Mountaineer Picks & Analysis for July 18

Sunday's card at Mountaineer includes 8 races that offer some excellent betting opportunities. As usual, our turf-man has you covered, including a "spotlight" race of the day.

If you're looking for picks elsewhere around the country on Sunday, be sure to check out our free Horse Racing Picks via the gold button below.

Most Likely Winner: (Race 7: Vintage Sparkle #6, 7/5):

Trainer Jami Poole has the odds-on favorite in his stable, and this filly out of Skipshot is extremely consistent. Her last race was a great score, and we saw her speed figs improve dramatically. Clearly, she has an affinity for the track, and can make it 3 wins out of 4. Andy Ramgeet gets the call, and he can get this one home. Nothing like these West Virginia-breds who continue to be vastly underrated …

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Win, #6

Off-the-Pace Play of the Day: (Race 2: Dance Or Stroll #10, 8/1):

Here is a 6-yr-old for trainer Mike Trombetta who is double-entered at Mountaineer and PID … where he will rear her head is anyone’s guess. If the mare comes to WV she looks like a bet at a nice price of somewhere around 8/1. She is a Maryland-bred out of Stroll, and I like her class conditioning. Working well, though she has not hit the board since a 3rd place finish at Gulfstream Park, I think she could be a nice wager after running up at Arlington Park. Trombetta has a strong stable based in Maryland, and he is decisive when it comes to spotting his runners.

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Bankroll, Graduated Wager WPS #10 ($10-W, $15-P, $75-S)

Spotlight Race of the Day: (Race 1: Turf, 5½, MSW16.5k, F&M 3+):

Right off of the bat, we have a competitive set of fillies and mares who will be contesting this turf sprint. I am unsure if anyone can test Alexis Cordero-Lopez’s newly acquired Fior Di Latte #5. The filly out of Exaggerator was up against some stiff competition down at Gulfstream Park for Antonio Sano, and now she heads up to join the crew in West Virginia. This is a tough angle to play, especially since the conditioner does not really have the numbers to support a win, first time out. Instead, I much prefer Readmymind #1 from the barn of Rafael Flores. Here is a daughter of Wicked Strong whose race 2-back resulted in a nice 2nd. She didn’t care much for the MT, so a return to the sod seems in order. Jockey Noel Vigil does not have much lawn jockey experience this year, but when he does get on the mower, he is quite proficient. The price of 6/1 on the M/L looks inviting, and I am on board this one for sure!

Wagering Recommendation: $2 Exacta Cold,  w

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Enjoy a Mountaineer Sunday! Best of Luck on another run in West Virginia!