Wednesday wagers: It all adds up for Bythenumbers at Delaware
Wednesday is opening day at Delaware Park, and eight races are on tap at the Wilmington oval. I’m handicapping for wet conditions and giving out picks for five races, all on dirt.
Best bet: Bythenumbers (race 2)
Best value bet: Bad Henry (race 3)
Race 1
No. 4 Cynergy’s Electra (8-5, morning-line favorite) looks like a logical meet-opening winner under Jaime Rodriguez, who’s been a force to be reckoned with at Delaware over the last three years. She crushed $12,500 claimers in the mud two starts back before struggling to compete with $20,000 foes. Dropping to the $6,250 level and scaling back to six furlongs should work to her advantage. No. 3 Kaya’s Halo (2-1) will be dangerous if able to replicate her three-back effort at Laurel in this spot under seven-pound apprentice Ederik Robles, but she could get caught up in a pace duel. No. 5 Providing (8-1) won two straight over this course before being vanned off, and she hasn’t raced since October. But bettors could get value underneath with this daughter of Texas Red if she’s on her game.
How I’d bet it (based on a $100 budget): $10 exacta 4/3,5
Race 2
No. 2 Bythenumbers (3-2, morning-line favorite) has shown promise vs. slightly better foes at Laurel, both on fast and wet tracks. Her tune-up work for Jamie Ness was sharp, and Rodriguez gets the leg up on this likely winner. No. 5 Nay Slayer (9-5) gets in light under Robles following a decent third in the maiden claiming ranks at Aqueduct. No. 7 A Lotta Moxie (4-1) tries a new low shipping in from Charles Town – logical on her last-out speed figure earned in a runner-up result.
How I’d bet it: $10 trifecta 2/5,7/5,7
Race 3
No. 8 Bad Henry (15-1) had mixed results over his last four starts at Tampa but switches from a 2 percent trainer to a 20 percent trainer in Thomas Ianotti IV, who fires at 13 percent with new acquisitions. Bad Henry gets an encouraging jockey assignment too in Mychel Sanchez (23 percent). No. 2 Etretat (7-2) gets the same exact trainer move as the top pick after running second in back-to-back starts – consider. No. 5 Russian Hammer (3-1) missed the bob for second vs. Entretat when last seen and tries a new low.
How I’d bet it: $2 exacta box 2/5/8, $2 exacta box 2/5, $4 win 8
Race 7
No. 1 Instant Coffee (8-5, morning-line favorite) has had trouble staying on the track since taking the Lecomte Stakes in the early part of 2023. He finished third off a near-year layoff after a flop in the Louisiana Derby, then was far too ambitiously placed in the Oaklawn Handicap last time out. This looks like a great spot to boost the confidence of this son of Bolt d’Oro. No. 2 Hay Chief (6-1) won two straight, including one in the mud two-back, before finding stakes competition too tough – dangerous on the drop. No. 5 Loose Ends (12-1) has long-shot appeal underneath based on his 6: 1-4-0 lifetime record on wet tracks. He’s a horse-for-course too with a 6: 2-4-0 mark at Delaware.
How I’d bet it: $15 exacta 1/2, $5 exacta 1/5
Race 8
No. 1 Let It Rideness (3-5, morning-line favorite) drilled a bullet and plunges in class for Ness and Rodriguez – not worth trying to beat. No. 4 Infinite Series (5-1) is 0-for-16 but has hit the board in four of his last eight tries, most of them coming vs. classier. No. 5 Alabama Shake (12-1) shows a solid gate drill on the worktab ahead of his debut and doesn’t have much to beat here. Sire Khozan wins with 15 percent of debut runners.
How I’d bet it: $15 exacta 1/4, $5 exacta 1/5
Robert Criscola is a free-lance handicapper based in New York.