Keeneland Picks for Wednesday, April 8:

THREE CHANCES FOR THE MONEY: Starting with opening weekend at Keeneland, followed by the Final Four and March Madness Championship games, punctuated by four days of The Masters, Mr. Ed’s cup of sports gambling runneth over. While he‘s yet to attend a Final Four weekend (several early rounds over the years), Mr. Ed has been blessed to experience a week at both other venues multiple times. This week, Mr. Ed will drive northwest a few hundred miles to spend three days at Keeneland. Next year, he expects to travel a similar distance southeast to return to Augusta and join his lucky adult son (he won two lifetime badges in a lottery) for a few days of The Masters. In the meantime, my best bets for the week: Michigan -6.5 (“Sometimes your best bets are the ones you don’t make,” per VSiN guru Dave Tuley); a winning start at Keeneland (and over next few weeks); and my triple-threat Masters team (Spann, Fleetwood & S.J. Im). Here are Mr. Ed’s Keeneland picks for mostly sunny Wednesday. First race goes to post at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

Mr. Ed’s Keeneland Selections for Wednesday (4/08)

Race 1 — $90K MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT for 2YO fillies going 4½ furlongs on the grass
Mr. Ed breaks out of the gate with a DD. Choice of FTS #2 TECHWERKIAN (10-1 morning line) with quick works for low-profile trainer Rey Hernandez or #6 WAGGLEY (1-1), for team of Wesley Ward and Joel Rosario.
KEENELAND SELECTION: $5 Daily Double of 2,6/5,6. ($20)

Race 2 (1:32 p.m. ET/10:32 a.m. PT) — $49K CLAIMING for 3YOs & Up going 7 furlongs
To successfully conclude the early DD, Mr. Ed offers a pair: #5 TREW VIOLENCE (8-1 morning line) for sharp trainer Rudolph Brisset and excellent rider Flavien Prat and #6 NASSAU CIRCLE (6-1) for veteran Al Stall, Jr. and Tyler Gaffalione. Bombs away!

Race 3 (2:04 p.m. ET/11:04 a.m. PT) — $130K ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING for fillies and mares, 4YOs & Up going about 7 furlongs
Mr. Ed singles another Al Stall, Jr. trainee, #7 LORD I WONDER (6-1 morning line), with promising young rider Luan Machado. Team notched an 11-length win at Churchill last Spring. Repeat in the making.
KEENELAND SELECTION: $5 to Win & Place. ($10)

Race 4 (2:36 p.m. ET/11:36 a.m. PT) — $55K MAIDEN CLAIMING for KY-bred fillies and mares, 3YOs & Up going 6½ furlongs
I like three of a kind: #5 FRESH OUT (5-1 morning line) for Kenny McPeek barn; #6 EXPECTO PATRONUM (3-1) with big rider upgrade to Luis Saez for Whit Beckman, and #7 CUVEE CREED (4-1) with HOFer Velasquez up.
KEENELAND SELECTION: $5 Exacta Box of 5,6,7. ($30)

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Race 5 (3:08 p.m. ET/12:08 p.m. PT) — $150K ALLOWANCE for 4YOs & Up going 1 1/16-mile on the turf
Mr. Ed’s PLAY OF THE DAY marks the return of $1.7 million-dollar-earner, 6YO #5 INTEGRATION (6-5 morning line) with Johnny Velazquez on board for Shug McGaughey. Equine warrior returns from vacation full of run.
KEENELAND SELECTION: $20 to Win. ($20)

Race 6 (3:40 p.m. ET/12:40 p.m. PT) — $110K MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT for 3 YO fillies going 1 1/16-mile
Mr. Ed likes a trio in a rider’s race: #4 BLUE HEN CHICK (6-1 morning line) with tip-top Flavien Prat aboard; #5 EAST BAY (8-1) with Luis Saez in saddle, and #8 EMERALD SPUN (4-1) with Irad Ortiz, Jr. riding.

Races 6-8  (3:40 p.m. ET/12:40 p.m. PT) — $2 Pick 3
R6: 4,5,8
R7: 2,11
R8: 2,4,8 ($36)

Race 8 (4:44 p.m. ET/1:44 p.m. PT) — $63K STARTER ALLOWANCE for 3YOs going 7 furlongs 
To close out the day, Mr. Ed likes three for the money: #2 AMERICAN BRASS (9-2 morning line), trained by Bill Morey; #4 HIGH GO (7-2) for hot team of Brendan Walsh and Tyler Gaffalione, and #8 SHARONS BEACH (2-1) for the popular pair of trainer Jonathan Thomas and rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. Worth a wager.
KEENELAND SELECTION: $5 Exacta Box of 2,4,8. ($30)

TOTAL WAGERS: $146

THURSDAY AT KEENELAND: Mr. Ed reports live from Jim Goodman’s exclusive Green Room. On first pass, the nine-race card offers a balanced menu of allowance and claiming contests. Mr. Ed’s VSiN selections for Thursday’s races and the weekend stakes will appear here through Sunday. The forecast: Fast, firm, warm and mostly sunny.

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