Scioto: Analysis for Sunday's Ohio Sire Stakes Super Night card
Eldorado Scioto Downs will offer three $10,000 Guaranteed wagers on Sunday (9/6) night - two Pick 5's (races 5 and 12) and a Pick 8 (race 3). Below is a look at the Pick 8, which contains an octet of $300,000 Ohio Sire Stakes Championships for 2- and 3-year-olds, plus both $100,000 #SENDITIN Invitationals for older pacers.
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Race 3 - $300,000 OHSS 2YO FILLY TROT
The best horses drew outside and that along with this being a 2-year-old filly trot could lead to a crazy outcome. Some will look at my ticket and wonder how I could throw out (9) HERCULISA, but there are so many chalky horses in these Sire Stakes races that you have to take a stand against one somewhere and starting from post 9, with early speed directly to her inside, she’s vulnerable. I'm spreading deep with #'s 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 in a field where anything can happen to start the Pick 8.
Race 4 - $300,000 OHSS 2YO FILLY PACE
(1) SUMMER TOUCH has won four straight and while she isn't a lock, something will have to go wrong for her to lose. Two keys will be what stablemate (3) PINKNPERFECT and (7) LADY ARTHUR do at the start. Both are capable of giving her a tussle early and if one of them lands a smooth trip and Summer Touch is slightly off her game, they can upset.
Race 5 - $300,000 OHSS 3YO FILLY PACE
Another difficult race. If forced to pick a horse it would be (4) CROWNTIMEROCKETTE. She has the early speed to make the front and work out a winning trip. That said, this is definitely a spread race for me with #'s 1, 3, 5, 6.
Race 6 - $300,000 OHSS 2YO COLT TROT
(2) WINNING TICKET is clearly the fastest of this group and he has been handy enough at times to wait in the pocket or three-hole. Her three wins this year have been by a combined 20-plus lengths! (8) STREET GOSSIP hasn’t been finishing his miles great lately and the outside post is an issue, but notice he gets first-time Lasix. That could make a difference if he is able to make the top without working too hard.
Race 7 - $300,000 OHSS 3YO FILLY TROT
(8) GUINEVERE HALL has yet to lose in six starts this year but might be vulnerable from the outside post. That said, she's accomplished from off-the-pace and more than capable of taking some air. (4) DELOVELY HALL & (6) A FANCY FACE will also be on my ticket. The former seems likely to get aggressive in this spot while the latter has done just about everything right in the Ohio Sire Stakes this year.
Race 8 - $300,000 OHSS 2YO COLT PACE
The early speed and power is on the inside of the gate. (1) FOUR-STAR FLASH showed what he can do last time and seems to be peaking at the right time. He's a horse trainer Brian Brown has been high on. (2) CHARLIE MAY and (3) HEART OF CHEWBACCA make the ticket as both are sharp and very talented.
Race 9 - $300,000 OHSS 3YO COLT TROT
(2) ACTION UNCLE has been untouchable against this group all year and the inside post gives driver Brett Miller plenty of options; clear single.
Race 10 - $300,000 OHSS 3YO COLT PACE
The group behind Stanford Court may argue, but this is a two-horse race in my book between (3) ELVER ROCK & (4) OCEAN ROCK. Both should be firing off the gate and I can’t separate them.
Race 3: .20 Pick 8 Ticket: 1,3,4,6,7 / 1 / 1,3,4,5,6 / 2 / 4,6,8 / 1,2,3 / 2 / 3,4 = $90
Race 5: .50 Pick 5 Ticket: 1,3,4,5,6 / 2,8 / 4,6,8 / 1,2,3 / 2 = $45
Race 12 - $100,000 #SENDITIN (1st Div.)
This really is a spectacular race where given the right trip, any of these horses could end up taking pictures in the winner’s circle. While it would be a nice story to see (6) LITTLE ROCKET MAN win, I project him as the favorite in this spot and don’t want any part of a short price. (4) HURRIKANE EMPEROR is interesting in that he’s the fastest horse in the field but shows no lines on smaller tracks in his recent races. That could sway some people off him, but he won at Tioga in 1:48 1/5 this year and has raced over a half-mile oval as well. Plus he can race from on or off the pace. The co-longest price on the morning line is (8) SPRINGSTEEN and give the right setup, he’s capable of pulling off a huge upset. This 5-year-old can really fire off cover and if they mix it up and he’s sitting third-over, watch out! I’ve earned plenty of respect for (2) BLLACK HOLE. He’s proven capable of taking punishment in the way of a bad trip and still hanging around.
Race 14 - $100,000 #SENDITIN (2nd Div.)
Another good field but not quite as tough as the first division. (5) WORKIN ONA MYSTERY sticks out for me here as the best horse in the field. It is also worth noting that driver Tim Tetrick is in town to drive this guy. (1) STARS ALIGN A is a very fast horse with an inside draw. Local 7-year-old could be sharp enough to go with more talented foes in here. (7) BECHERS BROOK A has gone some big miles in the past and is typically closing fast. I wouldn’t toss him off my exotic tickets at big odds.