There’s only a slight chance of it raining in Louisville on Friday. That’s why we feel comfortable handicapping and making horse racing picks for a couple of turf races at Churchill Downs on June 19. Check out top plays and Horse Racing Odds from Churchill Downs for Friday, June 19. You can also visit our Online Racebook to place your bets on active racetracks.
Churchill Downs Horse Racing Picks
- When: Friday, June 19 at 1:00 pm ET
- Where: Louisville, KY
- Weather: Slight Chance of Thunderstorms
- Temperature: High 94 – Low 70
Churchill Downs Picks for Friday, June 19
Race 6 – 3:42 pm ET – 1 1/8 Miles Turf – $62,500 Allowance Optional Claiming
Chad Brown trained Voting Control hasn’t raced since May 2019. The Kitten’s Joy sired 5-year-old horse shows some great works leading up to this, though. Also, Voting Control has never finished off the board. From 4 races, the runner has a couple of wins, a second, and a third. The third happened in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf.
6-year-old gelding Morocco has an interesting race pattern. The Mike Maker trained runner races great, takes a race off, and then races great again. Because Morocco ran just okay in its last, we must expect the gelding to show up with a top effort on Friday.
Jockey Shaun Bridgemohan will try and steal this aboard 5/1 morning line Botswana. If no other runner goes with the Graydar sired 5-year-old gelding, a gate to wire victory could happen.
- Win: Voting Control
- Place: Morocco
- Show: Botswana
Race 8 – 4:46 pm ET – 7 Furlongs Dirt – $81,000 Allowance
Trainer Steve Asmussen could have a stakes running filly in Crown Jewel. Even though the 4-year-old filly tries winners for the first time, we’re comfortable saying that because she blasted her opponents by over 6 lengths to break the maiden. Also, Medaglia d’Oro sired. That’s a huge plus.
Dermot Littlefield claimed Golden Curl from Brian Lynch. Brian claimed her back from Littlefield in her last. It’s a good angle backing horses that trainers claim back. Curlin sired Golden Curl, which is another reason she’s a solid choice to fill out the exacta.
Trainer Wayne Catalano wins 20% with his last out maiden runners. Ocean Breeze blasted her competition by 8 ½ lengths in her last. That was a high-level maiden special weight race. She could take these gate to wire, but don’t expect fair odds.
- Win: Crown Jewel
- Place: Golden Curl
- Show: Ocean Breeze
Race 9 – 5:18 pm ET – 1 Mile Turf – $81,000 Allowance
Chad Brown saddles a couple in this. Smooth With a Kick offers 4/1 while Balen Rose offers 3/1. It’s hard to understand why because Kick ran awesome in her first race on turf. Any improvement from that performance gets her to the winner’s circle.
Brown’s other runner, Balon Rose, figures to offer less than the 3/1 morning line. She failed big time in the $75,000 Tropical Oaks in her last. That was the first against winners, though. We can’t knock anybody for putting the chalk on top.
Unchained ran a respectable fifth in her first against winners. The Ben Colebrook trained, Dansili sired, mare could improve off that effort. If she runs back to the maiden breaking score, she’ll have a shot at the victory.
- Win: Smooth With a Kick
- Place: Balon Rose
- Show: Unchained
