Weekend Stakes Action - Grade II Ms. Revere Stakes and Grade II Red Smith Handicap

There are no slow periods in thoroughbred horse racing. For sports betting fans, finding a horse to make a wager on can happen on almost any day.

Quality thoroughbreds are running at Churchill Downs and Aqueduct this fall/winter. It just so happens that the two biggest stakes races of the weekend occur at those tracks.

Let’s get to it!

Race-day: 11/08/2008

Churchill Downs – Race 9

Grade II Ms. Revere Stakes

$175,000

For Fillies Three Years Old

1 1/16th miles on turf

This looks like a two gal race between Acoma and My Princess Jess but I’m going to go with the lightly raced Dark Sky. Dark Sky is two out of three on the win end with one second place finish in only three lifetime starts. What do I really like about her? How about stretching out for the first time and trying the turf for the first time. Usually, that’s a bad sign but she’s out of Storm Cat. She could be a nice stakes filly. For second, the Barclay Tagg trained My Princess Jess is the logical play. Sure, she’s breaking from the ten hole, but she’s got either enough speed to get position early or she can close from the clouds. She’ll be the chalk. Acoma should finish no worse than third in this. She has the perfect draw for her style, running upfront, and she’s won a Grade III before.

1. Dark Sky

2. My Princess Jess

3. Acoma

Aqueduct Racetrack – Race 8

Grade II Red Smith Handicap

$150,000

1 3/8th miles on turf

There are some nice turf horses in this race including Strike a Deal who actually improved in his last after losing by 19 lengths to Grand Couturier. This will be Strike a Deal’s third race off of a layoff. He will only need to improve slightly to take this. For second, Summer Patriot out of the Barclay Tagg barn could make amends for his third place finish in the same race that Strike a Deal ran in. Before that Summer Patriot had put together two big races. I like his chances. For third, I’m going with Wheels Up At Noon. Trainer Douglas Fout isn’t well known but he can get his horses ready and Wheels Up At Noon almost always puts in a good run.

1. Strike a Deal

2. Summer Patriot

3. Wheels Up At Noon

Good Luck!