Author Archives: Brian Nadeau

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/26/25      Featured track  Churchill Downs       Race number  5       Race overview  A modest 20k N3L for 3up at 1 1/16 miles.       Pace  There’s not much here, especially considering several look like one-run plodders, so tactical speed, at the very least, is preferred.      Trends  N/A      Best Play  #6 FORGE IN FIRE (7-2): Stalker should trip out nicely here on or just off the early lead, is much better on dirt than Tapeta, and has a local main trick win as well.      Bet Types   …

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/25/25      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  8       Race overview  A sharp renewal of the G3 Bewitch for 4upfm at 1 ½ mile on turf.       Pace  It’s a turf route, so expect things to be tepid early and turn into a sprint off the far turn.      Trends  The turf isn’t used enough to get a true feel, though on the whole, it’s much more fair than say a GP or SA, which are always going to cater to early speed types.      Best Play  #2…

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/24/25      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  9       Race overview  A seemingly modest MS for fm3up at 1-mile on the turf.       Pace  It should be honest enough, as there are a few who want to be close early, along with a slew of first-time starters as well.      Trends  The turf isn’t used enough to get a true feel, though on the whole, it’s much more fair than say a GP or SA, which are always going to cater to early speed types.      Best Play …

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 4/23/25 Featured track Keeneland Race number 3 Race overview A modest 50k MCL for 3up at 1 1/8 miles. Pace Things look slow early, especially at a trip that will be a stretch for many, so having a stalking gear seems preferred. Trends The main track seemed to have a slight towards speed last week, but hardly anything too overwhelming, and with three days off, it’s worth paying attention to how things play out. Best Play #7 SPURGEON (2-1): MSW dropper was given seven tries in the big leagues and couldn’t break through while running underneath, so this move makes…

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/19/25      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  5       Race overview  A very watered down 40k N2L for 3up at 6 ½ Fs.       Pace  It doesn’t look overly heated, as there aren’t too many who want to be close early, so a tactical gear seems preferred.       Trends  Speed and the inside seemed a slight bit better during the first several days of the meet, though nothing out of the ordinary either.      Best Play  #7 TOP GUN ROCKET (9-5): Stiff class dropper also goes turf-to-dirt and…

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/18/25      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  7       Race overview  A modest—even for this level—restricted MSW for 3yofs at 6Fs.       Pace  It doesn’t look overly heated early, as there’s no pure sprint speed on paper, so having the ability to lay close early seems a plus.      Trends  Speed and the inside seemed a slight bit better during the first several days of the meet, though nothing out of the ordinary either.      Best Play  #11 TRUE PASSION (9-2): OP invader chased and tired in an…

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/17/25      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  5       Race overview   A deep and competitive N1X for 3up at 5 ½ Fs on the turf.       Pace  It’s a turf sprint, so things should be honest up front, though on paper there aren’t a ton of true burners in here, so a stalking gear will likely come in handy.      Trends  They just don’t run enough turf races to have any kind of trends you can lean on, but as a general rule of thumb, this is a much…

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/16/25      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  6       Race overview  A very eak N1X for 4up at 6Fs on the main track.       Pace  There’s not much pure sprint speed on paper, which means debut wire-to-wire winner #5 DARIOUSH (7-2) should sit a good trip, either or, or just off the early lead.      Trends  Speed and the inside seemed a slight bit better than anything else during a whirlwind eight straight days of racing, though it was hardly on the unfair or bias side of things either. …

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/11/25      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  10       Race overview  A very meek 30k MCL for 3up at 1 1/8 miles.       Pace  There’s not much here on paper, and this is a mighty long trip for most of these, so expect things to be slow early and turn into a sprint off the far turn.      Trends  N/A      Best Play  #1 ABUNDANCE (5-1): Pletcher charge takes the MSW drop, and while his lone dirt run was awful, it came against eons better, he now has…

    “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  4/13/25      Featured track  Keeneland       Race number  6       Race overview  A seemingly modest MSW for 3yps a 1 1/16 miles on the turf.       Pace  There’s not much on paper, which suggests things will be slow early and turn into a sprint off the far turn.      Trends  N/A      Best Play  #10 EXECUTIVE (3-1) (turf only): Mott runner looked like a new horse in his comeback and first start in 2025, when he added Lasix and was a make-up 3rd, and now he should be tighter,…