Maiden King conquers So. Cal. maiden races
Maiden Special Weight, 6.5 furlongs, 2-yo colts
Possible Overlays Morning Line
#1 Valkyrie Missile 12/1
#2 Unionize 8/1
#4 Infernal 7/2
#7 Pauper’s Prize 6/1
The average winning Beyer Speed Figure in this type of race is 85 and #4 Infernal ran an 82 in his Nov. 15 debut while three-wide on the turn. He’s 7/2 on the morning line, which is much better than the 2/1 line on #9 Tevez the Tiger, who will probably be over bet with a $450,000 sale price showing and Bejarano riding.
Breaking from the inside are two first-time starters who could be decent bets at the right prices. #1 Valkyrie Missile is working out well and #2 Unionize has solid connections. Jockey Garrett Gomez will be aboard #7 Pauper’s Prize, and he has won on a large percentage of 2-yo MSW first time starters.
I will bet $300 on both #1 Valkyrie Missile and #2 Unionize only if their post time odds are between 10/1 and 19/1. If #2 Unionize goes off at 6/1 to 9/1, I will reduce my bet to $150. Also, I want $450 to win on #4 Infernal at 5/2 or better, and $150 to win on #7 Pauper’s Prize at 3/1 or more.
I had a three-headed monster running for me here with #6 Joe Carl, #8 Day with Desi and #9 Silent Trick with post-time odds that put them all in play. But my runners came up empty as second-timer #3 Devil Cat M D pressed the pace and drew away in the stretch. The winner was was bet to 7/2 for this one, and the low price came even though when Devil Cat M D ran the first time he earned just a 48 Beyer Speed Figure. On that day, jockey Mike Smith kept him at least 10 lengths back throughout, but obviously Devil Cat M D was a better horse than that. And, after the form darkening debut, the money run came when trainer Kathy Walsh added blinkers and dropped her horse from maiden special weight to maiden claiming. 
Maiden King 