Thistledown Horse Racing Picks for Thursday 6/11/20
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 12:50 p.m. EST today, we have eight races at Thistledown. Using our projections as a guide, here's a look at some of the best bets.
As always, keep an eye out for scratches and changes.
Father Dennis, Race 3 (1:50 PM EST)
FD Racing Odds: 6/1
Father Dennis has middle-of-the-road odds to take Race 3, but this could be a buying opportunity for a gelding that's had solid form lately.
Dating back to December, he's achieved a Speed Figure in the 80s across four of his past five races, per Equibase, which compares favorably to favorite Dapper Jack (3/1), who has been incredibly inconsistent in 2020.
Father Dennis hasn't finished below fourth in three 2020 outings (4-4-3) and was a respectable performer last year, posting top-three finishes in 14 of 22 races (two wins and eight runner-ups).
It also can't hurt that he'll have jockey Yarmarie L. Correa to guide him. Correa is cracking the top three at a 45% clip this year, and over her 21 races at Thistledown this month, that mark is at a crisp 65%.
numberFire's model likes Father Dennis' chances, too, projecting him to finish second today.
Collude, Race 6 (3:20 PM)
FD Racing Odds: 4/1
Both numberFire and Timeform think Collude will be a contender in Race 6 but still ultimately side with favorite My Sweet Kat (7/2) to win.
However, Collude might be worth a long, hard look here. Despite still looking for that first elusive win, the filly is off to a strong start to her career since debuting in May, tallying top-three marks in six of eight contests. Best of all, she's coming off a career-best 76 Speed Figure in her latest race (April), which is a level My Sweet Kat has never reached in her five career appearances.
Collude also gets an assist from jockey Erik Barbaran, the fourth-best earner at Thistledown in 2019. Barbaran is making the top three in 43% of his 2020 races, too.
Altissimo, Race 7 (3:50 PM)
FD Racing Odds: 5/2
Altissimo is numberFire's pick to win Race 7, and it's easy to see why.
Although Altissimo is coming off a lackluster fifth-place finish in November, with a modest -- by his standards -- 96 Speed Figure, his track record has been otherwise impeccable the past two years.
In 2019, the gelding racked up four wins and two runner-ups in seven attempts, topping out with a 115 Speed Figure. The year prior, he rattled off six wins, one runner-up, and a third in nine races while achieving a career-high 122 Speed Figure.
The long layoff is the only real concern, but Altissimo has looked the part in his 2020 workouts, which includes posting the top time at four furlongs in his latest last week.
Mo Dont No (3/1) will arguably be Altissimo's toughest test, as he's coming off a career-best 112 Speed Figure in a victory last November.
