Preview: Major Contenders in Churchill's Grade 2 Chicago Stakes

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00:00We meet the field for race number nine at Churchill, the grade two Chicago.

00:04There are two horses in particular in this race that are coming out of a lot tougher race last time.

00:10And I feel like they're horses that are just the major players.

00:12That's the one Emery and the five Vava should just be in a way better spot in here.

00:18Both of them.

00:19What I'm a little worried about, Alexa, with Emery is the draw, the rail, because sometimes in a big field, when you're drawn down to the inside,

00:26it could put a little pressure on you and kind of force you to do some things.

00:30But I feel like both of those two horses are kind of the horses to beat in here.

00:34Definitely.

00:35Definitely.

00:36Emery is really, really talented.

00:38And I agreed, you know, this race is really strong.

00:40It's a good betting race.

00:41It's very competitive.

00:42But Emery loves this distance.

00:43She's run it six times, been first or second, every time but one.

00:47They were often grade one or grade two companies.

00:50So it's not like she's been up against easy competition.

00:53Her, her poor performances are on sloppy tracks.

00:56So if it is dry tomorrow, I mean, if she wins this race, she's going to hit the million-dollar mark in earnings.

01:02So that kind of speaks for itself of how talented she is.

01:05Minx Palace is a stakes winner, and she loves Churchill Downs.

01:08This is just a little bit tougher group than what she's been facing.

01:11Yeah, historically, her graded stakes competition have resulted in not the greatest outcomes.

01:17And I also think she prefers six furlongs to seven as well.

01:21So if she runs her absolute best race, she can make an impact, but it doesn't look like her most comfortable spot.

01:26Gray Lightning is multiple stakes placed, but she comes into this race off of tracks that are a little bit softer company.

01:34So I'm wondering if she's able to step up against this group because she comes in from Hawthorne and Will Rogers Downs,

01:40where she just hasn't had to face this tough of horses.

01:43Yeah, since she's gotten these new connections, she hasn't done as well.

01:46And I think this is going to be a big step, and she'll probably miss the board.

01:52I like Brightwork a little more than you do, Alexa.

01:54She's a four-year-old filly, and she was a graded stakes winner at two years old and at three years old.

01:59She's now going to make her second start back as a four-year-old.

02:02So I'm just expecting her to improve a little bit now with getting to string some races together.

02:07Give us some thoughts on Brightwork.

02:08I don't – I know I left her off.

02:10I don't dislike Brightwork.

02:12I just think it's going to be a fast race, and she's going to want to be a part of it.

02:16And so I'm not sure she'll be able to stick around, but a talented horse.

02:19And in this situation, too, like you'll look at Alexa's top four.

02:22It's like I don't have Zitlos as one of mine, but I don't dislike Zitlos.

02:26It wouldn't shock me at all to see that horse be competitive.

02:28It's just a difficult group.

02:31Vava, if she's able to jump back to some of the races she was running a year ago,

02:35she's going to win this thing.

02:36Like last year at this point, she was awesome.

02:38She was at the tip top of the division.

02:40And now we can still make a couple excuses for her last few races, Alexa.

02:44So I think a good spot for a really good trainer, Cherie DeVoe, to get her back on track.

02:49Yeah, Cherie's great.

02:50I was at her barn yesterday morning, actually.

02:52She's training my horses.

02:53And Vava has $1.8 million in earnings.

02:55She's trying to break her very uncharacteristic cold streak in her last few races,

03:00but she's back at Churchill where she's won four out of five.

03:02I think three-to-one odds is a really generous price on this group in Philly.

03:07So I would play her at that.

03:08Yeah, I completely agree.

03:10Marmalade Sky, she's won two in a row, but now she's stepping up and facing a lot tougher in here.

03:15Yeah, she's not like a totally crazy play to add to the exotics at 20-to-one.

03:20She's coming off two lifetime best figures with her both wins, but it's a big step.

03:26Same thing for Harbor Springs.

03:27She was behind Minx Palace, so it was a decent third-place finish from Harbor Springs,

03:32but this is another level up from her here.

03:35Yeah, I've left both Harbor Springs and the 8 Pigail off of my tickets.

03:39Ah, you know I love Peegle!

03:40That's what I go with when I talk about Peegle, who's going to come second start back.

03:45She's one of those horses who, like, outruns her odds.

03:48I could see using her in, like, third and fourth.

03:50I just don't know if she's good enough to win and beat the top couple in here.

03:53Yeah, the cutback and distance suits her, but, again, I'm leaving her off.

03:57I like the 9, my main squeeze a lot, though.

03:59It's my top pick.

04:00She fits really well, right?

04:02She's got to turn the tables on Emery, but she hasn't been far behind Emery.

04:06She likes Churchill Downs, and she could sit a pretty good trip in here.

04:09Yeah, she's never lost at Churchill Downs.

04:11A proven closer, taking down two graded races, both at today's distance, at the track.

04:16Grade 2 8 Bells last May and the Dogwood last fall.

04:19I like seeing a horse return to their, like, favorable track and distance conditions, so I think this is a really good spot.

04:26Claret Beret just won a race by 19 lengths.

04:31She was moving into the Saffy Joseph Jr. barn for the first time, Alexa's buddy, and he did a great job moving her up.

04:37But, again, this is another big step up for her.

04:41She's just, like, a total wild card.

04:43I have no idea what to think about her.

04:44I know.

04:45She likes the distance.

04:47Never lost at it.

04:48I can see her underneath.

04:50Her figures are competitive with the rest.

04:51It's a big step up.

04:52I wish she was longer off.

04:53Look at how she's winning by in this race.

04:55It's insane.

04:56It's crazy.

04:57As we round out the field with Zitlos, she's a closer.

05:00You know what you're going to get from her.

05:02She's going to drop back.

05:03She's going to make one late run.

05:04If they go really fast early, she'll come and run them all down late.

05:08She's going to have to go really fast.

05:22She's going to be able to stop моей.

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