By J. Keeler Johnson (“Keelerman”) Twitter: @J_Keelerman
Two of the country’s most talented sprinters are scheduled to compete in separate races this Saturday. Ironically, both races are non-stakes, so if you’re looking for short single-price races to bet on multiple races around, these speedy sprinters are the excellent candidates.
First is #3 Bones (4-5), who looks absolutely terrible inside 275,000 USD Aristides S. sprinted six furlongs at Churchill Downs. Run by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Skelly has won his last nine starts in the United States in gelding by margins of 1 1/4 lengths to 4 lengths. 3/4 length. His winning streak was interrupted only by a runner-up finish in the February 24 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) in Saudi Arabia.
Skelly has remained busy since the Riyadh Dirt Sprint. He seems to thrive on regular racing and his last two starts have been impressive. In the April 13 Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, he posted astonishing fractions of :21.52 and :43.88 before storming home by three lengths. , a performance that earned him a review of the Equibase chart as “strong disapproval.”
Skelly was said to be even more notable on Hamilton S. Lake May 4 at Oaklawn. Despite a slow acceleration, he recovered to take the lead with a sensational opening distance of 21.34. He extended his advantage to three lengths through the half-mile in :44.33, then held off the late runner to score by 2 1/4 lengths.
None of the other Aristides participants demonstrated the same catch-up speed as Skelly. Assuming Skelly puts in his best effort in transit from Oaklawn to Churchill, a potential speed rival like runner-up Churchill Downs (G1) #8 This is Mi Song (6-1) and the winner claims a recent $100,000 option allowance #4 Angkor (4-1) is likely to be damaged.
So I envision Skelly leading all the way to victory over Aristides #1 Tejano Twist (5-1), a Grade 1 stretch runner, has met Skelly many times in the past. He came up more than a dozen lengths behind to finish second in the Count H. Fleet Sprint, and if Skelly destroys the other speedy horses at Churchill Downs, Tejano Twist could once again Regroup to complete correctly.
The other sprinter I want to highlight this week is #6 Eggs are charged (1-1), a talented Louisiana native who started as an overwhelming favorite in the 5 1/2-length tournament $100,000 Louisiana Legend Mademoiselle S. against fellow Louisianans at Evangeline Downs.
Ova Charged has enjoyed her strongest success on turf, a surface on which she is unbeaten in four starts. In unrestricted state competition this year, she won Mardi Gras S. 5 1/2 furlongs at Fair Grounds by 5 1/4 lengths and 5 1/2 furlongs Unbridled Sidney (G3 ) at Churchill Downs by one neck.
Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle is taking place on land, but that doesn’t bother Ova Charged. She’s not undefeated on the field, but her 9-for-12 record on the surface has plenty of stakes wins over Louisiana-bred opponents, including a 6 3/4 upset of the Bob F. Wright Memorial S .radiant January 6th six furlongs at Fair Grounds. Additionally, as a three-year-old in 2021, Ova Charged finished second in the 6 1/2 furlongs to Victory (G3) at Belmont Park, beaten only by the runner-up of the following Test (G1) Souper Sensational.
Ova Charged has conquered many of the opponents she will face in Mademoiselle, so she will be difficult to impossible to beat when she returns to the Louisiana-bred ranks. Who has the speed to fight her? Maybe no one. Look at the Brisnet E1 and E2 Pace ratings that Ova Charged has achieved in her last three starts: 104 and 113, 104 and 114, and 105 and 110. None of her rivals at Evangeline Downs can be proud of such numbers. The only one who has posted numbers nearly as fast in recent startups is #5 Charlie T (7-2), and she faded to finish 20 1/2 lengths behind Ova Charged after chasing the latter’s pace in the 5 1/2-furlong Page Cortez S. at Fair Grounds in March.
If you asked me to identify the person most likely to finish second, I could show you a running stretching method. #3 Guaranteed luck (15-1), whose record of 4-for-7 at Evangeline Downs included a third-place finish (beaten by 1 1/2 lengths) in the 5 1/2-furlong Creole Lady S. before. If Ova Charged sets a hot pace, Bless Assurance will have every chance of picking up the pieces and scoring a second-place finish.
But mainly, I will focus on picking Ova Charged in multi-race bets. Mademoiselle is the first of six straight stakes on Evangeline’s Saturday card and it should be an exciting day of Louisiana-style racing.
Hopefully come Saturday night, Skelly and Ova Charged will take home big wins. Skelly has been shaping up to be a formidable Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) contender and Ova Charged’s multi-surface versatility could make her a danger in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) or Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
Now it’s your turn! Who do you like in Aristides and Mademoiselle?
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J. Keeler Johnson (also known as “Keelerman”) is a writer, videographer, voice actor, paraplegic, and all-round horse racing enthusiast. A big fan of racing history, he considered Dr. Fager the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but considered Zenyatta his all-time favorite.
