Handicapper Tips & Picks

2-WILDWOOD’S WARRIOR looks like the best speed. He ran well in his first start of the meet but might have been in a little tough. Faces slightly easier today. Can take it all the way. You know that 6-IMPULSIVENESS has been meeting better and should benefit from the drop in class. However, his better races have been on turf or synthetic and he finished up the track in his two dirt starts. Plus, he, with only one exception, has always come from far off the pace. Chances are the pace won’t set up for him. 3-GOLDEN CHELLA and 7-OPTION both have some speed but neither appears to be as quick as top choice.

2-D’FEVER was favored in last when dropped to meet rivals like these but he lost all chance when he broke in the air. He recovered well and finished fourth but he started too far back and the race was too short. Might be a bit overlooked this time because of his perceived lackluster finish but he should be a major player. 4-SHACKLEFORD STRONG could turn out to be the lone speed if top choice doesn’t speed to the lead. He ran well in both local starts, finishing second in his local debut and wiring the field in last. He will be right there throughout even if he has to fight for the lead. 1-RESTORING HOPE could be the main recipient if the top pair fight it out on the front end. He finished second in last despite a somewhat sluggish start. Could have dead aim late today. 6-D’YANK showed little in last but he is eligible to improve in his second start of the meet, especially with the drop to the lowest level of his career. Good work since might have been the tune up he needed.

Not sure 5-PINEDALE is a standout here but he has been splitting better fields and he’s dropping to the lowest level of his career while making his second start of the year. He doesn’t have the running style that has won so many races this meet but there are really no defined front runners in this race and his talented rider will have him within striking distance throughout. Would imagine that 3-MOVE ON OVER, with the addition of blinkers and the stretch in distance, is the one most likely to get the early lead. If he hadn’t faded so badly in previous route races, he would have been my top selection but he still does loom as the one to catch. 2-IOYA AGAIN has been primarily a turf runner but he has had some decent races on dirt. However, he does his best running from off the pace and there probably won’t be enough pace to set up for his late run.

I really didn’t want to select 2-KHOZAN’S SUCCESS. I know his barn brings them ready to run but he’s been off eight months and coming back in a route race. He does look like the best of the speed however. If he can get to the lead relatively unchallenged and take a breather, he should be able to last. 4-CADET CORPS was the other choice. But he’s had 18 races and not one of them was on dirt. His works suggest he can handle the surface but one never knows. 6-FIRST MASAMUNE races evenly which could greatly help his chances. He’s not as quick as Khozan’s Success but he could be leading the second tier, ready to take over if that rival falters.

1-JOYZELLA might have found her spot. This filly has had several competitive races but her best effort probably was her lone two-turn race. Would like her better if she was facing other Illinois breds but she just might turn out to be the best of these. The beautifully-bred 4-TAR HEEL HOTTIE is hard to gauge. She sports the highest speed figures of any in here but both of her starts were on turf and she finished far behind the winners in both. On the other hand, she’s obviously meeting easier in her local debut and she did have a brilliant local drill. Would not surprise if she won by daylight but also wouldn’t surprise if she didn’t win. Stretcher 2-CLIMB TO GLORY could be sent right to the lead and dare the rest to catch her.

9-LONG TALL WOMAN has been in good form for a long time. Winner of last three scored in seven of her 17 races lifetime. She’s capable of winning on or off the pace. Can extend her streak to four. Have to give 3-RACEDAY ATTIRE another look. She scored a narrow allowance win in last over a field that wasn’t overly tough but her speed figure from that race as well as some of her others suggest that she could be as fast as top choice. 8-GOOD MONGOLIA might not grab the early lead but she’s never going to be far out of it. Like the tenacity she displayed in her last couple races. Could be in the thick of things throughout.

Tough little race. It would be hard to ignore any of these runners. But, by a very slim margin, going to give the edge to 3-DARK HEDGES. He ran well in all his local starts, finishing in the money in all six while winning twice. Not sure it will play out that way but he might be a teeny weenie bit quicker than the rest. 6-FOLLOW THE SIGNS won last two after finishing second in his first start of the meet. Like top pick, he has plenty of speed but doesn’t necessarily need the early lead to win. 7-ASTI SKY completes the sprint-route-sprint sequence. He tired late in his last, the route but he’s likely to finish with plenty left with the turn back in distance. 4-MEDAL OF FACT fought hard for the lead in last only to come up a little short at the finish, a length behind Follow The Signs. 

Going to take a flyer here with 8-RAINY MOUNTAIN. She could have a tough time is the early speed bias continues but love the way she finishes her races. There should be plenty of pace to set up for her late run. Could be poised to surprise. 3-FIRST KITTEN and 4-TRIP TO FREEDOM could be fighting it out for the lead. First Kitten would seem to have the advantage there but she does tend to tire late. Trip to Freedom wired the field in her first start here but she is another that has had her troubles trying to carry her speed all the way.  6-STORMY EMPIRE is another likely to finish well but she often teases. Wouldn’t leave her out of vertical gimmicks but maybe only on the bottom.

5-MERLOTTI isn’t a strong choice but this well-bred gelding ran gamely in his debut. He got off to a slow start and was 17 lengths back at one point but he did make up about 10 and got up to finish third. This race is longer which should suit his pedigree. He had two good drills since that race. Could surprise in this one. There doesn’t appear to be much speed in this race and 2-LUCKY AIN’T ENOUGH could be the best of it. He needed last, his first race in four months. Could carry his speed much farther with that prep behind him. 8-RUSSIAN HAMMER came from far back to finish second in last, finishing well ahead of top choice. However, he hadn’t shown much before that start. Can he do it again? 1-BLAME SHIFTER finished second as the favorite in his career debut. Can improve off that effort but he’s also moving up to take on what should be better rivals.