Super Screener: Sluggish pace helps this price at Fair Grounds
Super Screener takes a break from the Kentucky Derby trail this week with a smattering of stakes events from Gulfstream Park, Fair Grounds and Santa Anita, led by a value opportunity in a turf sprint stakes.
Kentucky Derby preps resume next week with the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds. Subscribe to Super Screener today and get every week between now and Derby for $97 plus daily Power Picks and Horses to Single reports.
Of the six stakes in this week's edition, the Nelson J. Menard Memorial especially caught Mike Shutty's eye.
Click here for Fair Grounds entries and results.
"The Fair Grounds Saturday card features a few Louisiana-bred stakes, but this turf sprint affair is for open company and offers one of the better wagering opportunities on the day," Shutty wrote. "The projection here is for the pace to be a bit on the sluggish side with No. 4 Party Pauline and No. 9 Lotsandlotsofcandy taking to the front engaging in a possible speed duel.
"We favor those with proven turf affinity, including the Super Screener top win, top board hitter and top
value player No. 8 Gavea. This 5-year-old from trainer Albert Stall Jr. really needed that last race coming off the six-month layoff, and form-cycle analysis projects a significant advancement of up to 8 points in this next start. She is 3-for-4 in the trifecta over this turf, and her two most recent victories came at this distance. She may see them all before heading into the turn, but she’ll be one of the swiftest movers down the long stretch."
Each race in Super Screener includes picks, analysis and wagering strategy. Gavea is the clear key in the Menard, but Shutty also advises peppering No. 7 Sporting Lady on wagers as the top long shot.
"She returns to the Keri Brion barn after a trip to Florida, where she submitted her best race since May on the Gulfstream Park synthetic surface facing the toughest field she has ever taken on," Shutty wrote. "It was a move forward over her prior start and that pattern of advancement is expected to continue here making her a viable "under" player at a big price. She benefits from the favorable pace set up."