King's preview: Comebackers offer spot plays

Swept Up makes second start in race eight

Swept Up, a half-sister to stakes winners Cash Refund and Early Return who won her debut May 10, is among the better horses running Sunday at Churchill Downs. She goes in the eighth race, a first-level allowance, and looks a strong chance to improve her record to 2 for 2.

She impressed in victory first out, winning from the rail – which can be an intimidating starting position for a first timer – and also turned back a bold stretch bid from a talented runner-up in Unbridledexplosion. She ran an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Of her six opponents Sunday, only Tiz May West has run faster, though she did so in June 2013 in her lone start.

She, too, was a flashy debut winner, though not having raced for nearly a year since seemingly puts her at a fitness disadvantage against Swept Up.

Of those with allowance experience, Devious d’Oro seems best, though she is also returning from a lengthy hiatus, not having run since last September.

Sunday card improves beginning with the fourth

The first three races at Churchill all came up short, with five entrants in the opener and only six in the second and third races.

Things pick up a bit thereafter, with eight 2-year-olds set to run in the fourth race, even following several scratches, led by the well-bred Tapalite, a daughter of Tapit who is a half-sister to a couple graded stakes winners, most notably Cuvee, winner of the Grade 1 Futurity in 2003.

That is not to say the short fields are gone – they’re not. The fifth, a $10,000 claimer, attracted only five, and the seventh has six.

The deepest betting race of the day is the last, a $25,000 claimer on the grass that drew a full field of 10.

Spot plays

Race 5
BEFUDDLER (#3, 2-1) was no match for Little Face in a starter at Indiana Downs last out, but that mare is virtually untouchable in starters on dirt. This mare is cut back in distance to a sprint, which suits her better than the mile race did last out. She acts most effective as a late-running sprinter.

Race 9
GET REAL (#6, 3-1) just ran a close fourth at Arlington for $25,000 claiming and now returns to a Churchill course where she was a winner earlier in her career. She is reunited with jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, who has been up for many of her best races.

Early scratches

Race 4
#1 Richie's Trix; #1A Mercer Mill Mae; #7 Aniell

Race 7
#1A Magical Cat

Race 9
#11 Black Tulip