Texas Champions Weekend: Beat The Favorite
Time to play a little game I like to call Beat the Favorite! After all, I like to get the best bang for buck, and so do my student loans! Since many of you will be snowed in this weekend, I invite you to play along with me. Saturday is the second night of Texas Champions Weekend at Sam Houston Race Park. Races 6-9 will be the main event with fours stakes featuring some of the best horses Texas has to offer. I have been invited to help out with the festivities and cannot wait to be a part of this great night of racing. So without further ado, let’s get this game started!
Race 6 | Spirit of Texas Stakes
Morning Line Favorite: (5) A M Milky Way
My Pick: (1) Jump in Line
This six furlong affair is wide open. I expect the money to be fairly spread out across the field, but I think people may overlook this inside runner. It is easy to throw that race out because he was caught wide late. He was also coming off a three month layoff. This time around he has the inside post and red hot jockey Lindey Wade aboard. If he can keep himself out of a trouble, he should be flying home late.
Race 7 | Star of Texas Stakes
Morning Line Favorite: (1) Texas Bling
My Pick: (3) Supermason
On paper this race is clearly Texas Bling’s to lose, but he certainly is capable of doing that. In fact, he is only 6 of 34 lifetime heading into this event. I am going to go with the runner who has the best lifetime win percentage and that is Supermason. His last two starts have been far from stellar, but this horse has been working nicely at Fair Grounds this winter. He could be sitting on a big one.
Race 8 | Groovy Stakes
Morning Line Favorite: (6) Taylors Angiel
My Pick: (7) Bravura
A field of ten three year olds is always a fun one to handicap. I landed on the W. Bret Calhoun runner, Bravura in this event. Jockey CJ McMahon is 2 for 2 aboard this colt and I don’t see why they can’t make it a triple. That last furlong is all that stands between them, but I trust McMahon will rate this horse nicely and have a little gas saved late.
Race 9 | Richard King Stakes
Morning Line Favorite: (4) I Am Jane Dough
My Pick: (5) Bully Good
I think Bully Good is going to love the extra distance here. He seems to just miss every time out but he will get some more room to work with. This gelding is the definition of consistent, having hit the board in all six of his starts on turf. This could be a very good night for the duo of Calhoun-McMahon. Plus my dog’s name is Bully, so how can I not go with him?!