Grand Circuit Challenge: Handicapping The Red Mile
Trying to pick the Tattersalls Pace and Kentucky Futurity winners for the Grand Circuit Challenge? Check out handicapping analysis from the Daily Racing Form’s Derick Giwner. Be sure to sign up for an account at Red Mile Bets to watch the races live and place real wagers. Setting up an account is quick, easy and FREE!
Race 8 – $208,000 Tattersalls (2nd division)
Logically speaking, it is hard to make a case against (7) RACING HILL winning this division of the Tattersalls. He has proven better than this group on multiple occasions. I might be willing to play some saver tickets using (4) LYONS SNYDER, who reunites with Yannick Gingras and should be more at home on the larger track, and (2) AMERICAN PASSPORT, who has the talent and may actually put it all together one day.
Race 12 – $431,000 Kentucky Futurity
Deciphering this 12-horse field comes down to deciding whether you believe the second tier starting position will hurt the chances of (11) MARION MARAUDER and (12) BAR HOPPING. The bottom line is that either could work out a reasonable trip from those positions and end up in the winner’s circle. That said, the race seems to shape up best for (5) SOUTHWIND FRANK. Driver Yannick Gingras should hold all the cards early, with the option of dictating the pace or perhaps sitting pretty in the pocket behind recent winner Sutton. There is a question of whether ‘Frank’ is in top form, but you have to like that 26 3/5 final quarter in his recent qualifier and I just don’t think trainer Ron Burke would enter him if he didn’t think he was ready. It would make more sense to wait for the Breeders Crown if something was still amiss with the son of Muscle Hill. (4) BLENHEIM is also on my radar, as is (3) WINTER HARBOR to some extent, but the former seems likely to be overbet and the latter is still unproven against the best in the division.
