Betting the Commonwealth Turf on a Budget

Heart to Heart, above winning the Better Talk Now Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, is the favorite for the Commonwealth Turf Stakes on Saturday at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Adam Mooshian/NYRA)
The Grade 3, $100,000 Commonwealth Turf Stakes on Saturday at Churchill Downs drew a deep, talented field of 13.
The race, restricted to 3-year-olds, will be run at a distance of 1 1/16 miles on the grass. Let’s take a closer look at some of the leading contenders and see how we can bet this race on a budget.
Heart to Heart is the 8-to-5 favorite on the morning line off back-to-back, front-running wins in the Grade 3 Jefferson Cup Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 27 and the Better Talk Now Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 20. Julien Leparoux is lined up to ride Heart to Heart, an English Channel colt looking to extend his winning streak to three.
HEART TO HEART

Photo by NYRA
Wallyanna has had a successful 2014 season with four wins in seven starts, the most recent victory coming two starts back in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 8, also at the Commonwealth Turf distance of 1 1/16 miles. Although Wallyanna did not finish in the money in his last two starts, I like the odds of 8-1 from a betting standpoint, so I would consider adding Wallyanna into my exotic bets.
Another horse worth noting is Bashart (6-to-1), who most recently came in second ahead of fellow Commonwealth Turf entrant Other Cheek in the Grade 3 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park on Sept. 20. Despite being winless in four starts in 2014, Bashert has good speed and comes into this race off his best race of the year. Perhaps jockey Luis Saez will be able to guide Bashart to the winner's circle at a nice price.
Here are a few ways that I would play the Commonwealth Turf Stakes on a $20 budget.
Good luck!
Top choices: #5 Heart to Heart, #3 Wallyanna, #13 Bashart
Bet A:  $5 exacta: 5,13 with 3,5,13 = $20
Bet B: $10 place: 3,6 = $20
Bet C: $5 trifecta: 3,5,13 with 3,5 with 3,13 = $15
$100,000 Commonwealth Turf S.Saturday, Churchill Downs, Race 7, Post Time 3:37 p.m. ET1 1/16 miles, turf, 3-year-olds

PP

Horse

Jockey

Weight

Trainer

1

Woodfield Springs

Joe Rocco Jr.

118

Rusty Arnold

2

Archway to Heaven

Jose Lezcano

118

John Good

3

Wallyanna

Irad Ortiz Jr.

123

Michael Pino

4

De Facto

Jon Court

118

D. Wayne Lukas

5

Heart to Heart

Julien Leparoux

123

Brian Lynch

6

Stormy Pacific

Jesus Castanon

118

Dale Bennett

7

Other Cheek

Florent Geroux

118

Arnaud Delacour

8

Shiva Ryan

Diego Gomez

118

Mohamed Jehaludi

9

Highball

Channing Hill

118

Wayne Catalano

10

Captain Dixie

Shaun Bridgmohan

118

Kellyn Gorder

11

Afortable

Robby Albarado

118

Chris Block

12

Hesinfront

Corey Lanerie

118

Dale Romans

13

Bashart

Luis Saez

118

Michael Matz