Jeff Siegel’s National Best Plays
Saturday, September 12, 2020
(Listed in chronological order)


Monmouth Park – 5th race. Post time 2:29 ET
3 – Queen Street (4-1)

Debuting daughter of Speightster trained like a very quick filly at Saratoga but didn’t quite make the meeting so she shows up in a maiden special weight sprint at Monmouth Park that should be well within her capabilities. The C. Brown-trained juvenile, a $90,000 OBS March sale purchase after previewing in 10 1/5 seconds, seems fit and ready for a major effort first time out, so let’s use her as a win play and rolling exotic single and hope to get close to her morning line of 4-1.


Kentucky Downs – 7th race. Post: 3:27 CT
3 – Tapit Today (5-1)

Had a right to be a tad short when a close fourth in the Matchmaker S.-G3 in first start in five months when last seen in July and returns in a similar type race while projecting to enjoy an easy pace-stalking trip. Though she missed a scheduled start a couple of weeks ago in the Eatontown S. at Monmouth Park when the race came off the grass, the lightly-raced daughter of Tapit sports a healthy series of recent drills that should have her primed and ready. With rising speed figures in each outing, the C. Brown-trained mare has a chance to upset her stable mate Regal Glory (the 9/5 morning line favorite) , so at 5-1 on the morning line she may offer value in the win pool and in the vertical and horizontal exotics.


Gulfstream Park – 10th race. Post time 4:48 ET
9 - Isolate (5/2)

Juvenile colt in the K. Ritvo barn should have won by much more than official three-quarters of a length margin of victory over the local main track in his visually pleasing debut early August. Was forced to check sharply in traffic into the turn, remained behind a wall of horses entering the lane, then displayed moxie when rallying between horses to be up in time while earning a fairly decent speed figure for a 2-year-old. Comfortably drawn outside in this first-level allowance sprint, the son of Mark Valeski should have clear sailing throughout and will offer good value right back at or near his morning line of 5/2.


Golden Gate Fields – 6th race. Post time 3:45 PT
1 – A Little Bit Lucky (7/2)

Cruised to an easy victory in his debut over the Golden Gate Fields all-weather surface in June and then finished well but too late to be a respectable fifth in a stakes race for 2-year-olds at Pleasanton the following month. Dropping into a much softer starter’s allowance sprint over a surface we know he likes, the E. Miranda-trained juvenile projects be forwardly placed throughout and have every chance in race that seems unlikely to have quick early fractions. Today’s extra half-furlong won’t hurt his chances, either. There’s good value to be found at his morning line of 7/2 if you can get it.


Golden Gate Fields – 7th race. Post time 4:15 PT
3 – Alice Marble (6-1)

Though finishing a non-threatening ninth, this daughter of Grazen ran far better than the line will show when finishing fastest of all (and galloping out in front) in her debut in June at Santa Anita in a fairly competitive maiden special weight sprint on turf. Was entered but scratched at Del Mar in early August and finally makes it back to the races for clever S. Miyadi, who has been on a tear of late in the Bay Area. With the barn’s “go to” rider A. Gomez taking the call, this state-bred 3-year-old filly is listed at 6-1 on the morning and has a chance to pull off an upset if she leaves with field and finds room to rally from the quarter pole home.


Golden Gate Fields – 8th race. Post time 4:45 PT
1 – Emerald Magic (6-1)

Added blinkers for the first time in his 11-race career and ran lights out when narrowly missing at 65-1 in a tough starter’s allowance sprint at Del Mar last month, earning by far a career top speed figure while winding up almost three lengths clear of the rest. Returns to his home base where he’s a two-time winner over the Tapeta surface, and with a clean break from the rail and a repeat of his most recent outing he may be good enough to pull off a mild surprise in this first-level allowance affair at 6-1 on the morning line.