Charles Town Horse Racing Picks for Friday 5/15/20
With most of the sports world on pause, it's a great time to dive into horse racing, and FanDuel Racing gives you the chance to do just that.
Starting at 7:00 p.m. EST, we have nine races at Charles Town. Using our projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets.
As always, keep an eye out for scratches and changes.
Malibu Sunset, Race 2
FD Racing Odds: 7/2
As of this writing, Malibu Sunset has the second-best odds to win Race 2 just behind Nopalito (3/1), but there are some compelling reasons to give the former the edge.
Malibu Sunset's track record is pretty impeccable, placing top three in 12 of 13 races dating back to 2018, including nine straight. As for his most recent form, the gelding has finished 3-2-2-1-2-1 since this past September, with the three most recent ones coming at 4.5 furlongs -- the distance of tonight's race.
He's not only numberFire's projected winner, but Malibu Sunset also rates well on DailyHorsePicks.com. He's DHP's top pick to win and has the race's second-best speed rating.
A Is For Artist, Race 3
FD Racing Odds: 8/1
Race 3 is shaping up to be a three-horse race between Grandpa Louis (9/5), Cyclobomb (2/1), and A Is For Artist, with both numberFire and DHP picking this trio as the most likely to win, place, or show. The three also blow away the rest of the field in DHP's speed ratings.
Under the circumstances, it might not be a bad idea to take the value on A Is For Artist at much longer odds. His results aren't amazing (5-5-3) -- likely explaining his odds -- but the third-place result is promising at least. A long layoff is a concern (last raced in September 2019), but the same can be said for Cyclobomb (June 2019).
If the limited track record or long layoff concern you, Grandpa Louis is the safest choice, as he finished second at this distance in February and is numberFire's projected top choice.
Parisian Diva and Amelia Bedelia, Race 8
FD Racing Odds: 9/5 and 7/2
Parisian Diva and Amelia Bedelia look to be the class of Race 8. They're the top two projected horses in numberFire's model, and DHP gives them each an 89% chance of winning or placing.
This gives you a lot of options with how to bet this, as you can bet on one to win, or go with a place or exacta wager. Both fillies are coming off victories and have multiple wins on their respective resumes, each failing to finish top three only once in their careers.
However, it's worth noting that Parisian Diva hasn't raced since October, perhaps adding some slight risk. That said, she does rate as far and away the fastest horse in the field, per DHP, which should alleviate some fears.
