Expert Pick of the Week: 2024 Keertana Stakes

May 23, 2024 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A total of seven fillies and mares will travel 1 1/2 miles on the Churchill Downs turf in Saturday’s $250,000 Keertana S. The top three finishers of the recent Bewitch S. (G3) at Keeneland will lead the way, and I feel that at least two of those will have a major say in the outcome.

Chop Chop, who sports a 4-3-0-1 lifetime line on the lawn, was impressive in a facile tally in the April 26 Bewitch. Trained by Brad Cox, the four-year-old was always in striking range in that event and took command with a quick burst in early stretch under today’s pilot Axel Concepcion. The City of Light filly has been first or second in five straight assignments dating back to December, and the Kentucky-bred seems poised to keep her run of fine form going on Saturday. The bay is the deserving morning-line choice.

#1 Chop Chop gets her third win on the turf in the G3 Bewitch at Keeneland for trainer @bradcoxracing with @a_concepcion16 aboard! 🏆 @Brysoncox23

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/fUHayCUwBw

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 26, 2024

Atomic Blonde is not a win machine, but she does have a good amount of quality to her, nonetheless. The Group 3 heroine is 0-for-8 since arriving in the U. S., but she has placed in six of those contests including when second in the Bewitch. Conditioned by Christophe Clement, the daughter of The Grey Gatsby will make her second start of 2024 with improvement likely to occur, and this distance seems to be her best one, as well. The gray will have Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups.

Trainer Graham Motion will saddle two in the field, including the rapidly improving Heavenly Appointed. The daughter of Point of Entry added blinkers in December and has raised her game with each race since. The Kentucky-bred chestnut won three straight prior to posting a solid fourth-place result in an allowance at Keeneland most recently, and I expect the chestnut to take another step forward while making her debut at 12 furlongs. She has been closing swiftly at shorter trips and will save ground throughout from the rail beneath Kevin Gomez.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #2 Chop Chop on top of #4 Atomic Blonde and #1 Heavenly Appointed in the 2024 Keertana Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.