Best Bet: Patches O’Houlihan can open up in Bold Venture
Sunday’s seventh race at Woodbine is the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes for 3-year-olds and up dashing 6 1/2 furlongs on the all-weather surface. The scheduled post time is 3:43 p.m. EDT.
Click here for Woodbine entries and results.
I don’t think anyone can go with no. 5 Patches O’Houlihan (3-1) in the early going. The fleet sophomore gelding is 4-for-4 at Woodbine this year, and he won his last two stakes starts at shorter distances. He might not look back if he clears the field early.
No. 10 Souper Watson (6-1) has stalking speed and the outside post. He fired trifecta shots in eight of his last 10 starts, and he won five of those races. The consistent gelding always seems to fire a big shot with Kazushi Kimura in the saddle.
No. 1 Candy Overload (5-2) is a consistent closing sprinter. He fired trifecta shots in all eight starts at this distance, and he rallied for the place in this race last summer. This race might not set up for him, but he will be finishing regardless.
Wagers
No. 5 to win
Exacta box 5-10
Trifecta 5-10/1-5-10/1-5-10
Recent Best Bet winners
Aug. 4 – Bus Buzz ($5.80), trifecta ($82.80)
Aug. 5 – Carmelita's Man ($13.60), trifecta ($199.20)
Aug. 6 – Maltese Falcon/Panic Alarm/Agency trifecta ($173.40)
Thursday – Rose Barton/Pegs A. K. Girl quinella ($14.80)