Handicapper Tips & Picks

Not in love with 6-NEON DEION but he does race for the top barn, his races until last were pretty good, he’s dropping in class and getting first Lasix. 1-LIBERTY’S HAULER is back in the Arnett barn after racing for a different trainer for one start. Everything this barn has started here has been live. This Louisiana shipper drops in claiming price. Seems well spotted here. 8-OVERDUE HONOR graduated in his last start, beating maiden specials. Faces claimers for the first time in his career. He has a long series of well-spaced drills coming into his first start of the year. Could be ready for these.

2-EMITYAAZ has limited drills coming into her first race of the year but do expect her to be ready. She ran well against better locally much of last year. Could pick up where she left off. 4-NO NANNETTE NO went off form in her last couple races in Louisiana but she has been training well locally since then. Would expect her to be tracking the pace early and then put in her run when they turn for home. Might be able to wear down her rivals. 6-TIMELESS GLORY stretches back out. She ran better than expected in her first start of the year despite the abbreviated distance. She’s likely to be even more competitive around two turns.

Wow! Tough race. Don’t think there should be a heavy favorite or even a slight longshot in this field. I ended up on 5-SAVED BY GRACE but not a confident selection. She has looked sharp lately with a win and a narrow loss in a Louisiana-bred stakes race in her last two, but she had been pretty inconsistent prior. I do think she’ll come flying late. Might get up in time. 7-MIDNIGHT’S GIRL comes in on the “cheap” end of the scale but she is stretching out and think she has only Sally’s Suprise to beat to the lead. Has previous route success. Might not get caught. 8-ROYAL LAUGHTER’s effort from two races back at Oaklawn would probably be good enough to win this. If she can repeat that in her local debut, she could earn a long priced trip to the winner’s circle. 6-VISIONISTA certainly figures. She tossed in a clunker in last at Fair Grounds, a state-bred stakes, but she had been in good form prior to that race and she has a history of running well here. 

1-FLASHY RICHIE comes off a good second-place finish and even had the lead running down the stretch. He went off at over 70-1 in that spot. He’s inconsistent at best but might have some upside in his second race back from the layoff. 5-CHRISTMAS PRESENT seems like the one to beat. He ran well in last at this level coming off a layoff. However, although he usually runs well here, he finished in the money in 13 of his 22 local races, he only won once locally. Not sure if 7-BABA’S BOY will just go through the motions but this is one of the few races in his career where he is well spotted. He’s in terrible form but should still be fit after racing at Oaklawn. Can wake up without any warning.

2-SCHMOOZIN was impressive in his first start of the meet. He dueled for the lead for much of the race but drew clear in the final sixteenth. Meets a somewhat tougher crew, with many likely to challenge for the early lead, in this spot but he could prevail late. 1-SNOOZER is most likely to break with the lead. However, he often runs out of gas late and it has to be noted that two of his four victories came on off tracks. 6-BAREFOOTBOOTLEGGER could be in a little tough and he is making his first start in five months but he could turn out to be the best closer in this speed filled field.

I like the workout pattern or 2-PONTUS coming into his career debut. Had some nice longer drills that got progressively faster than a good three-furlong blast to put a little speed in him. His barn does well with first timers and veteran rider Emigh is always a plus. Might be overlooked in the wagering so could be a good value wager. 8-WHOLE LOTTA LUKE went off as the odds-on favorite in his debut. He obviously didn’t win the race but the way he faded late might be a cause for concern. But, he is racing for the top barn and their second-time starters win nearly as often as those making their debut. 3-DOUBLE DRIBBLE was no match for Good Apple in last but still beat the rest of the field. Gets first Lasix for this race. Races for sharp connections. Figures.

Great betting race. Settled on 4-MADELYN BELLE for a couple reasons. I like that she’s somewhat versatile. She owns good speed but is just as capable when coming from right off the pace. I like that she had a bunch of work going into last, her first start for this barn, and that they worked her right back after she won a pretty tough race at this level. And obviously like that she races for the top barn with one of the leading riders staying in the irons. 2-GIRL PRO was terrific in 2023. She won four of her 14 races and finished in the money another eight times. She’s making her local debut for another top-notch barn that has been sending out loads of fit horses early in the meet. Her main knock here is that she’s primarily a route runner and she was never close in her two races at this distance. 10-RACETOTHEFINISH certainly figures. She won six of her 14 races at the distance. Her last race was in early November but her barn does bring them back ready. Like top pick, she’s comfortable racing on or off the pace. 7-LILY’S WOOFY wired her first two fields of the meet. She’s taking on tougher here but she’s never been better. 

3-GIANNO just missed in his local debut after taking the lead late in the stretch. That was only his second start, his first since November, and his works weren’t all that great going in. But that effort should be all that he needed. Could be even tougher today. 5-ALL ABOUT TONITE has to be caught. He had been showing good speed in Kentucky and his local drills since he got claimed have been hot. 10-CASCADE CRUISER adds blinkers. His second race was far better than his first and this race should be even better. 9-WOLF HUNTER needed last. He had only one short drill going into that race and still managed to finish third. Should be far fitter for this event. Don’t ignore 8-DAKOTA INVADER. He has some sharp drills coming into his career debut and his barn is quietly having an outstanding year.