Hawthorne Stable Notes for Saturday, October 31, 2009

The sun is out, the sun is out!!!!! Unbelievable!  Here’s the good thing, with the sun and the wind, the main track was in tremendous shape for workouts this morning and will be fast for our stakes races today. Today is the Illinois Festival of Racing, with six stakes races worth $100,000 each.  The card is extremely difficult and marks the end of the tremendous career of Fort Prado.

In regards to handicapping this card, we will be on the dirt for all of our races today. The turf is still too wet and I’m hoping a few days of dry conditions will allow us to return to the turf next week.  On yesterday’s card, the track played very evenly and I am expecting the same today.

Changes

Main Track – Fast

Turf – Off

Race 2 – Off Turf – 1 1/16 miles main track

Scratch #1 – Sevnthiningstretch

Scratch #6 – David K

Scratch #7 – Boom Boom Charlie

Scratch #9 – Crater Maker

Scratch #11-14 – Also Eligibles

Race 4

Scratch #4 – Stardust Raj

Race 5

Scratch #6 – Kel’s Dreamer

Race 6

Scratch #1 – Wildwood Winner

Scratch #13 – A lot of Honey

Race 7

Scratch #6 – Sundae Slew

Race 10

Scratch #5 – A J’s Payday

Scratch #13 – Shiloh’s Miracle

Scratch #14 – Prince Elias

Best Bet

Race 5 - #5 – Thats Whatshesaid – I love this runner in this race! She faced the boys in her last start and wasn’t given the best a return to face the girls and a switch to the hot riding Smith in the saddle, I expect a fine performance today.

Race 8 - #6 – Doubt – One of the toughest races on the day, but a race that can produce some value. I really liked how he finished with the move to the dirt last time out and he has since worked well following that race.  There is speed to stalk in here and he should fire at a price.