Red Strike favored over graded stakes winners in turf feature

Among the six horses in Tuesday’s $38,000 turf feature at Indiana Grand Racecourse are two graded stakes winners, albeit with scores that came in fall 2012. Surprisingly, neither Grade 1 Jamaica winner King David nor Grade 2 winner I’m Boundtoscore figures to go favored in a 1 1/16-mile grass race with multiple allowance conditions. It is also open to $50,000 claimers.

Despite the back class of King David and I’m Boundtoscore, Red Strike is listed as the 3-5 choice on the track’s morning line.

Red Strike has recorded two wins and a pair of seconds since he was claimed for $40,000 by the high-profile connections of owner Maggi Moss and trainer Tom Amoss. He drops in class after finishing second in the $103,000 J. Kenneth Self in his Indiana debut.

King David has been off the board in three starts since losing by only two lengths in the Grade 3 John Connally at Sam Houston in January.

I’m Boundtoscore returns to turf after showing much-improved early speed over a muddy main track against Indiana-breds two weeks ago.

KEY CONTENDERS

RED STRIKE (Last 3 Beyers: 92-85-82)

◗ Trainer Tom Amoss winning at 43 percent slip (28 for 65) at the meet.

◗ Horses who finished in the money last time out, returning in less than 30 days in a turf route allowance are 5 for 21 (24 percent) the past two years, according to DRF ’s Formulataor.

KING DAVID (Last 3 Beyers: 81-86-85)

◗ Faced better horses than Red Strike when both raced at Churchill this spring.

◗ Trainer Mike Maker is 5 for his last 15 in turf races at Indiana.

◗ Last two years, Maker is 11 for 40 (28 percent) with horses returning from 31 to 60 days off in a turf allowance route.

SAN ANTONE (Last 3 Beyers: 85-84-87)

◗ Trainer Rusty Arnold is 7 for 23 (30 percent) in turf races at Indiana.

◗ Horse is winless in nine starts on turf.

I’M BOUNDTOSCORE (Last 3 Beyers 74-66-62)

◗ Winless in six starts since taking Grade 2 Summer as 2-year-old in 2012.

◗ May improve returning to turf for first time since wide and troubled trips last winter at Fair Grounds.

FAIR DINKUM (Last 3 Beyers 55-83-62)

◗ Earned respectable 83 Beyer making turf debut at Churchill last November.

◗ Emma Mulvey, former exercise rider, looking for first career victory since becoming a trainer in June.