By Joe Quillen
Thursday 4/18 – Keeneland Race 7
We head to Keeneland for today’s Quills Picks Winners, where we have an overflow field of 15 horses. We have the man body of 12 fillies and mares and three also eligibles. By the way, did you know that “Also Eligible” debuts Saturday morning at 10 om Eastern time?
In this race, we have allowance runners going five and a half furlongs on the turf course today. The older fillies and mares will head to the gate at approximately 4:12 pm Eastern time.
Favored in today’s race is the 12 Bling (3/1 morning line). She is getting some class relief here today after running five days ago. She’s very versatile on the turf, running near the lead and off the pace as well as running five and a half furlong sprints to a mile and an eighth. If she does run here given that she just ran on Saturday, she will have options here. Does she go closer to the pace, or does he show that she can come flying from off the pace like she has in sprints?
If the 14 Shootoutthelights (4/1 ML) gets into the race here, she will be on the far outside, but she has the speed to get over towards the rail and take this race gate to wire. She was last seen at Keeneland last October winning an off the turf allowance race, but she has won at this distance. She has had a few workouts on the turf at Keeneland, so she should be ready to fly once the gates open.
The 3 L J’s Emma (9/2 ML) does return after a six-month break that appears to be sorely needed. She’s won three of her six races she has run on turf, and three of five at today’s distance. I am a bit concerned that she had a 45 and three-fifths workout 10 days ago because that was two full seconds faster than any other horse that day. She might have wasted her race last week, or maybe she’s ready to run extremely fast today.
The 2 Benedict Canyon (8/1 ML) is second race off the layoff and comes in from Santa Anita for this one. She is shortening up from the six-and-a-half-furlong hill race last time and is second race off the layoff. When she’s run shorter, she has closed very well.
The 1 Marissa’s Lady (4/1 ML) returns to the races and has been training on the synthetic at Turfway Park. She could be close to the pace and will have the rail here today.
I am hoping that Bling gets scratched, or there is a scratch or two to allow the 14 to run here, because I think Shootoutthelightsgoes gate to wire here. I’ll call this 14-3-2-1 and my play is $20 to win on the 14. If my selection is scratched, find me on Twitter and I’ll give a backup pick. Best of luck to everyone!
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