Handicapper Tips & Picks

2-GHAALEB’S DREAMS looks like the one to beat. She didn’t show much in last, her first start since 2021, but that race was on turf and she was running against better. She had a win and a narrow loss in her last two dirt races here. Can take these. 4-CAIRO SUMMER fits. As a sprinter with speed stretching out, she might be able to secure an easy lead. 1-KITTEN ROCKS completes the route-sprint-route cycle. She finished behind some of these the last time she ran in a route but she also finished second the last time they stretched her out.

3-MADELYN BELLE has been training well for her career debut. Her works took place at Keeneland and she did pop a couple bullets. It has to be mentioned, however, that Keeneland isn’t racing right now so you really don’t know who she was outworking. On the other hand, she’s racing for top-notch connections. Could be a good one. 4-LOVEYOULIKECRAZY MEETS Illinois-bred maidens for the first time. She finished second in the Debutante last year. We know she has some speed. They’ll have to catch her. 1-R KATIEBUG is another first timer with a solid set of drills. Full sister to Katie M’ Lady, who just wired a good allowance field here last week, she’s probably headed to the turf before too long since her sister is a stakes winner on that surface and that’s where he best races were run.

5-TABLE MONEY can upset. It doesn’t really show it on paper but think that he’s the fastest from the gate. Oaklawn shipper makes his local debut and he’ll carry nine pounds less than he did in his last start. His rider has been good at getting horses out of the gate quickly. They might be able to wire the field. 3-WEST WARPATH showed little in his first trip over this track but came right back to narrowly miss at this level. He should never be too far off the pace but don’t think that he’ll try for the early lead. Might be able to slip by late. 6-SONNYISNOTSOFUNNY is having a good year. He’s had five races with one win and four shows. His best move will come late. 4-DASH TO THE CASH meets winners for the first time, His speed figures lag behind many of those in here but he does have a good closing move and most of his races have lacked much pace to set up for him. Maybe today’s race will be different.

3-MODAZZLE tired late in last while making his turf debut but he made a nice middle move to challenge for the lead before tiring. He was claimed from that race and cuts back for this. Switches to the leading rider. Now he has turf experience. Could be much tougher today. 8-KINGSBURRY ATTACK is usually in the hunt on the lawn. He’s one of only two in this field that ever won on turf. He finished third in last, beating top pick by a length and a half after taking the lead late in the stretch. He’s another likely to benefit from the cut back in distance. 10-STRIKE PRICE was let off as a longshot in last even though he had some good turf races out east last year. He did finish second in his local turf debut, beating top pair. Figures to be a major player once again.

7-OFF RAMP gets the nod. She’s been racing competitively at the tough Oaklawn meet and even won her last start there. The fact that this race is filled with speed and she looks like the best closer only adds to the appeal. 4-PLUS CHIC makes her first start of the year but she’s been popping bullet drills, she possesses blistering speed, and she has done well off layoffs. Not sure how to take 1-RONAN’s last race. It’s true that it was a state bred race but it was a stakes and she finished second to Oeuvre who would be 3-5 in this field. This mare has been on the improve lately. Deserves another look. 

This field seems pretty devoid of early speed runners but first timer 5-FLYING COMET has some drills that could imply that she owns some early foot. She’s bred to be a good one but runners from her barn often need a race or two before mounting their best effort. With narrow losses in her last two starts, 4-PACIFIC VIEW looks like the one to beat. However, she’s been coming from off the pace and in a race that doesn’t appear to have much early pace, she could be vulnerable. 3-JOYZELLA is always a threat but she’s another that will most likely trying to make a late run against a slow pace. She’s likely to finish well with the turn back in distance but she could run out of real estate.

Wide-open race but going to go with 12-MO TIME AT ALL. He ran on turf in three of his four career starts and while he didn’t really get close, he split the fields in all of them. This will be the first time he meets maiden claimers on the lawn. His only other maiden claiming races was against $100K foes. Think this will be the easiest field he ever faced. 4-AQUACAT finished on near even terms with top choice in last and he finished second at this level last year. He owns good speed. Can be right there throughout. 3-LAWMAKER figures prominently. Flew late in last to get up for third versus better rivals. The extra distance of this race could be all that it takes.

3-UNCAPTURED DREAM drops back to the right level. The last three races he was in where he made sense, he finished in the money and he’ll be meeting easier than ever in this one. 4-PROCHARGER finished third at this level in his local debut. Might improve with experience over the track. 7- CHERRY ORCHARD drops to his lowest level ever. Price shot cam improve dramatically at this level.