McGee: How I’d play Churchill Downs on Saturday, Sept. 6

Race 1 – Don’t trust Dafoe Street (especially at low odds) and don’t think Twitterverse beat much at Ellis Park, so we’ll rely mostly on No. 4 With Excellence and No. 5 Rhinstone Diva while sprinkling in a little No. 1 Anafromindiana and No. 7 Run Hide My Girl in both the horizontals and verticals.

Race 2 – You’re mostly left to your own devices in a terrific maiden sprint, but here are some thoughts: tote often tells with Lynn Whiting firsters (No. 2 Husky Clipper); Starbound might be overplayed because of Rosario; and the two outside colts (No. 11 Alzanbag and No. 12 Westbound) are price possibilities. Really don’t know how I’ll be playing this one yet.

Race 3 – San Antone might be winless on grass, but he towers over these others on class, and surely Rusty and C-Lan are wanting to put their subpar Saratoga meets behind them. He’s my single for multi’s and atop vertical keys.

Race 4 – Really don’t trust Flashback off that long layoff and think Right to Vote will give it up on his own accord, with or without pressure; moreover, that gaudy 108 Beyer Speed Figure for No. 5 Bradester will make him overbet. Brad Cox will be hitting on all cylinders at this meet; love the way No. 4 Carve was striding clear in his allowance win here on Foster Day. A cold 4-5 exacta for me, with the 4 as a single in the multi’s.

Race 5 – Going light here because of a lack of a strong opinion, but thinking if Eton Blue is fit from those Skylight works, she might just be better than these, troubling layoff lines or no. She’s the best I can offer.

Race 6 – I’m all outside here (No. 8 Little Norwegian, No. 7 Libby’sluckycharm, and No. 9 Indygo Star) and may chicken out and just play the three of them in some multi’s or exacta/trifecta boxes. Slightest of nods to No. 8.

Race 7 – Like Race 2, this is another of those guessing games with very nice-looking maidens. Have to think Wayne Catalano will have the No. 7 Power Nap sitting on go and will want to see the tote action; also have interest in the No. 3 Roma Road, No. 8 Tanner’s Popsicle, No. 9 Holy Boss, and probably will tie them all up in some multi-race fashion leading into the stakes.

Race 8 – Very skeptical about On Fire Baby after trainer Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage took so long to really start asking her to do things in the mornings; she might need this one. Conversely, Molly Morgan is fit and in form for Dale Romans; both she and longtime personal fave Don’t Tell Sophia are my definite leans here.

Race 9 – Definitely against Mr. Z, who will be underlaid; definitely in favor of Hashtag Bourbon, who was terrific in W.Va.; possible sprinklings of No. 4 Holy Frazier, No. 6 Cleveland Sound, No. 8 Bold Conquest.

Race 10 – Intrigued by Jimmy Toner shipping in the No. 3 filly Phoenix Park but otherwise no strong opinions here other than Take Charge Brandi might already be on the way down and feel compelled to go against her as the morning-line fave; main plays will be No. 5 Pangburn and No. 10 True to You and possibly Phoenix Park.

Race 11 – Third and final rugged maiden special weight race is a tricky one to end all your multi’s, and I’ll probably be treading lightly in that eggs-in-one-basket respect, even though I made No. 2 Tapit Wicked (Asmussen, Tapit, etc.) my black-letter Best Bet in our print editions. Ones to fear include No. 3 Divine Storm, No. 4 Risetotheoccassion, and No. 8 Sky Hero. . . . hoping all these stream-of-consciousness notes help you cash some tickets Saturday.