Pimlico: Selections for Thursday (Day 5)

Life has been good at Pimlico during the first four racing days of this 27 day meet. The weather has been superb on race days, limiting the number of scratches, resulting in competitive races worth betting.

 

Meanwhile in Louisville, KY things have been anything but good… at least in my mind. There are 9 days until the Kentucky Derby and no one can be sure who the 20 starters will be for the 134^th Run For The Roses on May 3^rd. Among those whose fate is in their own(ers) hands (i.e. automatically qualify to start due to their graded stakes earnings) are two fillies and about half dozen colts whose recent races would barely get them respect in an Allowance race.

 

Stay tuned. The drama will become more intense over the next week leading up to the Derby Post Position Draw on Wednesday, April 30^th.        

 

 

Recapping Day 4 (April 20^th) the Pimlico Spring Meet …

 

Best Bet, Something Dixie (# 5; 5^th race; 9-5) WON by a neck in a thrilling stretch duel. Déjà vu (see Day 4 blog for recap of Day 3 Best Bet). She got a ton of support at the betting windows, being sent off the 3-5 favorite, paying $3.40. That’s three consecutive Best Bet winners! 

Longshot, Story Of A Lion (# 1; 7^th race; 15-1) caught a muddy track and sprinted out to a clear lead which he held for 4 ½ furlongs. Unfortunately, the race was 5 furlongs, but he held onto 2^nd. At 11-1, getting PLACE ($11.60) and SHOW ($8.20) money is like catching a 9-2 winner. Not too shabby.   

 

SHOW Parlay Play of the Day, $44 on Cape Codder (# 5; 2^nd race; 8-5) turned out to be an unwise choice. Even though he was bet down to 2^nd choice at 7-5, he showed no heart or run. He sprinted out just behind the early leaders, but faded badly in the stretch, bringing down out initial show parlay with him.

Here’s what I like for the Day 5 (Apr. 24^th) of the Pimlico Spring Meet…

Best Bet:         Bernie          (# 1; 5^th race on the turf; 2-1)

Steeplechase Trainer Sanna Hendricks took over the conditioning duties since Bernie last saw action in the afternoons (Sept. ’07). She gets 28% of her runners to the Winner’s Circle the first time they run for her. Getting Horatio Karamanos in the irons tells me Bernie is in top form for his 2008 turf debut.         

 

Longshot:        Zangara          (# 6; 4^th race; 15-1)

 

This 5 year old mare is as cheap as they come, has earned her keep running at Charles Town lately but I see two positives that make me think she’s got a chance here. First, her six foes want to be on or near the lead whereas she loves running late. Second, in three previous races at Pimlico she has run 3^rd twice. Pimlico doesn’t produce too many longshot winners, so even if Zangara finishes 2^nd or 3^rd at these odds, it will feel like a win.    

 

SHOW Parlay available bankroll: $80.20

We need to start from scratch with a new $20 SHOW parlay since our initial one flamed out on Sunday.

SHOW Parlay Play of the Day: $20 on Catlike Move (# 5; 3^rd race; 5-2)

All we’re looking for is one more good effort from this 9 year old gelding who over his career has finished… in the money in both races he’s run at Pimlico; in the money in 14 out of 20 races going today’s distance (1 1/16 mile); and in the money in 41 of his 69 career starts. Let’s hope he makes it 42 out of 70 starts to get our second SHOW parlay going.

Good Luck with your selections today!