Quills Picks Winners – Sunday 10/4 – Woodbine Race 9

After an afternoon at Keeneland, we head north of the border to Woodbine for today’s race. Our race is race nine on a ten-race card, as juveniles will go a mile and a sixteenth on the E.P. Taylor (or outer) turf course in the Cup and Saucer Stakes. Ten horses are entered in this race this afternoon.

Woodbine Race 9 – Cup and Saucer Stakes

Favored in the Cup and Saucer is the 1 King’s Counsel (3/1 morning line). He broke his maiden the Simcoe Stakes on Woodbine’s main synthetic track sprinting, and like most of the other horses in this field, will stretch out to this distance for the first time. He will try to make a late move like he has shown in his last three races.

The 4 Bunyan (6/1 ML) made his debut on the turf course and closed strongly to finish third while wide. Look for him to settle and make a big move late today. The stretch out and the surface should not be issues for this colt.

The 8 Glorious Gem (7/2 ML) is a filly taking on the boys today, which is a bit more common at Woodbine than at tracks in the United States. She made a strong move on the turn despite being wide but could not get to the winner in deep stretch. She might have that same trip this afternoon.

The 3 Mo Cookie (12/1 ML) gets some class relief after finishing off the board in the Grade 1 Natalma here at Woodbine last month, but she has to face the boys here. She fired a bullet last week in preparation for today, but it might have been too fast, or was the trainer getting her to learn to run on the lead?

Joe’s Pick

This is a fairly wide open race with so many new variables for these juveniles. I am leaning towards Bunyan who closed strongly despite being wide. This looks like a race where you can make some money on this race, and I think this is your win wager today.

I’m calling this race 4-1-8-3 and my play is $20 to win on the 4. Best of luck and I’ll see you in the winner’s circle!