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Ron's Picks
Hawthorne Race 1
Post Time 2:50 PM CST
3-COALMINER’S
KITTEN was a game second here opening weekend while making his first start for
this barn and his local debut. He fought for the lead for most of the race but
gave way late. The winner of that race came right back to win another. That
race was his first sprint in his 11-race career but he handled it well. Figures
to improve from the experience. 2-ON KP returns from a lengthy layoff to
face the easiest field of his career. His works have been slow, even on a track
that has been playing fast, but he owned sharp speed in the past. Loveberry
aboard is a positive factor. 6-COUNTRY GUY’s speed figures lag behind those of
many of his rivals’ but he did win his last two in New Orleans and his barn was
on fire last weekend. Worth another look.
Hawthorne Race 2
Post Time 3:20 PM CST
5-PEGGY’S
WAY could graduate. She’s a 3-year-old facing mostly older rivals and she
hasn’t raced since October but she has a strong series of drills, she’s making
her first start for a barn that sports a lofty 40% win average with runners
starting for them for the first time, she’s getting first Lasix, she’s dropping
to her lowest level yet, and her rider won with 13 of his 40 runners at the
meet. It doesn’t hurt that her trainer is also red hot. 4-TRIBEST might want
more distance but she did close well at this distance to finish second in her
local debut. Figures to get the same kind of trip, though probably on a fast
track, this time. 7-GRACEFUL SCARLET didn’t show much when she was racing,
facing California breds last year, and she went off at huge prices in all those
starts. But she’s another getting Lasix for the first time. She moved to a new
barn that does well with runners debuting for them as well as runners returning
from long layoffs. Expecting far more from her today.
Hawthorne Race 3
Post Time 3:50 PM CST
3-ANNA
AFTER MIDNIGHT will have to be caught. She has only competed in sprints until
now and she ran out of gas in all of then but can see her building a commanding
lead with the stretch in distance and might be able to hang on. Can’t ignore
7-GOOD MAGIC WOMAN. She’s shipping in from a tougher meet. She’s not likely to
be anywhere close to the lead early but is likely to be gaining on top pick
late and might be able to run by. 6-ALTAR GIRL hasn’t gotten close but she has
been racing regularly and is likely fit enough to get the distance. Facing the
easiest field of her career doesn’t hurt.
Hawthorne Race 4
Post Time 4:20 PM CST
4-DEVIL
ran well in all her dirt sprints. She was just second to her talented
stablemate Beehive but she also finished seven lengths ahead of the third-place
finisher. She’s not the only speed in the race but think she’ll ultimately be
the best. Graduates today. 1-JOYZELLA has been tough in all her races against
Illinois breds but, for some reason, they keep trying her against open company.
Not today! She’s in where she belongs. She’s had 16 starts and only two have
been against state breds and she finished second in both. Her speed figures
compare with those of top choice. Just maybe. Neither 6-CHERYL’S APPEAL nor 7-LION’S
LAW showed a thing in their respective lone races but Cheryl’s Appeal races for
the top barn and the trainer of the well-bred Lion’s Law won with all four of
his starters at this meet.
Hawthorne Race 5
Post Time 4:50 PM CST
4-FIRST
LOVE is the best of the speed. She wired her last two races that were contested
on fast tracks, though she obviously didn't like her off-track races contested
in between those wins. She's meeting better today but they'll have to catch
her. 1-NO TAPPIN OUT is the “logical” selection. She has been in pretty good
form in Kentucky. However, all of her races came on synthetic racetracks and I
couldn't even find a dirt workout. There's no guarantee that she'll handle this
surface. 2-FAST N HAPPY can't be overlooked. She graduated in last, her first
start here and her first for this barn. Came from the 12 hole in that last race
to win going away. Her barn won with their first four starters at the meet.
Beware. 5-BROKEN HEARTS BAY will be coming late. She didn't fare well at this
level in her first start of the meet but could get a better trip with the extra
real estate. 3-LIL CHILLY seems more versatile than most. She won two of her
last three races in Louisiana though those races were against Louisiana breds.
Hawthorne Race 6
Post Time 5:20 PM CST
There
is an abundance of speed in this race but 7-WEST ISLAND has shown the ability
to last under pressure. He pressed the pace through blistering fractions in his
local debut and held on to finish second. That race could have primed him for
this one. 6-SOVIET STANDARD is probably the best of the speed and he's dropping
in class. However, he had only one workout prior to his first start of the
year, where he stopped badly, and apparently doesn't have a work since. Not
sure he'll be able to carry his speed the extra sixteenth mile. 2-NEW DICE will
never be considered a serious closer but he is one of the few in here that has
shown some ability to run on late. Could make a stretch run and possibly share.
Hawthorne Race 7
Post Time 5:50 PM CST
3-MINNESOTA
MOON stretches out. He finished fourth in both races this year but both were
sprints and he's been better going long. With the stretch in distance and two
solid races under him, he just might be tough on the lead. 4-IZEONDEC just
finished second at this level. The barn was red hot last weekend. The fire can
continue. 8-PERFUMER never really fired in his first start of the meet but he
probably needed the race. The pace of this race could set up for a closer and
he could be the ideal candidate to take advantage.
Hawthorne Race 8
Post Time 6:20 PM CST
7-PLAY
TWENTY drops. She displayed good speed in her two races this meet but those
races were a little tougher. She should be far harder to catch with the drop to
this level. 4-AUNT STELLA was a game winner in last. She fought for the lead
for much of the race but still was able to draw off late. A similar effort
today could get her back to the winner's circle. 3-ESSENTIAL BELLA makes her
first start for this barn. She hasn't been in the best of form but runners
moving to this barn often improve.