Churchill Downs Horse Racing Picks for Saturday 4/29/23

Opening Day of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet is Saturday, April 29. There are 12 races including the Roxelana Overnight Stakes, and first post is at 6 p.m. ET.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, monitor the weather and keep an eye on the track conditions.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races after adjusting for track, distances, and conditions).

Churchill Downs Betting Picks

According to numberFire horse racing projections and Guaranteed Tip Sheet, these are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today.

Did you follow FanDuel Racing picks and cash in on the biggest longshot in a recent Allowance race at Keeneland? Time For Trouble (18/1) cashed $2 win bets for $37.50 and a $2 exacta paid $189. 

Mobile betting on horse racing is easy with the best-in-class experience at FanDuel.

1. Sidekick and Mapper, Race 5

FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2 and 3/1
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Race 5 is a Maiden Special Weight for 3-year-olds and up sprinting 6 furlongs. A 10-horse field is led by the favorite Sidekick (5/2) and top challenger Mapper (3/1). Those are the top two picks of both numberFire and Guaranteed Tip Sheet.

Sidekick has finished in-the-money in all four starts, and makes her 2023 debut looking for the breakthrough win. Mapper finished runner-up a month ago in her debut and lost by just a neck to the favorite.

2. Parents Pride and Race 8

FanDuel Racing Odds: 3/1 and 9/5
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Race 8 is an Allowance race for fillies and mares sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Parents Pride (2/1) is a best bet of Guaranteed Tip Sheet and top pick according to numberFire's data. Top jockey Tyler Gaffalione rides. She's won her last two races including her Maiden win here in Nov., and then won her first race against winners last month with a 100 speed figure over Gulfstream's synthetic surface.

Nota Bene (5/2) on the rail is a top win contender, according to FanDuel Racing odds and numberFire data. Mercy Warren (2/1) is also if the race is switched to dirt and she draws in.

3. Frank's Rockette and My Destiny, Race 9

FanDuel Racing Odds: 3/5 and 10/1
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Race 9 is the $175,000 Roxelana Overnight Stakes for older fillies and mares sprinting 6 furlongs. Both numberFire and Guaranteed Tip Sheet pick Frank's Rockette (3/5) as the top win challenger and heavy favorite off the top last race speed figure.

Pretty Bride (7/2) should be close to top form in her third start after a layoff and top jockey Luis Saez rides. My Destiny (10/1) won five of her last six races and has consitently posted 90s speed figures. Coppelia (3/1) had some of her strongest workouts getting ready for today, and the recent Keeneland Meet's top jockey Tyler Gaffalione rides her.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.