King's preview: Bitty Kitty heads spot plays for Saturday card

Chilly but favorable racing conditions

Although the high temperature in Louisville is only forecasted to be 64 degrees Saturday – normal at this time of year is around 80 – partly cloudy skies are expected, meaning we are looking at a fast track and a firm turf course.

Featured Keertana Stakes one of meet’s best wagering races

Although fields have been short at Churchill Downs this meet, that is not the case with the Keertana Stakes Saturday. The race drew 12 horses, and the group is so evenly matched that six entrants are between odds of 9-2 and 6-1 on the morning line.

No filly sticks out in the Keertana, a 1 3/8-mile turf race, but this horseplayer’s slight preference is Gulsary, who makes her third start off a layoff and is seemingly ready to return to peak form.

She had a rough trip when sixth in a stakes-quality allowance April 13 at Keeneland over a course that was dry and had significant kickback. But after the rain in Louisville this week and with racing on the grass canceled Thursday, the Churchill course should be in better condition and perhaps more to her liking.

Always Kitten also merits attention, dropping out of the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland where she faced classier company.

Post time for the Keertana, the last live race of the day, is 5:55 p.m, with the simulcast of the Preakness Stakes to follow at 6:18.

Spot plays

Race 3
MY CHRISTINI (#4, 7-2), owned by University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino's Rap Racing, showed vast improvement second out by winning a maiden $25,000 claimer by 12 1/4 lengths at Fair Grounds She has been out of action for nearly two months, but that seems by design, as her trainer, Jimmy Baker, likes to bypass Keeneland and wait for Churchill Downs, his home base.

Race 8
BITTY KITTY (#2, 9-2) is the day’s best bet and shows much-improved form for his current barn this year with a second at Keeneland and another at Gulfstream. She is well drawn in post 2 for this 1 1/16-mile turf race and has leading rider Corey Lanerie up.

Race 9
BIG LEGACY (#3, 12-1) ran a 98 Beyer Speed Figure in winning a starter at Hawthorne last time out, and now his connections boldly ship him down from Chicago to run on dirt. He likely will get bet down from his overly rich morning line but still seems a good bet at 6-1 or higher.