Ellis Park Horse Racing Picks for Sunday 8/9/20
It's a great time to dive into horse racing, and FanDuel Racing gives you the chance to do just that.
Starting at 1:50 p.m. EST, we have 10 races at Ellis Park. Using our numberFire projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets.
As always, check the program for scratches and changes, and check the weather and track conditions.
(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions.)
Mundayne Call, Race 8
FanDuel Racing Odds: 9/2
Race 8 is the $100K Audobon Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs. The race awards minor points (10-5-2-1) toward qualifying for the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Eleven runners are lined up with Sconsin (7/2) getting slight favortism. She’s really improving, having broken through impressively two races ago with a 94 speed figure and then moving up to finish second in her stakes debut in the Beaumont (G3), when she lost to the heavy favorite. Plenty of pace to run at in this race, and she can close well.
Hello Beautiful (4/1) and Casual (5/1) will likely be overbet with the former off an 8-length win and 112 speed figure. Hello Beautiful will be part of the fast fractions up front.
Mundaye Call (9/2) is what we look for as an improving runner and coming into form. She won her last race against older horses, showing tactical speed and ability for new EPO trainer Brad Cox. Another boost by Brad and this one can ride home a winner with jockey Flourent Geroux.
Street Band and New Roo, Race 9
FanDuel Racing Odds: 3/1 and 12/1
Race 9 is the 39th running of the $100K Groupie Doll Stakes for fillies and mares running 1-mile. This is one of the deeper fields in years with 12 runners, and favorite Street Band (3/1) is trying to win from the far outside post. Street Band has been working in the mornings at the track the past month and races for the first time since finishing fourth in the Apple Blossom (G1) in April. She won the Cotillion (G1) last year with a career-best 114 speed figure, beating some strong runners like Bellafina and Serengeti Empress, who won the Ballerina (G1) Saturday at Saratoga. Street Band will likely be closing from off the pace with only current form lacking.
Lady Kate (5/1) and New Roo (12/1) are capable depsite lacking the class or speed figures of Sreet Band. But Guaranteed Tip Sheet likes New Roo to hit the board and notes she has three wins and two other in-the-money finishes at this distance and is off an impressive 12-length Allowance win over this track less than three weeks ago.
Lady Apple (4/1) breaks from the rail for trainer Steve Asmussen. She has six wins in 15 starts with her last victory in January for the Houston Ladies Classic (G3), when she stalked and pounced to beat Serengeti Empress and Street Band. More recently, Lady Apple finished eighth and behind Street Band in the Apple Blossom G1).
Art Collector and Little Menace, Race 10
FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/5 and 20/1
Race 10 is the $200K Ellis Park Derby, which offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers (50-20-10-5). The race for 3-year-olds has 12 runners going 1 1/8 miles led by favorite Art Collector (4/5), who is already a top Kentucky Derby contender having won the Blue Grass Stakes impressively last month with a stalking trip and 102 speed figure.
Guaranteed Tip Sheet has Art Collector on top and looks for a return in the exotics with Dean Martini (10/1) and Shared Sense (9/2), who both won graded stakes races recently.
The longshot to add underneath is Little Menace (20/1), who can outrun his odds for trainer Steve Asmussen having finished first or second in 5-of-6 starts, including a win in a minor Stakes last out when hitting home with a 103 speed figure. Faces better but capable.
Anneau d’Or (12/1) has more class and is bred top to bottom to relish classic distance. He had a surprisingly strong runner-up finish in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (G1) at long odds last year with a career-best 106 speed figure. His most recent race in June was a fourth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby to get him just inside the top 20 of the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard. A top-four finish would ensure a trip to Churchill Downs for next month’s Kentucky Derby.
