Saturday’s late pick three features the return of 2015 Santa Anita Derby winner Dortmund, and while he’ll likely be a heavy favorite I don’t think that necessarily means he’s a slam-dunk to win. I’ll focus my attention on this sequence, races 7-9.
RACE 7
The Empire Showcase Day program for New York-breds late in the fall meet at Belmont Park is traditionally a terrific betting card, and Saturday’s renewal is no exception. There are plenty of parimutuel opportunities throughout the day, but the following races will attract most of my attention:
Trainer Efren Loza Jr. saddles Jakob's Way (#1, ML 4-1) in Thursday's eighth race at Gulfstream Park West, a 7 1/2-furlong claiming race on turf. Since Jan. 1, 2014, Loza is winning at a 39 percent clip when saddling a horse switching from route to sprint, for a return on investment of $3.80.
BLUEGRASS SIGHT
Trainer: Bob Hess Jr.
Last race: Oct. 15, 1st
Finish: 6th by 16 1/4
Beyer: 39
No visible alibi for this gelding’s last-place finish, but Hess and Midwest Thoroughbreds re-claimed him for $12.5. His most recent win in May was for these connections.
DYNAMITE KID
Trainer: Mark Casse
Last race: Oct. 18, 3rd
Finish: 3rd by 4 1/4
Beyer: 59
He got loose briefly after the post parade, and then got away slowly before closing belatedly from 10 lengths back. The $100,000 2-year-old purchase by Northern Afleet should be better for the experience.
JAX HERITAGE
Trainer: Mark Hennig
Last race: Oct. 17, 7th
Finish: 4th by 1 1/2
Beyer: 73
Steadied along and checked repeatedly in traffic in what track announcer Larry Collmus described as a “brutal trip” as the favorite in a first-level allowance for New York-breds on the turf.
COMMENT: Annual Report, a son of Grade 1 winner Harlan’s Holiday, cost $600,000 at auction and now we know what the fuss was all about. A romping winner of his debut at Parx Sept. 20, the colt backed it up here, stamping himself one to watch. He got squeezed back at the start to be last early as Manhattan Dan zipped off to a clear early lead.
The first of seven pick threes on the Keeneland Sunday card could be the most appealing of them all from a betting perspective:
Race 1
TOTHYOWNSELF has been posting decent Beyer Speed Figures out of town, and her tactical speed could lead to a favorable trip. LOST IN SUCCESS makes her first start off the claim for a barn with a couple recent wins with same. SO MANY DREAMS was a close second in her latest against a step lesser.
Trainer Joe Hennessy saddles Ace of Hearts (#7, 15-1) in Sunday's eighth race at Gulfstream Park West, a 7 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race on turf. Since Jan., 1, 2014, Hennessy is winning at a 26 percent clip in maiden special weight races, for a return on investment of $7.10.
Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup will be released Wednesday. And from that point on for about 11 days, horseplayers across the country and, yes, around the globe, yours truly included, will be preoccupied to the point where they might not have the time or inclination for anything else.
But while many of us happily give ourselves up to BC madness, it occurred to me that far fewer actually know how the BC pre-entry and final entry systems work. So consider the following a BC entry primer, if you will: