Super Screener: 3 to bet under Mr. Money in West Virignia Derby
Over a track that “tilts toward” forwardly placed horses, Mike Shutty expects only a modest pace Saturday in Mountaineer’s Grade 3, $500,000 West Virginia Derby.
“Given that setup, it will be tough to beat the favorite, Mr. Money,” says Shutty, author of Horse Racing Nation’s Super Screener handicapping system.
The key to cashing on the West Virginia Derby, then, is playing the right horses underneath. Shutty has some advice for just that.
As for the West Virginia Derby, Shutty considers Mr. Money the lone “A” horse when assembling multi-race wagers. He lists a trio of “B” contenders to play underneath, or along with Mr. Money should you be looking for a price in the horizontals.
#4 Plus Que Parfait: “Follow ups to his UAE Derby (G2) win were pretty solid. After a 60-day break he went back to the grass in the Belmont Derby (G1) and ran an even effort, finishing mid-pack. Benefits here from the cut back in distance, the switch back to dirt, easier competition and the second race off the layoff. A brilliant last work adds further confidence he pops a top.”
#6 Fluminense: “Doesn’t look like a presser at first glance, but he was taken out at the start in the Iowa Derby, spotting his rivals five lengths at the outset and then was four-wide around the final turn. To add insult to injury, the pace of that race was awfully slow. Looked much the best in that race and moves forward big here offering value. My top longshot selection.”
#8 Math Wizard: “Slower pace setups in his last two races have not helped his cause, and it doesn’t get better here. However, he’s a trier. While we have probably seen his best, a duplicate of those last two races would be good enough to put him squarely in the exotics mix. He was no match for Mr. Money last time out, but more ground will narrow the margin of victory.”
Shutty suggests building narrow tickets around Mr. Money and Fluminense, a Steve Asmussen trainee who cost connections $410,000. The Super Screener also includes his thoughts on every other runner in the 1 1/8-mile race’s field of 10, plus recommended wagering strategies. The same applies to every race he handicaps, so consider adding the Super Screener advantage to your plays today!