Churchill Downs – 4th race – 8-La Coronel
Breezed a quarter of a mile in an eye-popping 20 4/5 seconds and then brought $375,00 at auction at the OBS April sale, so this daughter of Colonel John should be set to graduate at first asking for trainer Mark Casse. A bullet half mile blowout in 47 flat seven days adds fuel to the fire. With go-to rider Julien Leparoux taking the call, this highly-regarded juvenile offers value in the straight pool as well as the rolling exotics at anywhere close to her morning line of 5/2.
Belmont Park – 6th race – Royal Ekati (5/2)
Deserves another chance after being bet off the board and then failing to show his true speed when breaking slowly from the rail and then racing greenly in maiden special weight sprint for New York-breds last month. The Barclay Tagg-trained sophomore continues to impress in the a.m. and seems sure to improve a bunch with Castellano staying aboard. This barn has good stats with second-time starters, so let’s go with this Tale of Ekati colt both in the straight pool and in rolling exotic play at or near his morning line of 5/2.
