Handicapper Tips & Picks

Sometimes the "trip notes" are not found during the race but from what happens before the race and looked to be the case for #2 MYSTIC FLYER coming back off the layoff on August 11th as he was MANIC, a handful to get the saddle on and continued to act up all the way to the gate playing a role as he failed as the favorite that day. He projects to improve especially when keeping an eye on him before the race to look for a more composed racehorse. He returns today with some significant changes as he picks up the blinkers (working in blinkers) and stretches out for the first time at the same time has shown to improve in the second start of the cycle and could still present a move forward off his juvenile figures. 

One of the other changes for MYSTIC FLYER is a rider change as Rispoli takes over today, a rider change that is not a negative though noted as Hernandez takes over on a logical type in #6 STAMP MY PASSPORT. A rider change on this horse makes sense as the TACTIC- played a role in the place finish, still a solid effort under similar conditions last out. 

Of the recent maiden winners in this field, #8 DON'T FIGHT THE FED is accomplished with each of his three starts to date, solid on number and competitive going back to a BTL effort from his debut. 

In a maiden field where most have established form there are a couple that make some subtle changes from their recent races to move up under today's conditions: #8 JESSEBEAR is proven at a route on the turf, recorded a B OptixGRADE here last August and projects to improve as she makes her second start off the layoff with the PREP and STRETCH and to her credit made a WIDE MOVE in the August 6th race. #10 WORK N FLIRT could get overlooked here off the recent running lines and finishing positions. Going back to their debut, she was GREEN and turned in a strong CLOSE after massive ground loss (X_WIDE) to settle for place earning a 79 OptixFIG, a number that stacks up with the more established, "logical" types. Physically she should take to the TURF and if she is to get back to that debut race, this could be the time and the time at a price. 

#3 UNAFRADE showed a lot of run in her debut after the SLOG and projects to IMPROVE off that effort. 

A lot of the "big names" show up in this race and that could see #5 IZZIT MIDNIGHT get overlooked as they make their second start for Sarah Hamilton. Going back to the May debut, this one looked to need the race and added ground/STRETCH. The race itself with the smaller field has not seen the W. Ward debut winner run back, though the place finisher GOOD BALI returned in a mile turf MSW event on July 14th to break their maiden in their second start. IZZIT MIDNIGHT has been entered twice since that May debut, a trainer scratch at HS Indy on June 10th (7.5f turf) and more recently unable to draw into a 7f turf sprint MSW at Kentucky Downs.