Super Screener preview: Value in Woodford kicks off big weekend

It is an embarassement of graded stakes and Breeders' Cup prep races this weekend, with key races on the road to the world championships on Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita scheduled from coast to coast at Aqueduct, Keeneland and The Great Race Place.

Fourteen races in all are a part of the Saturday Screener with six at Belmont at the Big A, five at Keeneland, and three at Santa Anita. Six of the 14 races are points races for the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks, as well as win-and-you're-in races for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

As far as wagering opportunity goes, the best is not being saved for last, as Mike Shutty has identified the Grade 2, $350,000 Woodford Stakes, the first graded stakes on Saturday at Keeneland, as a potential big score, grading a pair of longshots on the morning line as his top selections.

"This may be one of the better wagering opportunities of the weekend," Shutty says. "Trainer Wesley Ward just owns these turf sprint stakes at Keeneland, and Super Screener rates his two entrants as the top two choices in the field at stunning (morning line) odds of 12- and 20-1."

Shutty is speaking of no. 9 Kaufymaker and no. 4 Eyewitness, and he expects both to have a big set up in here given the presence of "four horses competing for pace supremacy."

Each race in Super Screener includes wagering strategy, and Shutty is all in on either Eyewitness or Kaufymaker being a part of the exacta.

"Kaufymaker earns top honors here coming off a stellar win last out at Saratoga. Stateside, he is six-for-six at this distance. He will press here and get first jump on those behind him," Shutty says. "Toss Eyewitness's last when he muffed the start and was left with too much to do late. The race two back is more representative of what he is capable of doing. He'll sit just a length off his (uncoupled) stablemate and be coming late. A must use in tickets."