Pick for Wednesday April 17, 2024:
TWO-YEAR-OLD RACES ARE PICKING UP STEAM AND
THE FIRST ONE GOT OFF TO A BANG(!) ON APRIL 5 WHEN
A FILLY NAMED SHOOT IT TRUE GAVE THE "BOYS" A SLIP!
NOW IT'S THE BOYS' TURN TO CONTINUE THE "BANG!"
4 1/2 Furlongs | Open | 2 Year Olds | MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT | PURSE: $80,000
Track: Keeneland
Race: 4
Horse: Bostontonian (ML 2-1).
Field (in post position order):
1. Sackett (ML 20-1)
2. Jet Sweep Joe (ML 7-2)
3. Baytown Boo Boo (ML 8-1)
4. Bostontonian (ML 2-1)
5. Mister Woodford (ML 15-1)
6. Fortheloveofrun (ML 20-1)
7. Charlie Tolu (ML 30-1)
8. Deeply Hidden (ML 12-1)
9. Strummin (ML 9-2)
10. Listening (ML 20-1)
11. Probale Ten (ML 20-1)
12. Into Inspiration (ML 30-1)
On Friday April 5, 2024, I made a pick in the first two-year-old race of the year in a 4 1/2 Furlongs | Open | 2 Year Olds | MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT | PURSE: $80,000, at Keeneland, race 2, in a big field of 11 2yos, including one filly named Shoot It True.
However, I picked Bostontonian (ML 9-5) to win and place over the only filly in the race because Shoot It True (ML 4-1) was the second choice to Bostontonian (ML 9-5) and you know me -- I like betting on favorites, especially in 2yos races early in the year.
And this is the perfect time to play 2yo races and making money in the process.
In that April 5 race, Wesley Ward scratched Bostontonian from that race in favor of the second choice stable mate Shoot It True (ML 4-1).
Bostontonian is a 2-year-old gelding. He was sired by Bernardini out of the Forest Wildcat mare Falconess.
Shoot It True is a 2-year-old filly. She was sired by Munnings out of the Malibu Moon mare To The Moon Alice.
Both Bostontonian and Shoot It True are trained by Wesley Ward, so Wesley Ward knew all along that he wasn't going to run his two horses (Bostontonian and Shoot It True) against each other and just a matter of which one he wanted to scratch at scratch time that Friday morning of the race April 5, 2024.
Wesley Ward ended up scratching Bostontonian instead, leaving the filly Shoot It True to carry his banner for the first two-year-old race of the year.
CARRY A BANNER -- OH BOY! -- DID SHE EVER?
YES, THAT IS RIGHT: A "SHE" -- A FILLY TROUNCED A GOOD GROUP OF TWO-YEAR-OLD COLTS -- A FAMILIAR THEME AS OF LATE.
Shoot It True obliterated a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Friday at Keeneland, opening up a four-length lead through an opening quarter-mile in 21.89 seconds before widening her advantage to win by 7 1/2 lengths in 52.04 seconds.
It's no telling how good Shoot It True is and if I have to guess right now, she is good enough to be sent overseas (in England) to compete in Royal Ascot's prestigious races beginning in June 2024.
That's how good she looks right now!
She belongs there!
Could Royal Ascot be in her future?
We'll have to wait and see once Royal Ascot gets underway.
Anywhere she goes she'll be a force to be reckoned with in the two-year-old season, whether overseas or here in the United States.
Stay tuned!
NOW IT'S BOSTONTONIAN'S TURN TO CONTINUE THE "BANG!"
So bet Bostontonian to win and place using double down betting strategy and you should be going home as a winner.
Put some considerable amount of money on Bostontonian to win and place to make it worthwhile and justified going to the racetrack.
Bostontonian's final odd will most likely be right around 6/5 favorite.
Take this easy money 2/1 (or at whatever the price is -- 4/5 is my guess) and leave the racetrack as a winner.
There you have it!
Here is an exerpt by the DRF writer Marcus Hersh on April 15, 2024:
Ultima Grace's speed has even surprised Ward
If you can't beat Wesley Ward – and that is almost literally true in April 2-year-old races at Keeneland – you might as well join the party.
Ward, dating to the April 2023 meet at Keeneland, has gone 7 for 15 in baby races, a record made even stronger by the fact he's had multiple runners in some of the races.
Already this April he has won three of the four 2-year-old races.
A gelding named Bostontonian was likely to make it four out of five on Wednesday, and unless Ultima Grace blows the start from post 1 in Thursday's second race, another 4 1/2-furlong tilt for 2-year-olds, she'll win, too.
Hardly a secret, that. Ultima Grace, by American Pharoah out of Ultima D – fifth in her Keeneland debut for Ward in 2017 – is listed at 6-5 on the morning line, John Velazquez named to ride.
Velazquez, Ward said, was clamoring for this mount after he worked Ultima Grace out of the gate last month at Payson Park.
"They sent her to me in July, and in August we started training her. She's a big, gangly type horse – looks like a harness horse. I take her to the gate, nice and easy, popped her out of there with a couple of my fast ones, and whoosh, she was gone!" Ward said.
"She's not one of those little rocket ships. I was like, 'What the hell?' I worked her back and she did it again. Johnny V came up and worked her, and he said, "Don't let anybody else ride her! She's mine."
MUSIC TO MY EARS!
MUSIC TO MY EARS!
MUSIC TO MY EARS!
BONUS PICK: Thursday April 18, 2024.
4 1/2 Furlongs | Fillies | 2 Year Olds | MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT | PURSE: $80,000
Track: Keeneland
Race: 2
Horse: Ultima Grace (ML 6-5).
Bet Ultima Grace (ML 6-5) to win.
Yes, that is right: WIN and you should be going home as a winner.
Put some considerable amount of money on Ultima Grace to win to make it worthwhile and justified going to the racetrack.
Ultima Grace's final odd will most likely be right around 1-2 as a very heavy favorite [music to my ears].
This is the easiest 1/2 money you'll ever going to get on the card at Keeneland or at any other racetracks on this Thursday April 18, 2024.
Take this easy money 6/5 (or at whatever the price is -- 1/2 is my guess) and leave the racetrack as a winner.
Hey, a win is a win instead of chasing some longshots in hope of a big payoff as most horseplayers often do to no avail.
There you have it: Easy money!
