Pick 3 of the Week: Churchill Downs Saturday, Nov. 14

I’ll go after the closing Pick 3 at Churchill Downs on Saturday during the 28th edition of the Claiming Crown. 

Race 10 Wager

• $3 Pick 3: 1,8,11,13 with 1,3 with 2,7 ($48)

Race 10 – Rapid Transit S. 

The boys will go seven-eighths on the main oval with 14 signed on in the difficult opening leg of the play. I will include multiple runners to get things started with Chris Hartman’s #1 Military Road (6-1), the consistently good #8 Air of Defiance (6-1), potential horse to beat #11 Zero Blitz (10-1), and the California-based #13 Coach Cronin (12-1). 

Race 11 – Jewel S. 

A cast of nine will travel 1 1/8 miles on the dirt in the middle leg of the play. I will try to escape this heat by using just two runners in the tough second portion of the sequence. 

The Ron Moquett-trained #1 Expect the Best (3-1) has finished in the money in at least 10 straight races in advance of Saturday and has a fine slot on the rail to save ground in the contest. The Florida-bred chestnut earned a lifetime-best Brisnet Speed rating at Saratoga two back at this distance, and I liked his prep win in Indiana last time out. The versatile gelding will have Rafael Bejarano in the irons. 

Linda Rice’s #3 Papa Yo (4-1) has put in a trio of strong runs in succession since joining this outfit, and the five-year-old gelding also has a nose for the wire with a 10-for-25 career mark, too. The son of Protonico has compiled a fine 5-3-0-2 mark at 1 1/8 miles and will have Tyler Gaffalione in the silks. 

Race 12 – Emerald S. 

The finale on the big day of racing is for the boys at 1 1/16 miles on the grass. #7 Westside Tide (6-1) has kept some very good company over the past two seasons and will be formidable with his best effort in the closing contest on the card. The Joe Sharp pupil will be rolling home late with Luis Saez in the irons. 

Chad Brown’s #2 Unit Economics (6-5) has won two in succession since having blinkers removed and really impressed from a visual standpoint over a nice group at Belmont Park last time. The lightly raced six-year-old will have Gaffalione in the silks.