There is plenty of great horse racing across America on Black Friday, including at Churchill Downs race track. We have been in fine form with our picks for a long time now and we are up +138.95 units with our race selections to our recommended stakes dating back to August 5, 2021. Let’s keep it rolling!
Here are our best bets for today’s action at Churchill Downs race track.
2:53 pm ET Churchill Downs (Race 5) – Hollywood Ending 7/5 (3-star play)
The son of Curlin showed a good level of ability when making his debut in a six furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland four weeks ago. The three-year-old raced prominently on that occasion prior to placing second, beaten three-and-three-quarter lengths bunder his jockey here Flavien Prat. The colt is expected to have improved for that experience and stepping up in distance looks capable of breaking his maiden having delivered a 49 second four furlong work here last weekend.
3:49 pm ET Churchill Downs (Race 7) – Wind of Change 2/1 (2-star play)
The veteran performer showed good form in allowance optional claiming company at Gulfstream Park when trained by Saffie Joseph Jr in 2022. The eight-year-old has made just five starts this year and was claimed by current handler Steve Asmussen following a half-length success in a $20,000 claimer over seven furlongs here at the start of this month. The step up in class looks unlikely to prove an issue and he is taken to register his eleventh career win.
4:48 pm ET Churchill Downs (Race 9) – Punchbowl 2/1 (2-star play)
The three-year-old completed a double when delivering an impressive four-and-a-quarter-length victory in an allowance optional claimer over this trip at Oaklawn Park in March. A Grade 1 second when beaten half-a-length in the Ashland Stakes over the same trip at Keeneland followed and while she disappointed dropped to allowance optional claiming company when beaten three-and-a-quarter-lengths into fourth there last month she looks up to returning to winning ways following a 1:00.80 five furlong work at this track recently.
5:18 pm ET Churchill Downs (Race 10) – Neecie Marie 4/1 (1-star play)
Trained by Robert E Reid Jr the filly completed a double when registering a two-and-a-quarter-length success in the Mrs Penny Stakes over this distance at Parx in August. The Cross Traffic filly has placed second twice in Graded company since including when beaten half-a-length in the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes over a mile-and-one-eighth on a yielding course at Aqueduct last month. The filly recorded a career best figure that day and is taken to go one better here.
5:48 pm ET Churchill Downs (Race 11) – First Mission 3/1 (2-star play)
The Godolphin representative is the winner of all three starts since suffering a defeat when runner-up at Fair Grounds on debut in February. Those three victories including a half-length success in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes over a mile-and-one-sixteenth at Keeneland in April. T he extra sixteenth here looks likely to suit with the son of Street Sense taking out an allowance optional claimer back at Keeneland last month for trainer Brad Cox on his only subsequent start.
Exotic
Churchill Downs Late Pick 3
Race 10: 3, 7
Race 11: 2, 3
Race 12: 2, 3
Stake: $2
Total stake: $16
