Jeff Siegel’s Day Makers and Best Plays from around the country are offered on a daily basis to members of xpressbet.com and 1stbet.com. Always the day’s cream of the crop, Day Makers emphasize price and wagering value while Best Plays isolate likely winners and logical rolling exotic singles. Each selection also should be given strong consideration as a key in vertical plays such as exactas and trifectas. NOTE: Selections are listed chronologically according to listed post time.




CHURCHILL DOWNS – 2ND RACE. POST TIME: 1:34 ET
1 – DREAM QUIST (7/2) – Best Play

This doesn’t appear to be an especially strong race for maiden 2-year-old fillies, at least among the known element, so let’s zero in on a first-time starter with a “win early” pedigree and a strong work tab. A $265,000 yearling purchase, this daughter of Nyquist has done everything in the morning like a very nice filly and should be plenty fit to show her best stuff in this five furlong dash. The K. McPeek barn doesn’t often win with first-timers but with two recent bullet drills over the local main track on her resume she should offer plenty of value at or near her morning line of 7/2.


GULFSTREAM PARK – 6TH RACE. POST TIME: 2:36 ET
1 - PSEUDONYM (12-1) – Day Maker

Here’s a long shot worth considering. This daughter of Hard Spun could not have gotten a worse trip than she did from a poor draw in her debut last month, as she was rank during the early stages, was forced to race extremely wide without cover throughout, and then was not persevered with when the cause was lost. The S. Joseph, Jr.-trained filly has returned to work very well since that outing and today, from her advantageous rail post, should be able to display her true form. At 12-1 on the morning she offers a chance at a nice score in both the win pool and as a long shot key in the various rolling exotics.


CHURCHILL DOWNS – 4TH RACE. POST TIME: 2:38 ET
2 - KID SHELLEEN (6-1) – Day Maker

Trainer Eddie Kenneally claimed this colt for $30,000 for his own account earlier this month after this 3-year-old colt made his debut in a third place performance that was better than the line will show. Off slowly, racing in heavy traffic and taking a sea of mud in his face, the son of Cairo Prince kept to his task through the lane and finished eagerly to beaten only three lengths before galloping out strongly past the wire. This raise to the maiden $40,000 should be well within his capabilities if he can leave cleanly and negotiate a clear journey. This barn has a terrific record with the first-off-the-claim angle (29% with a very strong flat-bet profit) so at 6-1 on the morning line the namesake of Academy Award winning Lee Marvin’s character in Cat Ballou rates strong consideration both in the win pool and in rolling exotic play.


GULFSTREAM PARK – 10TH RACE. POST TIME: 4:46 ET
1 – KID BISCAYNE (7/2) – Day Maker

This rapidly-improving Florida-bred daughter of Brethren seeks her third straight victory while moving up class to tackle open company after breaking her maiden on the main track and then dismantling a first-level allowance state-bred field at 22-1 over this turf course late last month. The J. Alvarado-trained 3-year-old was miles the best in her most recent score, overcoming a poor post and an extremely wide trip without cover to come away as much the best while earning a career-best speed figure. Today, she lands the good rail, retains regular pilot E. Jaramillo, shows three easy breezes since raced to keep her on edge, and projects to be on or near the lead throughout. There’s excellent wagering value in the win pool and in the rolling exotics at her morning line of 7/2 if you can get it.


LOS ALAMITOS – 9TH RACE. POST TIME: 4:45 PT
6 – DR. HOFFMAN (7/2) – Best Play

Here’s a first-off-the-claim play for a barn that shows superlative stats with this angle (31%, powerful flat-bet profit), so we’re anticipating another significant forward move from the lightly-raced son of Alternation in this modest maiden $40,000 claiming router. Well-beaten sprinting after a poor start in his debut, the sophomore gelding improved a ton in his next outing, closing fastest off all but running out of room to finish second while more than four lengths clear of the rest. This raise in class from the $20,000 level shouldn’t be a concern, so at 7/2 on the morning line we’ll make him a win play and a logical key in rolling exotic play.