Mr. Ed’s Keeneland Picks:
MR. ED’S KEENELAND PICKS: The only thing lacking at the semi-annual gathering of semi-public addictive handicappers and several deep-pocketed horseplayers on Friday was winning tickets. We all ate well, drank well, and boasted well, only to end the day more than a dollar short. Outside the Green Room, everyone else apparently had just as good a time, including cashing tickets. Mostly chalky payoffs (average $2 Win ticket, including a pair of bombs, returned $14.01) kept the track’s money-making machine churning. I doubt anyone had as good a day as jockey Tyler Gaffalione who booted home four winners, two of which were for trainer Brendan Walsh. On to Saturday. First race goes off at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. Sunny skies and a huge crowd are expected.
Mr. Ed’s Keeneland Picks for Saturday, October 12
Race 1:00 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) — $50K CLAIMING for fillies and mares, 3YOs & up going six furlongs
Mr. Ed likes three in the first leg of Daily Doubles: #1 GRIDLOCK (7-2 morning line) for Saffie Joseph Jr. with Tyler Gaffalione; #7 MISS EASY (3-1) for Tim Hamm with Junior Alvarado in irons, and #8 MISS JEOPARDY (6-1) for Coty Rosin with Cristian Torres. Mr. Ed needs a miss, even in traffic.
Race 2 (1:32 p.m. ET/10:32 a.m. PT) — $100K MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT for 2YOs going 11/16-mile on turf
To complete the wager, Mr. Ed likes either of these: #8 GOVERNING PARTY (3-1 morning line) Brad Cox and Irad Ortiz Jr., and #10 EXECUTIVE (7-2) for Bill Mott and regular rider Junior Alvarado.
KEENELAND EARLY $5 DAILY DOUBLE: 1,7,8 & 8,10. ($30)
Race 3 (2:04 p.m. ET/11:04 a.m. PT) — $110K ALLOWANCE for fillies and mares 3YOs & up going 6 ½- furlongs
I like #4 TWO SHARP (4-5 morning line) for hot conditioner Philip Bauer, who sticks with rider Junior Alvarado seeking a second win.
KEENELAND PICK: $20 to Win. ($20)
Race 4 (2:36 p.m. ET/11:36 a.m. PT) — $69K ALLOWANCE for 3YOs & up going 6 furlongs
I’ll take a shot with #11 PRINTRACK (10-1 morning line), who is shortening up and getting a huge rider upgrade to Flavien Prat. Rudy Rodriguez trains and co-owns. Needs to be near front from the get-go.
KEENELAND PICK: $10 to Win & Place. ($20)
Race 7 (4:12 p.m. ET/1:12 p.m. PT) — $100K MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT for 2YO fillies going six furlongs
Mr. Ed agrees to hop aboard #4 TAVERNA (4-1 morning line) and ride with Brendan Walsh on the Tyler Gaffalione Express. Blinkers go on for third career start. Look for a big move forward.
KEENELAND PICK: $20 to Win. ($20)
Race 8 (4:44 p.m. ET/1:44 p.m. PT) — G1 $750K QUEEN ELIZABETH II CUP for 3YO fillies and mares going 1 ⅛-mile on turf
Mr. Ed’s appropriately crowns British-born #6 OVERSUBSCRIBED (6-1 morning line). No one manages a young filly’s short career better than Chad Brown. If he thinks the lightly raced filly is ready to step up to Grade 1, that’s good enough for Mr. Ed. Irad Ortiz Jr. returns to irons.
KEENELAND PICK: $20 to Win & $5 Exacta Boxes with 3,5. ($40)
Race 9 (5:16 p.m. ET/2:16 p.m. PT) — $120K ALLOWANCE CLAIMING for 3YOs & up going 1 1/16-mile
To close the highly competitive card out with a late Daily Double, Mr. Ed likes #5 PARCHMENT PARTY (7-2 morning line) for Bill Mott; #10 BATON ROUGE (9-2) for low-profile Chris Hartman, and Japanese-bred daughter of California Chrome #11 KOMOREBINO OMOIDE (9-5) for excellent trainer Robertino Diodoro.
Race 10 (5:48 p.m. ET/2:48 p.m. PT) — $110K ALLOWANCE for 2YOs going a mile on the turf
To complete the Daily Double, Mr. Ed likes #5 BLUE COAST (4-1 morning line) the seemingly unstoppable Walsh-Gaffalione win machine. All aboard. And #7 CLASSIC EXAMPLE (10-1) for Brad Cox-Flavien Prat duo. Not too shabby.
KEENELAND LATE $5 DAILY DOUBLE: 5,10,11 with 5,7. ($30)
TOTAL WAGERS: $160
SUNDAY AT KEENELAND: An excellent nine-race card featuring the G2 $350 K FRANKLIN STAKES for fillies and mares goes to the post at 1:00 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
NFL: 3-2*
TENNESSEE -3
(*against spread)
