HORSESHOE INDIANAPOLIS SPOT PLAYS
April 22, 2025
By Nick Tammaro @NTamm1215
Our friends at Horseshoe Indy have a 3 day racing week starting today, and I’ll be posting some spot plays for the cards which are not otherwise covered on podcasts. Today’s slate features 8 thoroughbred races and one quarter horse event. Here are some thoughts…
RACE 2 – #2 SHRINER
This horse feels like he should be an enormous favorite. He exits a 4th place finish at Fair Grounds which came after contesting a brutal pace and weakening late. Jockey Erica Murray is back aboard for Eric Heitzmann, who worked this son of Gormley quickly 6 days ago. He posted a bullet on April 16 to signal his readiness, and he has also reportedly been gelded since his last start. If he can get the early lead, which seems like a certainty on paper, he’ll prove very tough to catch.
RACE 5 – #10 GAGLIARDI
This is another gelding exiting a forwardly placed trip in a fast paced race. He was within range early last time out at Turfway over the Tapeta before weakening in the closing stages. He now gets an upgrade at pilot and should be in a forward position once again. The prior dirt races this son of Omaha Beach has run are not bad enough to be dissuaded, and his speed is the deciding factor. The morning line of 8-1 would be plenty appealing.
RACE 7 – #5 RIGOBERTO
Indiana-breds do battle here with all of them coming off the shelf. In these scenarios you’re really handicapping the trainer, because some are more capable of having one ready off the bench than others. This gelding has no speed and will be making up ground late today. He failed at 3-5 and 1-5 last year after a flashy debut win, and he’ll have to show more speed today in order to make an impact. The lack of early zip he had at 2nd and 3rd asking definitely affected him, and his recent morning drills indicate he’s ready off the bench.
Good luck and stop back by tomorrow as racing continues at Horseshoe Indy!
