The spring tournament at Churchill Downs is on track after the success of the Kentucky Derby Oaks Week. The first race of two stakes races on the historic Louisville track on Memorial Day holiday weekend is $250,000 on Saturday Keertana Stakesdepicting the competition field of eight long-distance filly and mares planned to run 1½ miles on the Matt Winn Turf course. The weather forecast requires mainly clear skies and temperatures from the 60s, with post-time set at 4:55pm ET.
Named after the grass horse that won multiple stakes at Churchill, which competed between 2008 and 2012, Keertana will shape it as a good betting race as they compete with each other in various races at the Kentucky Circuit earlier this year. Two horses came to Kiltana from victory, #7 Boss Mrs. Bailey (4-1) Numbers to get plenty of support from bettors. The five-year-old filly made her career-high effort in her recent start when she won a photo finish of three horses in a 1.5-mile allowance option option race on April 18 at Keeneland. She races for a productive jockey trainer combo from Lewis Thirds and Mike Maker. Other recent winners, #6 Sugar A (9-2), bringing victory in the 1½-mile turf allowance competition at Keeneland. This comes half the length of April 23rd. The Irish mare trained by Arnaud Delacour has some form in her home country, dating back to 2023 and 2024.
However, I was looking elsewhere for my top selection and landed #2 Delivery mother (3-1) As a filly who appears to be in the cusp of breakout performance. Tarneema is the delightful 4-year-old daughter of the Turf Champion kitten owned, bred and trained by Shadwell Stable and Brendan Walsh. She gradually improved with each return to December last year, finishing sixth, fourth and second in the trio race at Gulfstream Park over the winter. Tarneema was a 1.97-1 favorite in that race, but he hit the sugary eel outside with an early stretch and was very slow while racing on the rails, backing up near the finish to check the 2¼ length behind the sugar. The last time of this Keeneland allowance was more than five seconds later than what boss Lady Bailey won in the same distance five days ago, but Talnima often ran in a fast-timed route race in the grass earlier this year. She should be able to find a good position near the lead under underrated jockey Ben Curtis (first time on board).
The other two horses to consider when it comes to Exacta and Trifecta bets are #1 MO’s Dream (8-1), when she rejected her previous start, which was eased in the Grade 3 stakes of the Earth in Keeneland, the form looks good at this level. and #4Amazingly spun (7-2), rarely wins, but in recent grass races, they usually run late enough to hit the board for another successful partnership between Jose Ortiz and Joe Sharp.
Play ($30 budget):
12 dollar winner #2 Tarneema ($10)
What to say in the betting window: Churchill Downs, Race 9, $12 Winner #2
$1 triple: #2 Tarneema with #1 Mo’s Dream, #4 Strikingly Spun, #6 Sugaree, and #7 Boss Lady Bailey with #1 Dreaming of Mo, #4 Strikingly Spun, #6 Sugaree, and #7 Boss Lady Bailey ($12)
What to say in the betting window: Churchill Downs, Race 9, $1 Trifecta, #1, #1, #1, #4, #6, and #7, #1, #4, #6, and #7
.50-Cent Trifecta: #1 Mo’s Dream, #4 Strikingly Spun, #6 Sugaree, and #7 Boss Lady Bailey with #2 Tarneema, #1 Dreaming of Mo, #4 Strikingly Spun, #6 Sugaree, and #7 Boss Lady Bailey ($6)
What to say in the betting window: Churchill Downs, Race 9, #1, #4, #6, #7, #1, #4, #6, #7.
