Check out our race-by-race verdicts and nap selection for Thursday's meeting at Churchill Downs.
18.00 (All times BST, live on Sky Sports Racing): TEQUILA QUEEN was by far the most expensive of these as a yearling. Wesley Ward saddles the America Pharoah filly, who is out of a Grade 3 winner, so she’ll know what’s required. Both Hopeful Princess and Mad Maddy have been trialling well and the latter was also a costly purchase so looks a danger and the Tamarkuz filly Cool Enough is another who warrants scrutiny.
18.30: T Loves a Fight has been rested since finding Grade 3 company too hot at Aqueduct in January and will be fancied to record a 12th career victory but we’ll take him on with the race-fit RULER OF THE NILE. A winner at Parx and Oaklawn Park at the start of the year, Michael Lauer’s entire hasn’t let his standards drop and is almost guaranteed to run his race again. Big Thicket would also have a chance on the pick of his recent form at Aqueduct but I’m Corfu got outpaced off the home turn at Oaklawn Park last time, though still finished ahead of Stay Home. The in-form Splash for Gold may be the pick of the remainder.
19.00: Having already run 14 times, Drop Dead Gorgeous is easily the most exposed of these fillies. She has possibly shown the best form but that is countered by an outside draw and the fact that she seems best over trips short of a mile. Revealing Quality has yet to replicate the form she showed when a close-up fifth at Fair Grounds in December and is another who may offer little value. We prefer the promise of STYLISH ASH, not unfancied on debut in January and far from disgraced in a race that’s worked out well. Lavalier is preferred to English Escort of the others.
19.32: There are plenty of recent winners in this but the race is over-subscribed and Yes I See will be lucky to get a run. SUMMER REVOLUTION was brought with a sustained run to collar Junior Gilliam over 6f at Oaklawn Park last month and was going away at the finish. A return to a longer trip won’t faze Roberto Diodoro’s entire on that evidence and he looks the one to beat again. Sun Brown was back to his best at Hawthorn in December but hasn’t raced since but Ernie Banks is eased in grade and Spatetacular Joe could be an each-way alternative with his inside berth.
20.04: Grade is upped in grade after winning at Turfway Park in February but is not without a chance in this, despite an outside draw. His Giant was a more recent winner at Oaklawn Park in March and Big Iron could go well at likely bigger odds if the form of his latest second can be taken at face value but Vineyard only managed two runs last year and was well below par in both. Adam Beschizza gets the leg up on QUEST FOR FIRE (NAP), who won over this trip at Aqueduct in January and has generally been taking on better horses.
20.36: Blue Steel beat Overzealous and Curling Grey at Fair Grounds in February but the runner-up reversed that form the following month and is fancied to come out on top again in this. However, we just prefer FROST OR FRIPPERY, who has been in fine form at Oaklawn Park since the turn of the year. Brad Cox claimed him out of Chris Hartman’s barn after last month’s victory but that shouldn’t hamper hopes of recording a third win in four starts. Hooray for Harvey was a shock winner at Turfway Park when last seen and it remains to be seen if that was a fluke, though he had been showing decent form previously.
21.08: Devils Dance was in good form in similar races on the west coast at the start of the year and could be a factor in this if appreciating the Kentucky air. DALIKA was a smart three-year-old and is back here for the first time since finishing runner-up in a Grade 2 in November. There are more races to be won with the Pastorius filly, who can get the better of Mentality despite worries about this shorter trip. The latter is another returning from an absence but the Freud mare isn’t short of pace as she showed when winning twice at Belmont last year. Reenie D won her first two starts last year but was a disappointing favourite upped in class here in November.
21.40: This claimer has an open look about it but SPUN EAZY confirmed last year’s progress on her reappearance at Will Rogers Downs and that outing should have blown away a few cobwebs. Princess Phone won here just over a year ago and generally performed with credit thereafter. She should be thereabouts if fully wound-up but Complete’s fitness is guaranteed as she won a claimer at Turfway Park in March. Channel Princess has placed in five of her last six but she probably needs to improve in this company to get her head back in front. Addison would have decent claims, however, on her third over track and trip two runs ago.
22.12: Vanbrugh is pencilled in to have a first run for Brad Cox having contested some of the UK’s top sprint handicaps last year when trained by Charlie Hills but he is probably best watched if getting into the line-up. Casa Creed improved after finishing third behind Moon Colony in a Grade 2 at Penn National around this time last year. He landed a Grade 2 himself at Saratoga in August and Bill Mott’s charge is likely to pick up some more decent prize money this year. Journeyman has put together a solid sequence and is worth a try at this level and Jais’s Solitude is another arriving in cracking form. Ivar has won two Grade 1 races in Argentina but it is difficult to evaluate his form. FRONT RUN THE FED is the one to beat on his runs at Saratoga and Belmont in the second half of last year. He won three times in total in 2019 but this is definitely his best trip.
10.44: SOOTHING is still progressing and has found only one too good in three of her five career starts. A first victory today would not be a surprise and Flashing Red is another still on an upward curve but Sacred Union was a very disappointing favourite when beaten by Mi Bella at Oaklawn Park last month. Garden Affair is the most exposed but she wasn’t beaten far last time and appears to hold Sense You Left and Hashtag Winner on that effort, though has been done no favours by the draw today.
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