Handicapper Tips & Picks

Not in love with any in here but going to try 1-LITTLE STEVEN. He will be making his turf debut but he has a decent pedigree. However, I appreciate his early speed and that he carried it throughout in last, his first start around two turns in a race that was scheduled for turf. 2-RUSSIAN STANDARD didn’t show much in his turf debut or in any of his races but he is dropping into maiden claimers for the first time. 4-MONSTERONTHEMIDWAY finished third in his last on the lawn coming from 14 lengths back at one point and making up seven lengths. 5-ELECTRIC CHARGE is another with a turf third to his credit. 

The fact that there’s so much early speed in this race almost makes picking 2-BLOW TORCH a necessity. He’s been alternating good races with mediocre efforts for awhile and he did win his last, two of his last three, three of his last five and four of his last seven. If he follows that pattern he’ll run well but maybe not well enough. We’ll see. 3-PLAUSIBLE DENILE has been training here for a long time but this will be his local debut. It took him 11 races to break his maiden and he showed little in his two starts since but his sharp local drills suggest he could show far more in his first start here. 4-DASH TO THE CASH could be the best closer in the field and the pace should certainly set up for him. 

1-SANTINO’S FANTASY has been in great form since getting to Hawthorne. He’s had four local starts, racing for two different barns, and won two of them while finishing second in the other two. Guessing he’ll have continued success today. 6-TEA WITH LEMON, fresh off a win, drops in claiming price but meets somewhat tougher in this non-winners of three. If he runs the way he did in last it might not matter however, it’s been over a month since that last race and he’s had only one extremely slow drill on a sloppy track since. Conditioning? 4-PINBALLER hasn’t been showing much in recent routes but he’s dropping to the lowest level of his career while turning back in distance. Think he’ll finish full of run, possibly at a great price.

4-FLYING SAMURAI isn’t a strong choice but he showed considerable improvement in his second local start and his second start of the year and he finished second. Makes only his third start since November. Should be reaching peak form. 2-SOUPER FORTUNE took the lead soon after the start of last and proceeded to lead the rest of the way and posted a three-quarter length win. Got claimed from that race and moves to a higher claiming price although the conditions of this race point to him meeting easier since he already has five victories. He seems the quickest by far with the stretch in distance. It’s possible that he’ll lead all the way. 7-MEATLOAF’S CHANCE wired the field in last, a race originally scheduled for turf. He’s meeting better today and he’s unlikely to be the best of the speed but he could lead the second tier all the way around. 

4-REAL NEWS could surprise. He’s been racing on the main track this year but he’s an accomplished turf sprinter who ran well in California, Indiana and Kentucky. He’s earned over $280k on the lawn. Should be tracking the early speed and might be able to blow by late. 3-UPBEAT MELODY has been very successful at the distance. However, he’s only one among many who loves the front end. It’s quite possible that he’ll put the rest of the speed away but maybe he won’t. 2-SIERRA HOTEL is at the top of his game. Winner of last two might be better going longer but he has had success at the distance and nobody in this race is hotter. 

Unless one of the first timers is quick, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of speed in this race. 1-ANGEL EXPRESS displayed much better speed in last, her second start. Both of her prior races were on turf and this will be her first dirt start but she has been working well on this surface. Could prove to be tough on the front end. 2-GUSTAVI makes her first start for this barn and her first start at Hawthorne. She was facing tough company at Oaklawn. Seems to be meeting easier here. Can really wake up. 7-IT’S MAGIC raced evenly to finish third of six in a spread out field at Ellis in her lone start but she has been training locally. The purse of that race was $120k. You have to figure she’s going to be meeting easier here. Figures prominently.  

Great race. Can make a solid case for most runners in here. But I landed on 2-NOTARY because of the probable heated pace of this race. If the field stays intact, there are three talented runners that could be fighting for the lead. Notary, who is coming off possibly the best race of his career, will be racing right behind them and if that troika duels through most of the race, this gelding can run by late. 4-stakes-winning 4-BUCK MOON could be hard to beat. While he doesn’t absolutely need the early lead to win, he's going to be hot on the pace throughout. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he put the rest of the speed away and finished with something left. 6-EMPIRE BUILDER has been terrific since getting here. He simply dominated in his two local races. But he has yet to beat a field like this. He wired those last two races but he might have a better chance if taken off the early pace and finishing strong, something he has done well in the past. 

None in this race has shown great ability on the weeds but I guess that’s why they are running at this level. 8-LAWMAKER might have the edge. He’s been a versatile runner and he ran well in all his local turf starts. 4-STORM’S REFLECTION had a couple good local turf races. He finished second in his last two starts, one on the turf, and is another with the versatility to handle any pace. 6-BAILEY’S RUN races for the first time since September. He had some success on tougher circuits but his drills coming into this race might question his readiness to compete throughout. 11-KINGSBURRY ATTACK always seems to be in the hunt.