Free Horse Racing Picks and Betting Tips for Churchill Downs – Saturday, June 27, 2020

Thoroughbred racing at Churchill Downs continues for Saturday, June 27, 2020, featuring four stakes races as well as seven regular maiden, claiming, and allowance matches.

The stakes races include the Bashford Manor Stakes, Fleur de Lis Handicap, Stephen Foster Stakes, and the Regret Stakes—together representing $900,000 in purse awards.

The forecast for Louisville, Kentucky, for Saturday calls for mostly cloudy skies and a 20% chance of rain, temperatures in the low 80s, and winds around 14 mph.

While I cover the four stakes races here, you can find the complete card of Churchill Downs races, including entries, jockeys, and wagering options, at our top-rated horse racing betting sites.

Post time for the first race on Saturday is 1 PM (EDT). My Churchill Downs picks and betting tips for today are below.

Interestingly enough, every horse in this field has a single career start, and every horse in this field finished with a win. I like the third-favored (4/1) entry—Gatsby, with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons. Like the moneyline favorite, Gatsby is under training by Steve Asmussen, and his workout breezes suggest he may have the edge in this race.

There’s only one real longshot in this race, and he’s actually shown some respectable times in workouts, so at 30/1, Crown and Coke—with Miguel Mena aboard—might be worth a show ticket.

There really is no question in this race: Midnight Bisou, with Mike E. Smith aboard. This five-year-old mare has moneyed in every single one of her 20 starts, and 12 of them were wins. Yeah.

I don’t see much hope for the longer-odds entries in this race, so save your longshot money for another time.

I’m going with the 1/1 favorite in this race—Tom’s d’Etat, piloted by Miguel Mena. This seven-year-old finished in the money for 13 of his 17 career starts, with 10 of those wins.

At 15/1, Pirate’s Punch, with Mike E. Smith aboard, represents a solid show ticket investment opportunity. This four-year-old gelding has moneyed in 10 of his 14 starts, with four of those wins.

Looks like I’m just echoing the moneyline here, because I have to stick with 3/1 favorite in this race: Crystal Cliffs, with veteran jockey John R. Velazquez aboard. This filly moneyed in all three of her career starts and won two of them.

At 15/1, Hendy Woods, with Declan Carroll in the irons, is a definite show ticket, if not a win bet. Carroll is not the winningest jockey in this race, but his mount seems quite capable of a good performance, winning both of her career starts.