Horse Play of the Day from Keeneland

Padding Your Bankroll: Friday October 16

With more rain in the forecast for Friday in New York, we will head off to Lexington, Ky. where there also is a chance we will see some rain, but with the synthetic surface, we won’t have to worry about a sloppy or muddy track.

The Late Pick 3 play starts with the eighth race on the card. We have the two likely favorites in the first leg of the three race sequence, but we have a couple of generous prices in the final two legs, which could lead to a nice payoff.

Today’s Pick 3 Play from Keeneland:

Starting in Race 8: $1: 7,10 / 1,2,6 / 5,6,10,12 = $24

KEE Race 8 Alw $52,000N1X (4:35 ET)

#7 Fitzaslew, #10 A Diehl

#7 Fitzaslew drew the far outside post in a 14 horse field at the Spa and made a mild late run while wide the entire trip to check in a decent fourth. The colt makes his third start of his current form cycle and his lone try on poly came in the Rushaway three back at Turfway. The colt should be rolling late for the McPeek barn.

#10 A Diehl took nine tries to earn his diploma, then ran a decent third in his first go against winners. The gelding is returning off a six month layoff for the Arnold barn that is sending out live runners at the meet. The gelding is a half to Clear Mandate ($1.1 million) and Dream Scheme ($432K). The barn is 25% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff.

KEE Race 9 Franklin County S. (5:05 ET)

#2 Libor Lady, #1 Nadeshiko, #6 Canadian Ballet

#2 Libor Lady returns off a two month freshening, shipping in for the very sharp Pino barn. Last out over the Tapeta the filly set the early fractions and weakened to finish fourth. The winner of the race was Sweet Lorena, who came back to finish second in the PI Masters (G3) in her next outing. The filly has done her best work on grass, winning 6 of 10 in her career. She won the Klassy Briefcase two back in NJ, her third win in a row. She owns solid early and mid pace numbers and looks tough if she shakes loose early.

#1 Nadeshiko won the Remington F&M Sprint last out on dirt, with the runner up Classify coming back to win a $50K stake in her next outing at Remington on Oct. 10. The Foley runner comes into this race in razor sharp form but is 0 for 2 on turf in her career. One as a fifth and the other was going a route of ground. Her form is so good right now I'm tossing her in the mix here for a sharp barn.

KEE Race 10 Clm $10,000 (5:35 ET)

#5 Gasconade, #6 Justa Streak, #10 Look Out Man, #12 Bacetto

#5 Gasconade was bumped coming out of the gate and raced wide much of the trip in a sixth place finish against $20K foes over the turf at Monmouth Park. The five year old drops into a easier spot here tagged for $10K, now cuts back to seven furlongs, and returns to the fake stuff. Four back this guy won here over $20K non winners of two. The Nicks barn is 23% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff.

#6 Justa Streak came up the inside with a mild late run to finish third last out at Arlington over poly. The six year old drops in class for the Robertson barn that hit with his first four starters at the meeting.