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Ron's Picks
Hawthorne Race 1
Post Time 2:50 PM CST
4-MALLOY could hold the edge. She was competing in Grade 1
events last year. She was an easy winner the last time she ran here, a race
originally scheduled for turf. Had a nice tune up at Turfway last month. Should
be able to take care of these. 2-KAELY'S SISTER makes her first start for this
barn while making her first start since 2022. Her works give away little but
have to figure that Rivelli will have her ready. 7-INDICIA usually runs well
here. She's had four local races and finished second in three of them.
Hawthorne Race 2
Post Time 3:20 PM CST
5-SWEET NELLIE will be tough to beat. She always met far better.
Can easily excuse her recent efforts at Oaklawn since she was simply facing far
better rivals. Could go off at a short price but does seem worth it, especially
if using in horizontal wagers. 2-RIBALDRY turns back in distance. She’s been
racing in routes, and only one of her 22 previous races has been at this
distance, but she did manage to finish third in that effort. She generally
races near the lead but, with the turn back, her speed could be tempered a bit but
she could finish with a ton of run. 3-HALLIE’S RAINBOW could be the best of the
speed, at least early. She has been tiring late at six furlongs but just might
be able to carry her speed all the way at five.
Hawthorne Race 3
Post Time 3:50 PM CST
Going to take a flyer on 7-MALIGATOR. He could be the best
closer in a race dominated by early speed types. He has some recency and a
history of success on this track. Might prefer more distance but could fly by if
the tiring speed comes back to him. 3-STRANGE ARRANGE is hard to gauge. Only
two of his 21 races were contested on dirt and he ran poorly in both of them. But,
he has been racing recently which could give him a fitness edge and he does
look like he could be the best of the speed. Hard call. The pair trained by Dee
Poulos, 6-PINBALLER and 8-LUCKY SHOT both own good speed and both have done
well here but they could also be a part of a crowded front end speed duel which
would compromise the chances of both.
Hawthorne Race 4
Post Time 4:20 PM CST
2-GOLDEN HORNET gets the nod but not a strong one. He does
race for Rivelli and gets Loveberry as the pilot but his dull effort at Oaklawn
in last could be a cause for concern. On the other hand, he was making his
first start in 11 months and the company at Oaklawn is always very tough. 1-COMISKY
PARK has had a bit of a case of seconditis here but he usually runs well. Didn’t
like his one-paced race at Fair Grounds last time out and not crazy about his
recent drills but think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. 4-TILTED TOWERS has been training well for his
first start of the year. Didn’t finish 2023 in the best of form but had been good
for most of the year prior. His versatility makes him an obvious threat. But if
you want to use Oaklawn as a measure, take another look at 3-SHACKLEFORD
STRONG. Not only did he win a starter in last at Oaklawn but he’s been incredible
at Hawthorne, winning six of his nine local race while finishing second in two
more. He is meeting better here but think he has a great chance at a great
price.
Hawthorne Race 5
Post Time 4:50 PM CST
4-MODAZZLE might get the trip. He’s not a big closer but
there appears to be more than enough speed in this race to set things up for
his late run, though he has also shown speed in the past. 3-ROBUST was an
impressive winner in his local debut. He didn’t win by much but he led
throughout and was pressured almost every inch of the way. He’s been showing
speed in every start since getting claimed by this barn but, in his past life,
he appeared to be a pretty good closer. No matter which tactic they decide to
use, he has a good chance of a repeat trip to the winner’s circle. You can
never overlook anything Rivelli sends out and he has 8-WEST ISLAND in this
spot. The horse tends to run out of gas fairly quickly but there’s always a
chance that he’ll fly right to the lead and stay there, especially at this
distance.
Hawthorne Race 6
Post Time 5:20 PM CST
Hard to really like a horse that never raced on dirt but
this race did come up incredibly easy. Vanden Berg claimed 1-UNIFIED WEEKEND two
races back at Gulfstream in December. He didn’t show a thing in his first race
for the barn but now he’s dropping to try local dirt. His drills have been ok.
Guess we’ll see. 5-RIGHT ON RICHIE looks like the best, possibly only, speed in
the race. Could grab the lead quickly and never look back. 4-PERFECT WAGER can
close a bit. Not sure what kind of pace will develop in this race but would
expect this runner to be moving well late.
Hawthorne Race 7
Post Time 5:50 PM CST
2-BEEHIVE seems likely to graduate. She’s had four races
and ran well in all of them. With little speed in the race she should be
prominent from the start. Might surge to the lead quickly and never look back.
3-CHERYL’S APPEAL’s local drills haven’t been anything special but her earlier
works were much better. She’s a well-bred first timer racing for a barn that
has a high percentage with runners making their debut. 5-DEVIL, stablemate of
top pick, shouldn’t be ignored. She finished behind her stablemate the first
two times they met but missed by a neck in last year’s Debutante, beating her
partner soundly.
Hawthorne Race 8
Post Time 6:20 PM CST
9-WILD ABOUT HILARY might be an interesting runner. She
wired the field in her debut at Prairie Meadows then finished up the track in
her next two starts. However, she was meeting far tougher. Now she’s making her
first start of the year with sharp workouts and first-time Lasix. Noteworthy is
the fact that Loveberry is riding. Could be poised to surprise. 4-SHE’S
INTHEARMYNOW appears to be the speediest member of the field. Most of her races
took place in California. She has tended to run out of gas late but the
five-furlong distance works in her favor. 5-RAINY MOUNTAIN hasn’t been working
especially fast but she has been working steadily. And steady also describes
her races. She’s had nine races, eight here, and she finished in the money in
eight of them. However she seemed to improve greatly in last, her first start
with blinkers. Wouldn’t overlook.