Longshot of the Day: Race 5 at Churchill Downs
Track: Churchill Downs
Race 5: $120K MSW going 1 mile on turf for 2YO fillies
Post Time: 2:57 PM ET
Horse: #3 Cat Spring (6/1) use as a win by at 9/2 or higher
On NYRA Bets today we have a 10% WIN BONUS at Churchill Downs, so make sure to OPT-IN and find some good win bets to make throughout the card. Let’s find a good win bet at Churchill Downs today to help with that promotion!
While 6/1 is not a huge price, I love whatever value we can get on Cat Spring to break her maiden today going long on the turf for trainer Cherie DeVaux. The daughter of Upstart debuted last month at Keeneland racing six furlongs over the dirt where she was forced to break from the inside rail. She lacked early speed but got away with a decent enough trip sitting mid-pack, though the race was completely dominated up front with the top two running 1-2 the entire race. Still, it was an educational effort and one that should provide her with the necessary experience for today’s effort over a new surface. DeVaux now switches her to the turf and there are plenty of reasons to expect this will perk up her debut 50 Beyer Speed Figure (BSF). She is out of Street Cry mare (Afternoon) who produced a Grade 1-placed turf runner with her first foal by Goldencents. Additionally, the half-sibling (Golden Afternoon) broke his maiden in debut going long on the turf, finished second in the Bourbon (G2) in his second start, and beat $100,000 N2L company in his third start. Plenty of precocity from the dam side of the family. Not to mention, Cat Spring’s second dam (Acoma) was a multiple graded stakes winning turf router, so the pedigree side of the equation points to turf success. Cat Spring also gets a jockey upgrade to Jose Ortiz taking over in the irons. Oritz has thrived in Kentucky over the last year and is off to a blistering start at Churchill Downs winning 29% of his mounts. Finally, the horse has worked out four times since that debut effort last month and should be locked and loaded for a good effort.
Since 6/1 is not much of a price, I did want to also mention the #4 Malanya (12/1) as a bigger price to consider in your vertical and horizontal wagers. The daughter of Blame had a tough start in debut going 5 ½ furlongs on the grass at Keeneland but should progress in her second start going longer. She was caught behind horses in her first start after a slow beginning and forced to run wide. She should not have to worry quite as much about the break today going longer and her debut race has already produced two next out winners including Map of the Moon who won the Stewart Manor Stakes up here at Belmont at Aqueduct last week. At a big price there are plenty of reasons to think she might show more next time out and will improve with distance. While Blame fillies are renowned for being exceptional broodmare prospects, they can also do some running and trainer Anna Navarette can get the job done in these spots at a price.