Betting With, and Against, Tarneema in the Keertana Stakes

Eight fillies and mares will go 1 1/2 miles on the Churchill Downs lawn in Saturday’s $250,000 Keertana S. The Shadwell homebred #2 Tarneema (3-1) has been installed as the tepid morning-line choice in the well-matched cast. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the chestnut daughter of Kitten’s Joy will be making her stakes debut in the affair and will need a lifetime best showing to eclipse her first black-type race. The four-year-old has shown improvement since having blinkers removed two back, and she did have trouble in an allowance race most recently, so the filly wouldn’t be a shocker in a field lacking a true standout. I expect her to track a decent early pace from midpack before putting in her best run late. 

Tarneema – With

• $1 superfecta 2 with 4,5,6 with 4,5,6 with all ($30)

Tarneema – Against

• 50-cent superfecta 4,5 with 2,4,5,6 with 2,4,5,6 with all ($30)

I feel that #4 Strikingly Spun (7-2) will be very dangerous on the stretch out in distance on Saturday for conditioner Joe Sharp. By Hard Spun, the chestnut mare has placed in three stakes races in her last four assignments going shorter, and the five-year-old gives the impression of a lass who will handle the added ground with relative ease. Jose Ortiz will climb aboard the Kentucky-bred. 

Graham Motion’s #5 Marksman Queen (6-1) has very good early speed and has been mostly consistent since moving to marathon trips on the green. The daughter of the powerful Dubawi, who tired in the latter stages in an allowance tilt at Keeneland off the layoff most recently, will be more fit for this contest and might just need a well-timed ride in order to get the job done, with Frankie Dettori retaining the mount. 

I’m not in love with recent allowance heroine #6 Sugaree (9-2), but I will also acknowledge that the gray is trending forward in advance of this event. Trained by Arnaud Delacour, the Camelot mare has raced herself into shape since importing from Ireland, and she defeated the morning-line choice at Keeneland last time, as well. The five-year-old mare closed well into a dawdling pace most recently and will likely get much more realistic splits to charge at in the lane with Luan Machado inheriting the mount. 

Join us on June 7 for a rematch that will shake the stands. Many top Kentucky Derby contenders return for the Belmont S. to fight for the finish, including probable contender Journalism, winner of Preakness 150, and Sovereignty, winner of Derby 151. Who will stand in the winner's circle for Belmont?

Stay with us throughout Belmont Day during stakes races as we bring you the latest horse racing news, live odds, expert picks, and more. It is sure to be an exciting day of racing!