BetOnline has ten race tracks available for wagering on Wednesday. Gulfstream Park is back on Wednesday with the biggest card of the day in Hallandale Beach. You can also find some of the smaller tracks operating on Wednesday. The closer we get to the weekend, the bigger named tracks will begin to pop up on the schedule. You will be able to find the most lucrative race of the weekend at Fair Grounds on Saturday.
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The $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby is the main event of the weekend. Along with a million bucks up for grabs, a total of 170 points is going to be distributed to the 1-2-3-4 horses, with the grand prize of 100 points going to the winner. That equates to a play-in race for the Kentucky Derby. Depending on what trainers want to do, it doesn’t automatically mean they’re being pointed to the Derby, though. There is time for injuries to spring up as well. Nadal was forced into retirement last year, unfortunately missing the Derby as one of the favorites.
Delta Downs has been a success the past two days for us. A sweep, including a 10/1 winner on Monday, then a Daily Double ticket cashed yesterday. Unfortunately, we came just one horse short of the Pick 3, though. Delta Downs has nine races with a total of $247,000 in prize money available this afternoon. Head below for our free Delta Downs picks for March 17, 2021.
Race 4
Post Time: 2:16 p.m. CST
Distance:1 Mile
Purse:$18,000
We’ll get going on the dirt at Delta Downs with a $18,000 event covering a mile. Optimistic and Shae’s Day should run up well with a chance to strike in the stretch. Optimistic has a win in seven attempts, which came in his most recent appearance on February 11.
It was a solid 2 ¼ length win for Optimistic in a $10,000 event. Preceding that win, Optimistic struggled to get into the money. In the first six races of his career, Optimistic went 7th, 9th, 8th, 4th, 5th, 7th. The class drop certainly helped, but now we see Optimistic going back up to $18,000.
This isn’t the toughest race in the world, and he catches a favorable starting post, so it’s possible Optimistic steals a win. I’d want something more than 7/2 on the morning-line, though. Shae’s Day hasn’t won since November 1, 2019, so it’s been a while. He hasn’t finished in the top-3 since placing 2nd in a $33,000 event on August 12.
Shae’s Day should find this race much easier to handle. He’s been a late starter in his career, preferring longer distance rather than shorter events. It’s a wise decision to go up to a mile race from 7 furlongs. Look for Shae’s Day to come through versus a field that isn’t in the best of right now.
Race 5
Post Time: 2:43 p.m. CST
Distance:5 Furlongs
Purse:$18,000
Race 5 is a $18,000 event on the dirt covering 5 furlongs. Blue Wings and Academy Bay should be the toughest to beat in this race. Blue Wings is seeking the first win of his career since September 25, 2019. He’s lost six races, so hasn’t been the most active following that win. Through those six performances, Blue Wings showed in the top-3 only once on August 10. He followed up to go 10th and 4th.
In Blue Wings’ most recent assignment, he finished 4th for a $12,000 purse. He’s going to have to show something more if he wants to get into the winner’s circle on Wednesday, but those odds make Blue Wings a tempting runner. If he wants in top form and catches a break, he might be able to get there as a 15/1 underdog.
Academy Bay should provide resistance to Blue Wings and the rest in this event. Academy Bay is 12 for 57 and placed in his last two outings. He was in good form, placing 2nd behind Ship Stalker by a half length in a $12,000 event, and then a half length behind Song N a Cat by a nose after dueling in the stretch for a $14,000 prize. Either of those two runs would be enough against this competition on Wednesday. I’d give the nod to Academy Bay to win.
Race 9
Post Time: 4:35 p.m. CST
Distance:1 1/16 Miles
Purse:$18,000
Race 9 is a $18,000 test covering 1 1/16 miles. Nine horses are scheduled to run in this race, with Midnight Revolt and Fast Dude good options to win. Fast Dude is 2 for 12 in his career, going 4th, 4th, 1st, 4th in his previous four performances. He was a winner two races ago on February 2.
That was a ¾ length win for $12,000. He was unable to follow up for a win on March 1 in his next appearance, finishing 4th for a $14,000 purse. Prior to winning, Fast Dude finished 6th, 7th, 4th, 4th, so that was good to finally get on the right page.
However, Fast Dude reverted right back to his average following the win. He was 4th in his most recent assignment on March 1. Fast Dude was unable to keep pace with the front runners, as he slipped to 4th for a $14,000 purse. This isn’t the toughest $18,000 race, though, so I still believe he can put a dent in this outing.
Midnight Revolt is seeking a hat-trick on Wednesday, and is in some consistent form recently. He has gone 2nd, 2nd, 5th, 1st, 1st in his previous five trips. Midnight Revolt beat Gaspergou by 6 ½ lengths for a $13,000 purse, and then followed up for another win on March 2, this time by 2 ¼ lengths in a $14,000 race. Another performance like that should be enough against this field.
