There aren’t many 7-horse fields that can be considered a good betting race. After my first look at the Cash Run Stakes, the 8th from Gulfstream on New Year’s Day, I didn’t think it would buck the trend. I nearly decided to just take #6 JETTY’S HOME as my pick in Pick ‘n’ Pray tournaments as the “other Saffie” and move on with my life.
But I came to see “THE Saffie” in the race, #7 SECANE to be an exceptionally bad favorite, which got me curious enough to check out the field.
I think there is a very healthy trio of strong contenders to beat either of those Saffie horses, and none of them is Jetty’s Home, who I figure is quite likely the second choice in the betting. She can certainly win but will be underlaid enough off of my personal line for her of 4-1, to also be worth trying to beat.
My top pick in the race is #5 NYCON, lightly raced filly making her third career start after breaking her maiden last time also at this 1-turn mile distance, impressively. She doesn’t need to get much faster to win this race and I think very likely has that in the tank.
I am also intrigued by probably the highest price of any contender when they leave the gate, #3 BLAZING BRAT. She may not even be bet like a contender at all. But I liked her Tampa race last time off a 3-month layoff. I think she can have some more behind her and I am also not very worried about going a mile now. It’s a sign of confidence, I think, that the trainer even goes in this spot.
I’m less enthused about the chances of #4 DUNMORE BEACH being worth getting mixed up with in the win pool, or probably even the exacta, I think Secane is a bad enough favorite that she is definitely worth using in horizontals.
The Chum of Chance 