Juvenile Pick 3 Play for Kentucky Downs on Sunday

A quartet of lucrative stakes races will be hosted by Kentucky Downs on Sunday. I will take aim at the trio of black-type contests for two-year-olds on the card. 

Wager

$2 Pick 3: 4,7,10 with 2,4,8 with 6,9 ($36)

Race 7 – Juvenile Mile S. 

An overflow field of 15 is entered for the initial $1 million event. I’ll go three-deep to start things off, including two runners from the barn of Saffie Joseph. #4 Reach for the Rose (6-1) has registered three nice races from as many starts to commence his career, with both of his attempts on the lawn resulting in stakes placings. The Audible colt will have Dylan Davis on board. 

#7 Forged Steel (3-1) surely appreciated the move to the turf for his second lifetime run when streaking home a visually impressive, 8 1/2-length maiden winner at Gulfstream Park for Joseph. The son of exciting young sire Vekoma will have Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups. 

Steve Asmussen’s #10 Tiztastic (8-1) was an excellent maiden winner on the surface in his first go on the lawn and will be tough with improvement against this cast. The Tiz the Law colt inherits pilot Irad Ortiz Jr. and will rally from off the pace. 

Race 8 – Untapable S. 

Fillies will travel 6 1/2 panels in the second $1 million affair. I will settle with a trio of horses in the competitive dash, led by #8 Kilwin (5-1) from the Rusty Arnold barn. This Twirling Candy filly left a fine impression on me in her dominant debut at Ellis Park and she looks like a real good prospect to me. Jose Lezcano picks up the mount.

Godolphin homebred #4 Civetta (8-1) is out of a fine mare and will improve with experience for Brendan Walsh. The Into Mischief filly was game in a first-out victory on the Ellis green, and I expect her to take a step forward off of that tally. Tyler Gaffalione riding adds to her appeal. 

#2 Ultima Grace (6-1) retreated quickly in the Queen Mary S. (G1) at Royal Ascot in her second appearance, but the fleet daughter of American Pharoah gets a pass for that performance. The Wesley Ward charge will be sent from the break under John Velazquez. 

Race 9 – Juvenile Fillies S. 

The one-mile race worth $1 million features numerous legitimate contenders, but I will stick with just a pair to close out the wager, and each come off wins on the Saratoga turf. #6 May Day Ready (9-2) put in a sustained run to graduate on debut at 25-1 odds, but the filly was far from a fluke in my opinion. The Tapit two-year-old has posted a trio of maintenance morning drills in the interim, and Frankie Dettori will be in the silks once again. 

#9 She’s Got Will (4-1) didn’t come home too swiftly in her debut score at Saratoga, but knowing how horses improve second time out for Mark Casse, I’m expecting a big showing from the daughter of freshman sire War of Will. The February foal displayed good tactical speed at the Spa, and Dylan Davis will have her forwardly placed in her local bow. 

Good luck!