Super Screener: Beat the favorite in the Jimmy Durante
The chance for a graded stakes on turf for 2-year-olds attracted a deep and well-traveled group to the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar, and Mike Shutty hopes those earning frequent-flier miles are the ones who add to his Super Screener wagering account.
No. 4 Just Aloof is one of two who last raced at Aqueduct, and No. 2 Special Wood comes in all the way from France. Both are listed as top win contenders in this week's Super Screener.
"This race sets up so well for Just Aloof, a Chad Brown-trained shipper making her second career start," Shutty writes. "She won her debut going a mile on turf at Aqueduct and did so with balance and professionalism for a first-time starter. Form-cycle analysis is projecting she will advance from here by five points or more putting her firmly in the win mix among these."
Special Wood is a bit of a tougher read, considering his races were all in France and on turf rated as soft. This will be a different experience for her but one Shutty expects can be handled.
"The France-based filly under the care of trainer Tom Proctor finished a distant fourth in a very high-quality stakes race against males last out, which is turning out to be a key race with the second- and third-place finishers winning their next starts. We'll take the firm ground and picking up John Velazquez as positives and see her as 'top value' at the 8-1 morning line price."
The Jimmy Durante is one of seven stakes in this week's Super Screener, which includes coverage of the pair of graded stakes on Friday at Churchill Downs plus a mix from Del Mar and Churchill on Saturday.
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