Handicapper Tips & Picks

6-UNIFIED WEEKND has had two local starts and finished second in both. He was claimed from both races, though it was the trainer that brought him here that claimed him back. This will be only his third race on dirt. Can easily improve enough to take this. 1-ROCKET HOTSHOT drops. His barn has been winning at a 28% clip so far this meet and 29% for the year. There’s little legitimate speed in this race so this runner should be prominent throughout. 2-CHICKS FOR FREE has been better sprinting but he ran well at this distance in his first start of the meet and finished a couple lengths ahead of Rocket Hotshot.

2-STRANGE ARRANGE was favored in his local debut and lived up to his popularity. This speedy gelding tracked closely early but was able to draw off in the stretch. He could hold a considerable speed advantage over his rivals. Guessing he’ll take this from flag fall to finish. 3-AUTOPILOT races here for the first time. He’s racing for a red-hot barn with a hot rider in the irons. But he does like to come off the pace and he could be at a small disadvantage in a race with little speed. 5-LUCKY SHOT ran very well in his first start of the year. He came from off the pace to finish second to top choice. However, he often displayed good speed in the past. Might be sent to take on top pick head to head for the lead.

3-KAELY’S SISTER deserves another chance. She ran well enough in her local debut but sparse drills going into that race might have left her a bit short, especially coming off a year and a half layoff. But they worked her a bullet four furlongs on Sunday. Think she’ll be far better prepared for the top barn. 2-BALI DREAMIN led much of the way in her first local race of the year, holding top pick safe throughout and finishing ahead of that mare by a length and a half. But she did have the advantage of three prior races this year. That advantage might have disappeared though she still looms as the one to catch. 1-FIRST KITTEN doesn’t seem to be a match for either of the top pair, at least on paper, but she has seven wins and another six money finishes from 16 local starts.

Tough race. But think 2-ITWASTHISBIG could hold a slight edge. He finished second in his first start of the meet. But, he was well behind the winner of the race and he narrowly edged out the third-place finisher. On the other hand, he owns good speed and he started from the 11 hole in that race but drew far better from the inside for this. 4-PATH TO SUCCESS finished right behind top pick in last. However, he was the recipient of a contested early pace which helped to set up for his good late move. Not certain he'll get the same kind of pace scenario today. 3-ACTION SEEKER tired fighting for the lead in his first start of the meet and moves up in class for this race. However, he was claimed by red hot connections form last, the same barn as top choice, and he did beat that runner in his previous start in Louisiana. 

He does tend to tire but 6-WINGING WAYS appears to be the only real speed in the race. He finished third in a shorter race in his first start of the meet but had only a pair of slow drills going into that event. His barn sports a 26% win average with runners making their second start after a layoff. he might be able to just coast on the lead. 7-BREAKING NEWS, the likely favorite, could live up to his odds. He finished second in both races this meet and went off as the favorite in last. He's the only one likely to challenge top pick for the lead, if they choose to send him. 1-IRISH VALOR certainly figures. He's dropping in class to make his first local start of the year. However, he is primarily a router and he hasn't effectively sprinted since early in his career, back in 2017. 

This is one of those races when you can make a case for just about any of the runners, as well as a case against the same group. 3-SHARP STICK is steadily dropping down the claiming ladder. This will be the easiest field he has yet to meet. He finished third versus better here a couple weeks ago. Might get it done at this level. The race by 2-GIANNO two starts back would almost be a guaranteed winner today but he ran back and lost ground throughout in his next start. But, he is dropping into maiden claimers for the first time. Hard to overlook for the top barn. 9-PERFORMANCE PLUS had three races at this level in Louisiana and finished in the money in all of them. He was overmatched in his first start here but the drop back to the right level could get him headed back in the right direction. 8-THE RIDGE, stablemate of Gianno, finished far back in his only start but he's dropping and stretching out and could wind up with the early lead.

Not really comfortable with any selection in this race but going to go with 3-GRAPHENE CASSACK. He's one of many speed runners in here but he has been able to lay off the pace in the past and run at them late. 1-OVERDUE HONOR, the morning-line favorite, graduated in his last start, leading every step of the way, racing against maiden specials, on the turf, and the race took place in October. Now he's dropping into a bottom level non winners of two on dirt. Plus, he's one of many in here with speed. Wouldn't be surprised if he wired this field but wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. The heated pace of this race would seem to set up perfectly for 6-JUST BECAUSE. He was competitive sprinting in Louisiana before shipping here and losing by 36 lengths when they stretched him out. Now he's turning back in distance but that last race took place only a week ago. Not sure he'll be ready.

4-FRANKEL BABY drops sharply in her first start of the year and her first for this barn. She has had some outstanding works since getting here. Her previous speed figures suggest she's slower that many of her rivals in here but think she's about to wake up in a big way. 7-DESSERT FIRST was overmatched in last two and might still be in too deep at this level but she did run well in limited starts here last year and she will be facing easier than she has so far in 2024. 1-MUSED might be headed to the lawn but she deserves a chance in this spot. This will not only be her first race here, but it will be her first on dirt. Adding blinkers could help her focus.8-SHORT STRAW has been racing "slower" than some of her rivals in here but she wired the last two fields she faced. Might be dangerous on the lead.