Pick 4 of the Week: Kentucky Downs Saturday

Test Score wins the 2025 Belmont Derby at Saratoga (Photo by Horsephotos.com)
Four closing races, three of which are of the graded stakes variety, with combined total purses in excess of $7.5 million, will be my aim with the Pick 4 of the Week at Kentucky Downs.
Race 9 Wager
- $.50-cent Pick 4: 2,6,8 with 2,12 with 2,3,9,10 with 1,5,9,10 ($48)
Race 9 – Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2)
The opening leg of this ambitious play will pit a full field of excellent turf sprinters going six furlongs on the unique course. #2 Howard Wolowitz (7-2) eclipsed a Grade 1 win over the course last season and has to be on the ticket with Irad in the controls. The Munnings colt looms large with a repeat of his triumph in 2024.
#6 Khaadem (4-1) ran into the fantastic Cogburn when runner-up in the tilt last year and looms large with improvement off of that for Charlie Hills. #8 Air Force Red (8-1) will cut back in distance after two tries, going one mile as of late, and has the class to win the race if he takes to this locale for Powell.
Race 10 – Nashville Derby (G3)
Sophomores will travel 1 5/16 grassy miles in the second piece. Although I am fond of a few longshot contenders in the heat for the vertical exotics, I will stick with the two most logical three-year-olds in the tilt. Grade 1 victor #2 Test Score (4-1) and European import #12 Wimbledon Hawkeye (7-2), a Group 2 heroine who has never finished worse than fifth in his lifetime, are the ones.
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Race 11 – Ladies Turf S. (G3)
A deep field of fillies and mares will race one mile in the third leg of the sequence. #2 Special Wan (7-2) was a winner on the oval in her U. S. debut and comes off a good third in the deep Just A Game S. (G1) at Saratoga last time out. The Brendan Walsh charge is a must-use in the tilt.
Of the two Euro imports signed on, I prefer #3 Cheshire Dancer (6-1) with Frankie Dettori in the irons. The four-year-old comes off a Group 3 score and will basically run from ‘off the plane’ in her stateside bow. Beverly D. S. (G2) queen #9 Charlene’s Dream (6-1) is the one to catch and might love this course, which played well to speed in 2024. Mike Maker’s #10 Pin Up Betty (8-1) has fine current form and has never been better in advance of this assignment.
Race 12 – Maiden Special Weight
A full field of juvenile colts will go six grassy furlongs in the finale. Stone Farm homebred #1 Boonesboro (5-1) has a trio of turf-winning siblings and is training well in advance of his debut for Lynch. The dark bay son of Twirling Candy will be a major player if he runs to a few of his bullet morning moves under Mario Gutierrez.
#5 Cynical Humor (6-1) will run against the boys and has to be considered for the always dangerous Wesley Ward. Resolute Racing’s #9 Judicial Review (8-1) and second timer #10 Island Town (12-1) will also be included.
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