Exotics Plays for the Bet on Sunshine Stakes

A huge cast of 13 dashers will speed six panels on the Churchill Downs main strip in Saturday’s $300,000 Bet on Sunshine S. The heat lacks a true standout and seems like an ideal time to take a swing with multiple runners in some vertical plays. 

Bet on Sunshine Exotics

• $3 exacta key box 11 with 6,8,13 ($18)
• $.50-cent trifecta 11 with 6,8,13 with all ($16.50)
• $.50-cent trifecta 6,8,13 with 11 with all ($16.50)

#11 Tap Me a Song (20-1) has done much of his best work beneath the Twin Spires in his career and comes off a very good allowance tally in Louisville on Sept. 18. The Carlos Santamaria pupil, who sports a 6-2-2-1 mark locally, earned a lifetime best 98 Brisnet Speed rating in that recent victory, and I like that he comes in fresh for this tilt. 

The four-year-old son of Tapiture, who was a clear second behind the highly talented Madaket Road at the trip and on the course in April, possesses the tactical speed to stay in range early against this group, before putting in a good closing run. I love his post near the outside of the field and expect the gelding to be a menacing figure early in the stretch under Manny Esquivel. 

If Jordan Blair’s #6 Echo Again (6-1) repeats his last two races, then he will be a major contender inside the final furlong. The Gun Runner gelding was clear in second behind the excellent Built here last time, and he was also a fast-closing third in a strong allowance heat over the speed-favoring strip at Ellis Park two back. The stalker will have Jaime Torres in the silks. 

#13 Jack’s Promise (20-1) lacks consistency overall, but he has run some big ones in his career and could peak while making his third run off the long absence. The four-year-old son of Promises Fulfilled gets a pass for his most recent run in the Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland and will improve on Saturday in a better spot. Brian Hernandez, Jr. will have the colt forcing the pace to some extent early from the outside post. 

Bob Baffert’s #8 Greenwich Village (9-2) will return to the dirt for his first run since March and is training in rapid fashion in advance of the sprint. The Quality Road sophomore is something of a wildcard while facing his elders on the surface change, but this barn knows what it’s doing, and Jose Ortiz also picks up the mount.