Help Hurricane Survivors — Play the Ponies
Evangeline Downs is donating all of its revenues — including simulcasting proceeds — from Sunday night’s card to Hurricane Katrina relief. Hoping to encourage participation, Alan of Left at the Gate had the great idea of getting racing bloggers to each analyze one of the day’s races. Alan’s done the second, Patrick of Pulling Hair and Betting Horses has the fourth, and Ruben of Your Average Horseplayer takes on the seventh. I’m doing the fifth, an open claiming $4000, six furlong event with a $13,000 purse.
The field of six entered in this race has one standout — Denton County. The horse won his last, a six furlong, claiming $5000 race, by four lengths after running second in a similar race just a couple of weeks before, while earning a 75 Beyer figure for the former and a 73 for the latter. The minor class drop only gives rise to one question — by how many lengths will he win this one?
That Denton County is such a sure thing (or, as sure as any horse can ever be in any race) means that his odds will be low. The morning line puts him at 6-5. I wouldn’t be surprised to see even lower. For a little value, I’d box him with Eastwood’s Song, on the morning line at 6-1. Trained by Bubba Cascio, Eastwood’s Song is making his first start since running in June 24 claiming $10,000 miler where he finished sixth and was never close to the pace. Cascio, who’s 30% with returnees, has used the freshening-class drop combo with some success on Eastwood’s Song in the past. He figures to give Denton Country a little competition here.
Results: More than $60,000 was raised for hurricane relief by Evangeline Downs, with Louisiana horsemen committing their earnings from the night’s card to the cause as well (Thoroughbred Times). Congrats to Alan, who hit the second with Paris Pride and a trifecta that paid $180. I was right about Eastwood’s Song finishing right behind Denton County in the fifth — unfortunately, the two finished third and fourth, not first and second.
