Race 9 at Ellis Park | Saturday June 17 | Post Time 5:40 PM Eastern

Chorleywood Stakes | Purse $175,000 | One Mile and One Quarter on Turf | Four Year Olds and Upward

 

Main Contenders:

Trainer Mike Maker wins turf route stakes races at 10 furlongs or more at a pretty good 25% clip (10 for 41) over the past three years, and he does so many times by having multiple entrants in a race. In this case he has Media Blitz (8), Bay Street Money (7) Therapist (2), who start at odds of 8 to 1, 5 to 1 and 3 to 1, respectively. The first two are definitely worthy of our attention insofar as considering win bets.

Media Blitz was away from the races for nearly 15 months when returning on May 29 and finishing fourth. The fact Maker brings him back just 19 days later is a BIG SIGN of intent, particularly as the horse likely didn’t extent too much energy as the fractions were very slow. Even after being off more than a year, Media Blitz (8) ran exceptionally well as he stalked the pacesetters in third for the first half-mile, moved up to second and within a head of the leader on the turn, got to the front with an eighth of a mile to go, then tired just a bit, beaten only a pair of necks for second and another three-quarters of a length for the win. As this will be his second start after the lengthy layoff, we can expect him to run much better, adding to Maker’s other fine record with horses making their second starts off six months of more, a scenario where Maker’s horses have been winning consistently about 20% of the time over the past five years. Maker had claimed Media Blitz for a hefty $100,000 in the fall of 2021 and this could be the time for the new owners to reap the dividends for that purchase.

Bay Street Money (7) cuts back from a mile and one-half when 10^th last month in the higher level Grade 3 Louisville Stakes. He moved to the Maker barn between July and October of last year and won his first two starts for his new barn, both on turf and both with Gerardo Corrales in the saddle. Stepped up to classified allowance and stakes company, Bay Street Money wasn’t disgraced one bit as he finished third, fourth and second, the latter in the Grade 3 Pan American Stakes. Now after the poor effort last month the horse is reunited with Corrales and considering either of his two efforts last fall if repeated are good enough to win he deserves our consideration for any and all wagers we make involving this race.

Therapist (2) has won 12 of 40 career starts, all but one win coming on grass, and a first or second place finish here would put his career earnings over the $1 million mark. Similar to Bay Street Money, Therapist ran well in the Pan American Stakes in April (winning) but ran poorly (eighth) in the Louisville Stakes. Maker claimed him for $50,000 in January out of a third place effort and the eight year old then won two in a row including the Pan American before a poor effort last month. With Gaffalione getting on there is every reason to believe the veteran can return to top form in this situation and although he doesn’t offer the return either of the other two Maker trainees do it would be a mistake to not use him as a win contender on exacta and trifecta tickets involving this race.

Last but not least (except insofar as low odds), Foreign Relations (6) opens as the 2 to 1 favorite off his win over some of these last month in the Louisville Stakes. He had won a first level allowance race prior to that (but was disqualified and placed 10^th for interference) so it was a big step up, but he has now won three of his last four races including one at this mile and one-quarter trip (on al-weather) and Cannon has been aboard for two of his last three wins. He can win his second stakes in a row but he’s no standout.

Bets:  

Win Bets:  I will consider both Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7) for win bets at odds of 7 to 2 or more.

Exactas:

Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7) over Therapist (2), Foreign Relations (6), Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7)

Therapist (2), Foreign Relations (6), Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7) over

Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7)

Trifectas:

Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7) over Therapist (2), Foreign Relations (6), Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7) over Therapist (2), Foreign Relations (6), Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7)

Therapist (2), Foreign Relations (6), Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7) over

Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7) over Therapist (2), Foreign Relations (6), Media Blitz (8) and Bay Street Money (7)