It is Closing Day at Churchill Downs, which means big fields, one final stakes race included in the $10,000 Turkey Bowl, and mandatory payouts across the board. This includes a carryover of $451,889 in their Derby City 6. Here are a few horses I am leaning on this afternoon to hopefully make the final racing day of the year in Louisville a profitable one.


Race 9:

This 9-furlong affair over the grass drew a full field, but #4 Out of Deductions looks like a bit of a stand out. The son of Nyquist has been freshened up by trainer Chris Block after a third-place effort against stakes foes at Hawthorne on September 28. He put in a strong late run, but the top two finishers, including the winner Emmanuel, got the jump. Block generally means business when he sends his runners to Churchill Downs evidenced by his $2.14 ROI over a 42-race sample the last 5 years. This gelding has run well in his two recent efforts over this grass course and should be ready for his best off the two-month break. Brian Hernandez Jr. is back aboard the Team Block runner, who makes for a potential single in the late horizontals.

Play: #4 Out of Deductions (3-1 ML)


Race 10:

This third-level allowance at 7-furlongs over the main track appears relatively wide-open. #3 Tap Into This is a deserving morning line favorite coming in off three consecutive wins for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, but has no early speed making him tough to fully trust over this racetrack. I think his stable mate is in with a shot as well. #2 Dimatic has not raced since early May at Oaklawn Park where he finished a well-beaten third in a non-graded $200k stakes to Saudi Crown and Mystik Dan. The Gun Runner colt faced some quality competition as a 3YO and easily could have gone directly to Oaklawn Park from Ellis where he has been training, but interestingly North America’s all-time leading trainer opts to ship him to Louisville off a 7-month break for closing day. Dimatic lacked early speed from the gate in his final few starts before the break, but I am hopeful he flashes enough off the layoff to get into him the race early on from his inside draw. I would not leave him out of your late horizontals at his price on the cutback.

Play: #2 Dimatic (12-1 ML)


Race 11: Cherokee Mile

This one-mile event over the main track offers horseplayers one of the last chances to get to ten $10 winners in the $10,000 Turkey Bowl contest. It also happens to be a fantastic betting race with plenty of ways to go. I landed on #2 Implementation. Trainer Mike Maker and the connections thought enough of this son of Constitution to claim him for $100k at Keeneland two-back. Maker wheeled him back quickly after the claim where he ran a good second off less than three weeks rest over an off track. Now, Maker adds the blinkers and attracts Tyler Gaffalione, which should have him in a prominent spot early going the one-turn mile. Assuming he can avoid traffic issues from the rail, as well as a contentious early pace, he should certainly outrun his double-digit odds.

Play: #2 Implementation (10-1 ML)