Spotlight Race of the Week-Nebraska

Zig’s Agenda just got to the wire in time as the chalk favorite in last weeks focused Spotlight race in New Jersey and was also my top selection paying out $3.30 for the win.  My second pick, Install This didn’t have much run but took third place.  Pep’s Revenge, who was my third pick, got caught at the wire but took second.  I advised readers to use both my second and third pick in the exacta’s with Zig’s Agenda and those who took this advice were rewarded with a not-too-shaby $9.80 payout.  Anyone who was fortunate to use these three in the triples collected $20.10.

If you are a new reader, I decided to start writing a series of articles which focus attention on the low-end races.  Graded races get tons of coverage but little is said on the claimers, allowance, maidens and starter races.  Thus I started this series where a random race is chosen for coverage.   After all, not everyone has a horse in the upper rankings.

This week we head off to Nebraska and are looking at a Maiden Claimer, which is the second race on the card.  Three year old fillies & mares are running for a tag of $5,000 and will run 8.5 furlongs on a nice fast dirt track.

1  The Almighty   6-1-Returns to 8.5 furlongs after a pair of uneventful moderate sprints.  Tried this distance once with poor results and not looking promising.  Does have best rider in field, Desitter 27% win, which could make a big change.

2  Most Reliable   4-1-Added 3 pegs in distance when going 9f in last with good second and speed of 73.  Distance running may be his forte.  Worth a shot.

3.  Tyrone Shoes  9-5-Takes good size drop from $20k claimers to $5k.  Jumps in distance from 6 furlongs after recent third.   Speeds have been moving upwards, but slowly, most recently tagging a 68 and best thus far.  The distance bump is my concern.

4.  Gande Marina   5-2-Claimed in January, connections moved into dirt mile race and horse closed well to finish third in best speed of 72.  Claimed after fair effort on grass. Wise move to add a bit of distance for this closer, giving more time to make front.  Looks to be in a good spot.

5.  What Matters   12-1-Horse appears to be in correct level of racing.  Has 14 starts and on board twice.  Hitting speeds of 60 have been tough and last race at 9 furlongs was a failure.  May need a longer break between races, hard to tell what will make this gal wake up.

6.   Correct   9-1-New trainer seems to be trying to get horse to set pace and she tired in last going mile to finish 2^nd with speed of 62, albeit, in a four horse field.  No speedsters in this field so may be worth trying to wire again.  Not sure they’ll be much success, but I think that maneuver could land a top-five spot and a splatter of purse money.

7. Lute of Gold  7-1-Horse hasn’t done well on either dirt nor turf.  Joined new stable after last start and moves back to dirt where speed numbers have been a tad better than grass.  Has never been a serious threat in any start thus far but maybe new connections can find right formula.

I’m going for the price here and taking Most Reliable as my top pick.  Nice improvement in last and looks to be in a good spot.

Grand Marina could easily taken top pick and should be boxed with Most Reliable in exactas.  Drops a couple of notches in the claiming ranks and returns to favored dirt.

Tyrone Shoes gets third spot looking to be best of the rest.  First start in route makes me a little apprehensive.