Newsletters

Beautiful conditions for racing today and my initial selections were unimpacted by the early announcement of scratches. Key plays remain Race 1 (#2 Pula), Race 4 (#9 Bulldoze) and Race 8 (#6 Athaliah). I’ll single the latter in the late day multi-race bets and bank on a square price to seal the deal (see ticket below that I’ve crafted).

Closing week at Keeneland runs today through Friday, so it’s the final 1/ST BET and Xpressbet Hit & Split promotion on the late pick 4 this afternoon, which has been featured on Wednesdays. Earn your share of 2 Million 1/ST Rewards points in addition to your parimutuel winnings if successful.

Here’s my overview of the sequence.

Race 5
#3 Sharp Swinger is the 8-5 morning line favorite and poised to win his third straight. He’s nearly flawless on dirt and it’s the synthetic and turf races on his form that created any unsatisfying runs. Luis Saez puts him right into the mix from the outset with other logical speeds #2 Run of the House and #6 Take Five Charlie. #1 Corman could benefit and be the one to fear late – at a minimum a good back half of the exacta. Use Sharp Swinger on more tickets.

Race 6
#4 Tarneema knocked on the door at Gulfstream for Brendan Walsh, who could shock the stand with a leading trainer title with a good closing week. He’s 1 win behind Wesley Ward and Brad Cox and has the numbers this week to make it possible. #6 Sugaree finished behind Tarneema last out in Florida, but gets a big rider move to Flavien Prat, who should fit her late-running style better than front-end turf ace Javier Castellano had in the past. #5 Parish Lane goes for an Eddie Kenneally barn having perhaps his best Keeneland meet ever and is proven over the 1-1/2 miles journey. #9 Faith Understood is the only course winner in the lineup and respect the Jonathan Thomas outfit on turf.

Race 7
#5 Little Jamie and #6 Landed were pretty evenly matched in a similar race over this track and distance during the 2024 Spring Meet and while Landed’s form has been better since, Little Jamie offers the value. I think she’ll be higher than the morning line. #1 Chilled runs her best locally and hustles back after an opening-week DQ from the victory for a barn not known for such quick action – interesting.

Race 8
My key play late in the day is the 8-1 morning line chance #6 Athaliah and I’ll lean on her to close the pick 4 solo. Flavien Prat hops aboard for George Weaver on a filly who stayed in an off-the-turf event here opening week and just ran even-steven over 9 furlongs without having to be exerted at any point. That should serve as a great afternoon workout of sorts for this turf mile in which I expect 8-5 morning line favorite #2 Just So Pretty to once again come up flat in the lane.

The Ticket:
3,1 with 4,6,5,9 with 5,6,1 with 6 = $12 for 50 cents

BuzzKill · Apr 23, 2025

Henie Race Reports - Keeneland - Wednesday, April 23rd.pdf

drive.google.com

BuzzKill · Apr 24, 2025

Kentucky Derby Contender PP's.pdf

drive.google.com

BuzzKill · Apr 24, 2025

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

Jeremy's Keeneland Thursday Last Call

Jeremy Plonk

Apr 24

READ IN APP

With a $25,000-plus carryover in the pick 6, Races 4-9 get some extra boost. Coming off my worst handicapping day of the meet on Wednesday, the pick 1 might be a better place to start. Let’s get the snowball rolling again with just 2 days of racing left, today and Friday.
The pick 6 sequence lacks a stone-cold single, though 6-5 morning line chalk Ancient World in Race 8 likely will be the hinge on an awful lot of tickets. I’m not completely bought in on him, so getting some coverage there can expand the payouts in the pick 4, pick 5 and pick 6 if you land on the proper alternatives. I give #2 C K Wonder a long look to pull the minor upset in that Race 8 allowance. He’s one of my keys on the card along with Race 4 (#1 River Ridge) and Race 6 (#4 Me and Molly McGee).
Rain is expected to begin around 2 pm as a system is coming from the south. Stay loose when handicapping later-day races and have a plan if conditions change.
No major scratches at this time are impacting my original picks for Thursday. Here’s the full-card outlook: