in Triple Crown Free Picks

National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his column. He will feature at least one Pick 4 play from a major track along with coverage of major stakes races, longshots, and will keep you up to date on what is happening on the circuits he covers. Don't miss Wednesday's report where Michael will keep you up to date with track bias reports for the major circuits.

Saturday's featured race of the day was the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps and we came up with the winner. Take D'Tour paid $4.10 for the win and we missed out hitting the exacta. Not a payoff that got our pulse racing.

Our Pick 4 ticket from Churchill Downs crashed and burned after the first leg. Not exactly a good way to end our week.

However, we have plenty of opportunities to pad our bankroll today. There are Pick 6 carryovers at Belmont Park today. We'll try and take down the late Pick 4 at Churchill Downs today with a modest $32 investment.

Featured Race of the Day:

BEL Race 8 OClm $50,000N2X (4:40 et)

#5 Zaynab 3/1

#2 Survived 9/2

#1 Beau Dare 5/2

#6 My Rachel 7/2

Analysis: #5 Zaynab makes her first start since last October for CLement barn that is 25% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff. She went 0 for 5 in stakes after breaking through her first allowance condition in her US debut, which came off a sis month layoff. Has been working steadily for barn that can fire off the bench and this gal looks well spotted here dropping back into the allowance ranks here.

#2 Survived exits the G3 Sands Point where she checked in sixth and last. It took her six tries against maiden claimers to earn her diploma but she has shown more after returning to the grass, beating Alw-1 foes two back in her second start against winners. Repeat of that effort here maker her a player.

Race rating: $$$

Wager: #5 to win at 9/5 or better. Exacta key of #2,#5 over #1,#2,#5.

Pick 4 of the Day: Churchill Downs Late Pick 4:

Starting in Race 6: $1: 1,3,7,10 / 3,4 / 5,9 / 6,9 = $32

CD Race 6 Md Sp Wt (3:45 et)

#7 With Every Thought, #10 Unforgotten, #3 Pure Silk, #1 Elusive Melody / #1a Miss Barrister

A wide open maiden event and we are going to look for a price. #7 With Every Thought comes back off a seven week break after getting bumped coming out of the gate and mounting a mild late rally along the rail to finish fifth last out in her second career start. The runner up and fourth place finisher exited the race to graduate against maiden special weight company in their next starts. In good hands with Nafzger barn that brings them along slower than most and third time out with second time lasix may be the charm. Filly is by Grand Slam out of a stakes placed mare that has dropped five other foals to race, all winners. #10 Unforgotten came with a seven wide run and finished evenly for fourth last out in her first trip over the main track. Two back made a good late run and checked in third over the poly, beaten less than a length for the top spot. She is a half sis to multiple stakes winner Hot Storm ($639K).

CD Race 7 Alw $50,000N1X (4:15 et)

#3 Mr. Rowdy, #4 Wham

#3 Mr. Rowdy was the beaten chalk last out in his first start against winners, catching some traffic troubles in the runner up finish. Was caught in tight in between foes on the far turn and bumped hard with a foe and had to take up behind a runner at the top of the stretch. Plenty of pedigree to handle the extra furlong and colt looks tough here if he can get a clean trip. #4 Wham came up short last out after racing wide much of the trip in eighth place finish in his first start off a five month layoff. The runner up in the race wa Markum, who came back to beat Alw-1 foes in his next outing on 6/17. This guy was in the mix against tougher last fall including a third behind Sam P. and Chelokee. Figures to move forward second off the bench.

CD Race 8 Alw $50,000N1X (4:46 et)

#5 Gaelic Storm, #9 Niagara Causeway

#6 Gaelic Storm got nailed at the wire, coming up a nose short last out when making his first start off a 13 month layoff. Previous start was a third place finish in the G3 American Turf, which was his first go against winners. Colt figures to move forward second off the bench for Romans barn. #9 Niagara Causeway has finished in the runner up spot at short prices in each of his last two starts and likely goes off shorter than his 2/1 ML in this spot. Missed by ahead last out while better than four clear of the rest of the field in a game effort. Makes his third start of his current form cycle for Biancone barn and he looks tough here but expecting to see a light price. #4 League of Nations makes his first start since last fall for Arnold barn that is 9% winners with horses coming back off a +90 day layoff. Nice pedigree on this guy, by A.P. Indy out of the stakes winning mare Clear Mandate ($1 million) who has dropped a couple of nice runners in Newfoundland ($677K) and Full Mandate ($193K), both stakes winners on dirt.

CD Race 9 Md $50,000 (5:17 et)

#6 Big N Ready, #9 Cat On the Line

#6 Big N Ready may be ready to go off the bench. Colt makes his first start since December for Cain barn that is 30% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff. Checked in third over the poly last out at Turfway, the winner Awesome Hero coming back to beat Alw-1 foes in his next start and also won the $50K Hansel at Turfway on 3/24. Drops in for a tag for the first time here and Leparoux gets the call. #9 Cat On the Line set the early fractions and could not match strides late with the winner in runner up finish. The cut back to six furlongs should suit. Gelding is a half to stakes winner Call It ($136K).

Longshot Plays of the Day:

These are some price plays that should be watched today. A small win-place wager is in order or if your pockets are deep enough, use these runners in your trifecta and Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers. One or two of these could be the difference between a regular day at the track and hitting the IRS window with a signer.

BEL R2: #5 Golden Horseshoe 8/1

BEL R4: #3 Mt Orient 8/1

BEL R5: #2 Clever Greek 8/1

BEL R6: #4 Stormy Success 12/1

BEL R7: #5 Foolish Bid 8/1

BEl R9: #2 Johnny Utah 15/1

CD R3: #6 Royal Bella 30/1

CD R6: #7 With Every Thought 15/1

CD R6: #10 Unforgiven 10/1

Weekly Track Bias Report Update For June 11 to June 17

6/13/07: edge to speed, 3 path in, 4 gate to wire

6/13/07: slight edge to runners off rail, 3-4 paths, 0 gate to wire

6/15/07: slight edge to runners off rail, 3-4 paths, 2 gate to wire

6/16/07: slight edge to stalkers/closers, 3-5 paths, 0 gate to wire

6/13/07: edge to stalkers/closers, 3-5 paths, 0 gate to wire

6/14/07: slight edge to stalkers/closers, 3-4 paths, 0 gate to wire

6/15/07: slight edge to stalkes/closers, 3-5 paths, 1 gate to wire

6/16/07: slight edge to stalkers/closers, 3-4 paths, 0 gate to wire

6/17/07: slight edge to stalkers/closers, 3-5 paths, 1 gate to wire

6/11/07: slight edge to speed, 2-3 paths, 5 gate to wire

6/16/07: edge to speed, 3 path in, 5 gate to wire

6/17/07: edge to speed, 3 path in, 5 gate to wire

Good luck padding your bankroll today!

Mike D

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