The racing week in Kentucky concludes with a solid 11-race card that kicks off at 12:45 PM eastern. It marks the final card before Churchill Downs hits their final week of racing until September. Next weekend should be a banger with the Stephen Foster (G1) headlining a massive card in Louisville on Saturday and mandatory payouts in all pools on Sunday. However, first things first. Let’s see if we can keep a bit of momentum going with a few spot plays this afternoon.


Race 4:
My first play on the Sunday slate comes in this $75k maiden claimer at 1 1/16-miles over the grass where #4 Daring Madison was made the understandable 3-1-ML favorite. The Rigney Racing filly stretched out to a route of ground and moved to the sod for the first time on May 29 and ran pretty well on just 20 days rest. That said, she is likely to get over bet considering the runner that cruised by her easily in the lane came into that race 0 for 18. She retains Jose Ortiz and should be prominent early on, but I cannot swallow her likely off odds. Instead, I will try #8 Babysitter. The daughter of McKinzie debuted for her original barn on the grass at Saratoga last summer and tired badly after being mid-pack early. She did not return to the races until she was in the hands of Brendan Walsh and at Turfway Park in late February. None of her three starts in Kentucky are overly impressive, but they have all come against MSW competition. Plus, she has the pedigree on the dam side to love the grass being out of a Kitten’s Joy mare that won 2 of her 3 races on the turf and a younger sister to $270k+ earner over the lawn Be My Sunshine. A move forward is well within the range of outcomes.

Play: #8 Babysitter (5-1 ML)
Picks: 8-4-2


Race 7:
My next play comes in this $80k non-winners of two at one-mile over the grass where I am hopeful the pace is honest. If so, I love the chances of #10 Plot. The Tommy Drury Jr. trainee has turned a corner since Drury added blinkers and put him back into two-turn turf races this spring. He was out of the gates poorly on April 30, but rallied nicely to finish second versus $50k maiden claimers and then broke a bit cleaner and was given an overall better ride by Christian Torres in his first career victory less than three weeks ago. Torres took over in the saddle that afternoon and is back again. If he can avoid, a wide trip into the first turn, this daughter of Blame should be rolling late in her first start against winners. I need the ML price at least though to go to the windows given the outside draw, her running style, and the step up in class.

Play: #10 Plot (9-2 ML)
Picks: 10-1-9


Race 9:
My final play of the week comes in this first-level allowance for 3YOs+ travelling 7-furlongs over the main track where #8 Bold Strength is expected to take a lot of public support. The Juddmonte colt comes in off a pair of runner-up efforts in New York for Brad Cox and lures Irad Ortiz Jr. He is obviously capable, but that will almost definitely be reflected on the tote. Therefore, I will look elsewhere to the lightly-raced #2 Envision. The son of Into Mischief is out of the LNJ Foxwoods beautiful white mare Dreamologist. I got to see her run multiple times during my time in Southern California and she had some serious talent. She has been solid as a broodmare as well producing three-time winner Striker and a few other winners and this guy did nothing wrong on debut winning despite drawing the rail at Turfway Park back in late December. He obviously moves up in class and has to prove himself over the dirt, but comes in off a strong series of drills for one of the hottest trainers around. The upside is there to take a swing, assuming he does not take much money at the windows.

Play: #2 Envision (6-1 ML)
2-7-6

Good luck! I am looking forward to a big closing week!!