Churchill Downs Horse Racing Picks for Saturday 6/3/23

The Churchill Downs Spring Meet continues with 11 races on Saturday including three graded stakes on the final weekend of racing in Louisville. First post at 12:45 p.m. ET.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, monitor the weather and keep an eye on the track conditions. 

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races after adjusting for track, distances, and conditions).

Churchill Downs Betting Picks

According to numberFire horse racing projections and Horse Racing Nation, these are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today.

The Churchill Downs Meet ends following racing today and Sunday, moving things over to Ellis Park next Saturday with HISA and the Churchill Downs management investigating the ongoing issues with the track and horse deaths.

Did you follow FanDuel Racing picks and cash in a 3-for-3 day at Churchill Downs on May 4? All six win picks finished in the money providing additional Exacta and Trifecta payoffs. FanDuel Racing's May 19 picks at Pimlico went 3-for-3 and produced an 11/1 winner on Taxed in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes that also paid $190 on a $2 exacta bet. Also, in recent picks at Keeneland, Time For Trouble (18/1) cashed $2 win bets for $37.50 and a $2 exacta paid $189. 

Mobile betting on horse racing is easy with the best-in-class experience at FanDuel.

1. Frost Point and Idiomatic, Race 8

FanDuel Racing Odds: 2/1 and 5/1
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Race 8 is the $225,000 Grade 3 Shawnee Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Note Pauline's Pearl (5/2) is scratched, and numberFire's win contenders are now Idiomatic (5/1) and Frostpoint (2/1). The Horse Racing Nation Super Screener agrees, and also adds Sixtythreecaliber (6/1) as a win contender. Idiomatic's wins have all come on the Tapeta surface at Turfway while Frost Point enters with 3-straight wins and an explosive turn of foot coming from off the pace.

2. Royal Patronage and Harlan Estate, Race 9

FanDuel Racing Odds: 3/1 and 10/1
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Race 9 is the $225,000 Grade 3 Arlington Stakes for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Seven runners at the numberFire projections pick the favorite Set Piece (8/5) to win ahead of Classic Causeway (4/1) and Royal Patronage (3/1). Set Piece is an 11-time winner, but just 1-for 6 since last May for trainer Brad Cox. Horse Racing Nation's Super Screener win contenders are Harlan Estate (10/1) and Royal Patronage (3/1) with HOF jockey Johnny Velazquez riding. Royal Patronage missed in three most recent graded stakes, but crushed an Allowance field last out in his 2023 debut with a career-best speed figure (115). Harlan Estate had solid results at Woodbine and finished 2nd here three weeks ago with a 107 speed figure.

3. Call Me Fast and Pioneer of Medina, Race 10

FanDuel Racing Odds: 6/1 and 4/1
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Race 10 is the $225,000 Grade 3 Blame Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles. Off a pair of wins including a Grade 3 race two weeks ago, Rattle N Roll (2/1) is a top win contender by numberFire's data along with Santin (8/1), who goes from turf to dirt with top jockey Tyler Gaffalione riding. Horse Racing Nation's Super Screener picks Call Me Fast (6/1) and Pioneer of Medina (4/1) as the top win contenders. Call Me First is 2-for-4 this year and finished a hard-charging 2nd six weeks ago behind Rattle N Roll in a Grade 3 race. Pioneers of Medina finished a close 3rd at lower odds in that race, and gets a better pace setup here with added ground plus a jockey switch to the meets top jockey Luis Saez.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.