Brad Free: Cross-country plays for Wednesday, April 15, 2020

An unmistakable favorite will commence the Wednesday betting action, followed by a quartet of price plays at Will Rogers Downs, Tampa Bay Downs, and Fonner Park.

Tampa Bay Downs, race 2 (1 p.m. ET) – A low-odds favorite that looks tough to beat, My Eclair (8) returns to a maiden turf sprint. She is quick enough to make the lead and should be gone at a price shorter than her 2-1 morning line. MOTO selection (“master of the obvious”).

Tampa Bay Downs, race 5 (2:30 p.m. ET) – Special-weight dropper Federale (8) might be a cinch in this maiden-40, but firster Impressive Speed (3) is interesting. His works are okay, two of his three siblings won first time out, and his trainer has posted upsets with firsters at Tampa. Federale will be tough as the favorite, but Impressive Speed looks “live” at 8-1.

Will Rogers Downs, race 6 (4:45 ET) – The past performances of Decorated for Gold (6) suggest she needs turf and is not fast enough for an entry-level allowance. But a DRF Formulator replay of her dirt race two starts back (Sam Houston, Feb. 12, race 6) tells another tale.

Blocked from the far turn into the lane, she finished big once clear. Decorated for Gold missed by five lengths and could have given the winner a battle. The winner typically earns Beyers in the 60s, close to the 64 N1X par at Will Rogers. Decorated for Gold misfired last out on turf, she returns to dirt and is 5-1 for leading trainer-jockey combo Robertino Diodoro and Ty Kennedy.

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Will Rogers Downs, race 9 (6:15 ET) – Texas Red won the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita; 10th-place Blue Dancer (3) is the only 2014 Juvenile runner still racing. Blue Dancer, an 8-year-old gelding with 15 wins, exits a fast-pace race at Turf Paradise and could make the lead in this 1 1/16-mile handicap.

Four of trainer Kerri Raven’s last six winners paid $20 or more. Blue Dancer is a longshot gamble against a tough field that includes high-figure favorite Gentrified (4). Blue Dancer is listed at 8-1.

Fonner Park, race 9 (8:36 ET) – A conspicuous lack of pace in the $15K Dowd Mile benefits Yo Y Me (4), an eight-time stakes winner from Arizona who figures for a favorable trip setting or pressing easy fractions.

Beyond his pace advantage, Yo Y Me is fast enough on figs. The Beyer par for the Dowd Mile is 75 over the past decade. That figure suits Yo Y Me, a two-time Derby winner (Turf Paradise, Arapahoe Park) with a touch of class.

Trainer Jason Wise and top jockey Jake Olesiak teamed to win the 2010 Dowd Mile with Turf Paradise shipper Elusive Pleasure. Same pattern this year.

The knock on Yo Y Me is out of his control. The veteran gelding probably will be bet below his program odds of 10-1. But he might be long gone.