Wednesday wagers: Trainer Please should score at Churchill

Nine races are on the final Wednesday program of the brief September meet at Churchill Downs, and the action gets underway at 12:45 p.m. EDT. I highlight my five favorite heats below.

Best value bet: Braganza (Race 1)

Race 1

No. 6 Braganza (10-1) is working smartly at Churchill for Eddie Kenneally, who wins at 14 percent when debuting at the maiden claiming level for a positive ROI – the price should be more than fair. No. 7 Please Be Kind (6-5, morning-line favorite) could get overbet on the class drop, but the cutback also figures to aid this daughter of Violence. No. 3 Somebody Loves Me (7-2) has two in-the-money finishes in three lifetime tries on dirt – could land a share.

How I’d bet it (based on a $100 budget): $10 win 6, $4 exacta box 6/7

Race 2

No. 5 Keepcalmcarryon (3-1) gets the nod in this well-matched group of claimers. He runs for a tag for the first time, adds blinkers, and is also a new gelding. No. 4 Icarus (2-1, morning-line favorite) has never raced on dirt in six efforts to date, but being by Arrogate out of a Tapit mare, he stands to improve on the surface switch. His leaving the Brad Cox barn is discouraging, but Tom Amoss (23: 5-3-2 at the meet) is no slouch. No. 6 Deep State (5-2) earned his lone win in the mud but has shown enough ability across different surfaces to suggest he’ll contend for the victory while trying a new low. Having the red-hot Vincent Cheminaud aboard (11: 4-1-2 at Churchill) works in his favor too.

How I’d bet it: $2 exacta box 4/5/6, $1 trifecta box 4/5/6

Race 4

No. 9 Trainer Please (8-5, morning-line favorite) has competed exclusively on turf in his last eight starts, but hit the board in two consecutive dirt heats to kick off his career last year. Rafael Bejarano picks up the call on a Doug O’Neill trainee that appears to have a solid speed figure edge. No. 4 Out Work’n (10-1) has hit the board in each of his last five starts, three of which came against allowance foes at Belterra and Mountaineer. He appears to fit with these. No. 5 Golden Heritage (8-1) offers hope for improvement trying dirt for the first time with Union Rags at the top of his pedigree.

How I’d bet it: $10 exacta 9/4,5

Race 8

No. 1A Kittansett (10-1) looks to be the far more appealing part of the coupled entry. He’s won each of his last two starts on dirt, with one coming at Churchill this June. Ricardo Santana Jr. was in the irons that day, and regains the assignment for Paulo Lobo, who’s batting 27 percent with horses going turf-to-dirt. No. 2 West Will Power (9-5, morning-line favorite) ran a big one off the bench in a minor stake at Ellis, but couldn’t do better than second. That was his fifth runner-up result in 10 lifetime starts, making him a bit tough to trust on top at these odds, even with Florent Geroux and Cox in his corner. No. 3 Intrepid Heart (2-1) has also been camera-shy of late, settling for second in four of his last five races. However, there will be a rider change, with Julien Leparoux (23: 7-3-1) getting a leg-up.

How I’d bet it: $3 exacta box 1/2/3, $6 win 1

Race 9

No. 11 Endless Sunset (10-1) has been competing against tougher with mixed results since beating similar foes by open lengths here back in June. The post won’t do him any favors, but he’s worth a long look at these odds. No. 3 Ice Blast (3-1) had a productive summer on dirt at Lone Star before failing to record a win in back-to-back turf tries. He’s a very logical player getting back to this surface on a precipitous class drop for Steve Asmussen, who’s looking to turn things around after a 2-for-27 start to the meet. No. 4 Iberville (10-1) is a threat to wire this group if left unchecked on the front end.

How I’d bet it: $2 exacta box 3/4/11, $4 win 4,11