Picks and plays for the $1,000 Churchill Downs BCBC Qualifier tournament

One of four TwinSpires tournaments focused on the Sunday card at Churchill Downs is the $1,000 Churchill Downs BCBC Qualifier.

Assuming enough players enter, the lucrative tournament will award multiple entries into the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC), in addition to cash prizes.

To climb the leaderboard, players must wager their entire $500 bankroll across at least five races at Churchill Downs. At least $50 must be wagered in a given race for it to count toward the five-race minimum. Win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and daily double wagers are eligible for tournament play.

Here are a handful of bets to consider during the second half of the card:

Race 6: Leslie’s Lady S. (seven furlongs on dirt)

#3 Explora (7-5) is favored while cutting back in distance off a gallant fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), which marked her first start in two months. Explora boasts two wins and a second from three starts sprinting, and sharp workouts since the Oaks suggest she’ll be formidable in the Leslie’s Lady.

#6 On Time Girl (9-5) is the other key contender. She’s one length away from being unbeaten in six starts sprinting. Last time out, she rallied to win the seven-furlong Eight Belles (G2) at Churchill Downs. Five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. retains the mount.

We suggest keying Explora over On Time Girl in a cold exacta.

• $50 Exacta: 3 with 6

Race 7: Allowance (1 1/16 miles on turf)

#5 Midway Memories (4-1) ran strongly in a race just like this one on April 26. She closed from fourth place to finish second, beaten only three-quarters of a length by next-out Regret (G3) winner Faithful Departed.

Let’s see if Midway Memories can spring a mild surprise over #8 Icona (5-2). We’ll place a win bet and an exacta accordingly.

• $35 to win on #5 Midway Memories
• $15 Exacta: 5 with 8
  Total: $50

Race 8: Matt Winn (G3, 1 1/16 miles on dirt)

#7 Further Ado (1-1), who finished 11th as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1), has a strong chance to bounce back while facing easier competition in the Matt Winn. Don’t forget, he won the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) over this track and distance last fall.

We recommend singling Further Ado to start a daily double. In addition, consider keying him on top of a trifecta using #2 Potente (7-2), #3 Pavlovian (10-1), and #6 Taptastic (9-2) underneath.

• $20 Daily Double: 7 with 10
• $5 Trifecta: 7 with 2,3,6 with 2,3,6 ($30)
  Total: $50

Race 9: Maiden Special Weight (seven furlongs on dirt)

#10 Leading Change (9-2) sold for $800,000 as a yearling and has trained fast in preparation for his debut. A bullet five-furlong workout in :59 3/5 at Churchill Downs suggests he has talent and can score for the red-hot jockey/trainer duo of Irad Ortiz Jr. and Brad Cox.

At 9-2, Leading Change is worthy of a win bet. We also suggest keying him over #2 Big Jake (5-2) and #8 Find No Fault (5-1) in an exacta.

• $30 to win on #10 Leading Change
• $10 Exacta: 10 with 2,8 ($20)
  Total: $50

Good luck!