Keeneland Two Pick 4's
KEENELAND EARLY PICK 4 - Back for More. Apparently Yesterday Didn’t Hurt Enough.
Yesterday we learned that identifying the dangerous speed horse and actually putting him on the ticket are two very different skills. Today we return with $96 and renewed confidence, neither of which has been approved by a qualified professional.
50¢ Pick 4 — $96 DOINK !
Race 2: 2, 3, 5
Race 3: 1, 3, 5, 7
Race 4: 3, 5, 6, 8
Race 5: 1, 6, 8, 10
We start Race 2 with Summer of George (No. 2), Throttle (No. 3), and Flaming Rainbow (No. 5). Throttle comes off a second at this distance and claiming level, now with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. Flaming Rainbow brings competitive maiden special weight form, while Summer of George gets a chance to improve off his debut. A summer named George in the middle of October? We’re flexible. (No. 6) Revereign Can catch the leaders if the tempo is suicidal.
Race 3 puts Speech and Drama (No. 1), Red Sun (No. 3), Booray (No. 5), and No Caller Id (No. 7) on duty. Speech and Drama’s latest 78 figure and No Caller Id’s previous best of 80 give us something to work with. Four deep here because young claiming horses have a habit of developing new personalities between the paddock and the finish line.
In Race 4, we use Machado (No. 3), Dontworryboutnothn (No. 5), Lifes Reward (No. 6), and Mizzou (No. 8). Dontworryboutnothn drops from a runner-up effort against $100,000 maiden claimers into this $50,000 group. Mizzou showed speed and held second last time with a 92 figure. His assignment is to repeat the useful part and reconsider the getting-passed part.
We finish on turf in Race 5 with No Objection (No. 1), Moviestar Handsome (No. 6), Grand Premiere (No. 8), and Kelz (No. 10). Moviestar Handsome was beaten just over a length in his debut, Grand Premiere has a second over this distance and returns as a reported gelding, and Kelz comes off a third following a lengthy break. Plenty of plausible improvement and four opportunities to yell at the television.
Let’s get four home and leave yesterday’s teeth where we found them.
KEENELAND LATE PICK 4 — FRIDAY, Seven Deep in the Ninth. Yes, We Have Trust Issues.
The late ticket costs $94.50, bringing our Keeneland total to $190.50. We’re three deep in three legs and seven deep in Race 9, where our firm handicapping opinion is that we would prefer several opportunities to be right.
50¢ Pick 4 — $94.50 *So the Pick 4 paid over $19,000 so if that tells you anything . . .
Race 7: 2, 8, 12, 6
Race 8: 4, 7, 12
Race 9: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8,
Race 10: 2, 4, 8
We open Race 7 with Sweet Venture (No. 2), Pardi Vida (No. 8), and Fumed (No. 12). It’s a seven-furlong maiden race for two-year-old fillies, which means we’ve entrusted our money to teenagers who weigh half a ton. Sweet Venture has the highest previous speed figure of our three; Fumed’s pace figures suggest she can be involved early. Getting that final furlong is part of the examination.
Race 8 gives us Beautiful War (No. 4), Red Square (No. 7), and Gypsy Art (No. 12) in the turf sprint. Beautiful War was narrowly beaten in his last two, including a stakes, while Red Square exits a maiden win with a 94 figure. Gypsy Art brings figures of 95, 92 and 93 from his last three starts. Three legitimate arguments, one finish line, and hopefully no traffic complaints.
Then we deploy the extended family in Race 9: Tuskegee Airmen (No. 1), Tagliatelle (No. 2), Bourbon’s Fault (No. 4), Mitty’s Griddy (No. 5), Little Ni (No. 8), Mena (No. 10), and Executive Chef (No. 11). Little Ni’s latest 97 commands attention, Tagliatelle brings a strong recent figure average, and Executive Chef comes out of stakes company. Seven selections should provide comfort. Instead, I’m already suspicious of the four we left out.
If we survive, Race 10 belongs to Comprehensive (No. 2), Puteketeke (No. 4), and Tend to You (No. 8). Comprehensive exits a second at this turf distance, Puteketeke stretches out after a third in a Kentucky Downs turf sprint, and Tend to You’s July near-miss earned a 98. We’d appreciate that version showing up rather than sending a less talented relative.
Four winners and dinner gets upgraded. Otherwise, please pull forward to the second window.