet Shot of the Day #11 Silver Knott (8/1) – The Appleby favorite #4 Bold Act (3/2) looks like a standout in here. He won at this distance last year at Keeneland in impressive fashion. However, the Conductor is intrigued by his stable mate as the lone potential upsetter. He is clearly entered as a rabbit to ensure there is a fair early pace set here. There is no other speed and Prat will give him a good ride alone on the front end. It doesn’t look like he can go his far on paper, but with a slow pace he has plenty of back class to get brave. The worst case is Bold Act runs him down late. The Conductor thinks an Appleby exacta is immanent and gives Silver Knott a chance to pull the upset.
About Author
Leave a Reply