Playing the Keeneland All-Turf Pick 3 on Saturday, April 11

The all-turf Pick 3 at Keeneland on Saturday looks pretty sensible to me and is a play that I have a good measure of confidence in. I don’t expect huge prices in the sequence, but the wager generally pays in a healthy manner, nonetheless. 

Turf Pick 3 Wager (Race 7)

• $3 Turf Pick 3: 4,6,7 with 7 with 3,4,6,11 ($36)

Race 7 – Allowance

First-level allowance tilt for the boys will be contested at one mile on the green, and nine will run in the opening piece. The event has the appearance of a three-horse contest to me, including Wesley Ward’s #4 Ciro di Marzio (4-1). The Justify five-year-old has been in range turning for home in all four tries since arriving in the states and wouldn’t be a surprise beneath Joel Rosario. 

Chad Brown’s #6 Arkhipov (9-5) was a dominant graduate at Tampa Bay in his last showing and has a ton of room for improvement going forward. The multiple graded stakes placed #7 Noble Confessor (3-1) has faced the toughest competition in the field and will go second off the layoff in his local debut. Gaffalione will ride the Pletcher pupil. 

Race 9 – Jenny Wiley (G1)

I’m a big fan of #7 Lush Lips (5-2) and will single the filly despite the depth of the field. The Brendan Walsh charge earned her biggest win to date on the oval when bagging the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) in fantastic fashion, and I fully expect her to move forward in her second run of the season in this spot. The Ten Sovereigns four-year-old will be in close attendance early, prior to taking the lead in the early stretch under regular guide Tyler Gaffalione. 

Race 11 – Maiden Special Weight

A full field of sophomores will go postward in the 1 1/16-mile finale. I’m not expecting big surprises in the closing piece and will use the four that seem most logical to me, and the morning-line maker. The Brad Cox-trained #3 Royal Guard (5-1), Pilgrim (G2) runner-up #4 Heeere’s Johnny (7-2), second timer #6 West End Kid (9-2), and the debuting #11 Coordinator (4-1) are the ones.