Handicapper Tips & Picks

Despite only six in here I felt this was a very competitive race to open the day. Went to 6-FANCY EMPRESS as it looks to me like there will be a decent amount of pace to close into and we have seen the track start to even out, which should help her chances. She was hung wide in her last but with the ability to save a little more  ground in the turn here, let's see if she can rally in the lane. 5-ARCH FLYER tossed clunkers in her last two but if she can get back to her first start of the meet, she has a big chance. She did have an excuse in her race two back but really not sure why she raced so poorly at Fairmount. Let's see if the Hawthorne return wakes her back up. 3-SMILE AT THE STORM has speed but doesn't need the lead to win. With some other speed in here I think she may be better off rating just off the pace and looking to wear down the leaders in the lane. Her recent work was sharp as she may be sitting on a big effort.

I'm looking to a Joel Campbell training double to open the Sunday card as the 4-BERTRADA looks to be in a great spot here. She ran well in her first start of the meet and looks to sit in the second flight early with this bunch. With the added 16th off her last start I expect she is able to run down the speed in the lane. 6-MY LADY SLEW is one with speed as she may be at her best when on the front. She was left to chase in her last and although she battled into the lane, she was not able to run on with the top 2. I expect she is sent away today to try to clear and wire this field. 5-AUNT STELLA has been busy as she makes her eighth start of the year today. Early on she posted some good race before tailing off a bit. Her last was an improvement and she does get her best distance for this spot.

Today is the day!!! 1-DASH TO THE CASH is going to get his long overdue victory. This five-year-old gelding always tries hard and is very consistent. Be it distance, bias, luck, whatever it has been, he just hasn't gotten that first victory yet. In here I'm expecting the track to play evenly and I believe there's enough pace to chase. I hope he hugs the rail the entire turn and runs by them all in the lane. 4-MAN ON ATTACK chased the pace in his last and battled into the lane before drifting out and giving way late. I expect he is sent for position today and let's see if he can make the top. 6-A P BLAZING GREEN ran a sneaky good race in his last as well. He rated close in there before also drifting a bit at the top of the lane. I don't think he will be too far off the early pace either as he should contend throughout.

Really wondering if Reavis runs both in here as Sweet Fraulein would be a heavy favorite but is also very scary, taking a big class drop in her first off the claim. Thinking this is a spot for 6-BELLS OF JOY to grab a win as she has gradually improved in recent races and may get some pace to chase. 1 for 28 lifetime is tough to endorse but with no standout in this spot she looks to have her best shot for win number two. 4-MAIDEN ROCK is the horse I would have looked to if Centeno was in the saddle as he was last out, but he chose Bells of Joy over this runner. I like both starts on the meet for Maiden Rock and felt her most recent race was better than it looks on paper as that was a quality bunch. Let's see if she can rate close enough early today and run on in the lane. There's a big chance that 2-HEY MA makes the top and never looks back. With the other potential speed likely to come from a horse making its second start off a four year layoff, if that runner doesn't go then Hey Ma could shake loose and get brave on the front end. She has the speed to clear but stamina is the question.

A little bit of musical riders going on in this spot but that may be all it takes to get 2-LONG TALL WOMAN back into the winner's circle. She rode a three race win streak into her last but appeared to get started a bit late in that spot. With Emigh aboard I expect to see her sitting off a pace that is likely to be contested early and charging in the lane. 6-COME ON SWEET PEA could benefit from the pace battled upfront as well. This is her first start back of the meet but she is working well and may fall into a perfect trip. Tavares is a solid finisher as well and could have her charging in the lane. If any horse does clear it is likely to be 7-FIRST KITTEN as she comes in off a good Allowance score in her last. If she can outkick Princess Stella to the lead she may never look back.

This race could go some many different ways as there's a lot of talented runners in here but many are trying two turns for the first time. Going to give the nod to 8-AALIYAH EZRI as she makes her first start of the year but comes in with a nice pattern of works for a barn that looks to have a big week. She won a short stretch mile event in her last start of 2022 at Oaklawn and had to clear from the outside to win that race. The draw shouldn't be a concern here but I do expect she gets more of a stalking trip as there does appear to be a decent amount of pace to her inside. 6-BIRDIE BE GONE is one of those sprinters that stretches out as she was a good winner earlier in the meet when in for a tag. This is another Berndt runner that appears to be well placed as the only question will be how she handles the distance. 3-QUILTING PARTY ran well around two turns here last fall and stretches back out again after a start that she likely needed in her last. She does figure to settle back early but there may be a good amount of pace in here as she should come charging in the lane.

Could be really right or really wrong here. In this spot it appears that the pace should be quick and contested upfront. If that is the case I expect things to fall apart in the lane as I'm hoping 2-GAGOOTS can turn things around off a really poor performance in his first start of the meet. He did get jostled around in his last which may have worked against him. With clear sailing I am expecting a much improved performance. 6-BEHAVIN MYSELF ran a decent race in his last and should also benefit from the quick pace upfront. He likes this track and this distance and could continue to improve in here. The tough one to figure out is 8-FLOWERS FOR LISA as he looks to turn things around in here off a tough start last out as well. He finds things a bit easier in here and is another that should be charging late.