Longshot of the Day: Race 2 at Horseshoe Indy
Track: Horseshoe Indianapolis
Race 2: $5,000 maiden claimer going 1 mile and 70 yards on dirt for 3+ IN-breds
Post Time: 2:41 PM ET
Horse: #4 Billy’s Reward (10/1 morning line) use as a win bet at 7/1 or higher.
What I love most about the sport of horse racing is the days after a huge weekend like the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, we have maiden claimers running at Horseshoe Indianapolis and the sport just keeps rolling along. There is something fantastically comforting about the fact the beat goes on as horses race every day.
As for Tuesday, the maiden claiming race features a field of horses, many of whom are stretching out for the first time. The morning line favorite, #1 Paige Perfect (2/1), is 0-25 lifetime and will always be an automatic toss for me after that many unsuccessful attempts. I do think a horse like #5 Gimmel (3/1) is probably the most likely winner of the race from the main contenders as he is dropping in class and second back from the layoff. However, I am intrigued by Billy’s Reward for trainer Tianna Richardville as he is third back in the form cycle and is stretching out after sprinting at 5 ½ furlongs in his last effort. The son of Free Drop Billy has solid dirt route pedigree as the offspring of his sire win at a higher rate going longer than sprinting and the way that Billy’s Reward ran his last race makes you think he will appreciate going longer. In that race, he was one-paced in a sprint, which usually points to wanting to go longer when the pace is less aggressive and he can get into a bit more of a rhythm. On the dam side pedigree, the other two raced foals from the mare, Maximum Reward, were both winners including Classic Max who was an eight-time winner. Though, all those races were sprints, it showed a productive pedigree. Jockey Antonio Burgos, who is winning at an 18% clip this meet, retains the mount and if the horse gets out of the gate cleanly, he can move Billy’s Reward into a forward position. The only speed in the race is #2 Chaneke (9/2) and Burgos could use some early speed to put the horse into a tracking trip where that one-paced running style could be more effective so that he does not have as much work to do turning for home. The combination of the stretch out, running style, field composition, and pedigree makes me think Billy’s Reward is worthy of a shot at the right price.