Handicapper Tips & Picks

This is the start to a really fun card that is very competitive and hopefully we stay on the grass. Looking for an upset to start the day as 6-ANNA AFTER MIDNIGHT has the potential to upset 4-ICE AXE in here. Manny Esquivel rode here on Sundays last summer and had a lot of success as he returns once again. Anna After Midnight has speed and should improve in her second start around two turns. Let's see if she can clear, back things down, and have enough left in the lane. 4-ICE AXE is the clear one to beat based off speed figures as he hasn't finished worse than 4th in his last nine starts. The problem is he hasn't won over those races yet either. He could completely lay over this field today but at a likely very short price I'll take my chances that the filly can upset him. 2-MY TENNIS SHOES is the other worth a look as he also makes his second start of the meet around two turns. He has tactical speed to rate close and may get the jump on Ice Axe into the lane. The Lopez barn is waking up and the price should be right.

This is one of two races on the card that I had an incredibly tough time making a morning line on. All seven in here can win. Since there's a couple with early speed I'll take my chances on 5-TABLE MONEY as he returns from Oaklawn where he held his own during that very tough meet. He was a good winner three back before stepping up in his last two. His last race was very respectable and I don't think the chartcaller gave him credit for the effort as he was beaten less than three lengths. He should be able to stalk and pounce in here. 2-BALADINE is another that looks to be well spotted as he may sneak away at a bit of a price. He won as the heavy favorite against N2L company for this tag two back and did that on the front end. There's others in here who are faster early which could play to his benefit. 7-STRANGE ARRANGE is a bit of a wildcard in here as he has ability but also needs to avoid hooking up with Larry The Poet on the front end. He was claimed for $13,500 last out but gets into here as many of his victories were for less than $20,000 tags. As a 7-time winner that could hold an advantage over some others.

Another really competitive bunch as there looks to be a quick and contested pace early. Trainer Coty Rosin comes in with a bunch of fit and ready horses from Oaklawn as 5-OFF RAMP is one of those. She has run well in the past over this track and held her own against tougher in her pair of Oaklawn starts. She defeated similar here last summer before running a good third behind a pair of very tough runners in the Jean Elizabeth. In this spot she should be able to settle, save ground, and run on late. 1-KAELY'S SISTER has speed but doesn't need the lead to win. She has looked sharp after returning off a long layoff as she won going away in her last. She draws well here as she may look to sit just off the early pace and get the jump on the closers. 3-SHEMEANSBIZNESS is intriguing as she makes her first start of the meet. She has trained well leading into this spot as she runs for a barn that has been sharp with everything they have sent out.

To the turf for the first time on the day as a field of 11 lines up. With the short run into the turn things could get bottled up a bit as horses work for early position. Hoping 1-GOLDEN STORM can settle early and save ground as she makes her second career start on the grass. She was competitive against much tougher maiden company in her only other turf try and showed some late run against allowance runners around two turns in her last. There is some pace in here as we will have to see how she handles a course that will likely be less than firm. 2-WALK SOFTLY poses some price potential as she has done her best running on the grass. She was a bit disappointing after a wide trip in her last but shows some starts earlier last year where she was able to rate close and compete throughout in turf tries. Let's see if she turns things around in here. 7-LEIPZIG gets back to the grass, where she ran some good turf races last spring at Gulfstream. She has been away since last July but has a string of consistent drills toward her return. I don't expect to see much early speed from her but she should be able to rally in the lane.

It could be tough to defeat 3-BREAKING NEWS in here as he has been solid in all three starts. He rated closer in his last and if he goes that route again, I wonder if that pace pressure will get to him. For me I'll look to see if 6-D'ARCHER can upset as he scratched from a spot on Saturday for this race. He has tactical speed and picks up Esquivel in the saddle. This is his first start of the meet but he has worked well toward the return and is at his best at six furlongs. Take nothing away from Breaking News as he is the horse to beat. He likes the track, likes the distance and has been sharp. But in a competitive bunch I'm not sure I want to take a short price on top. 9-ALPINE GHOST ran a good race in his last and he rated closer and ran on late. From the outside draw I expect him to clear off some horse early and find a good position. Let's see how his finishing kick is.

A crazy tough turf race here as you can look in so many different directions. I'll look for a bit of a price and go to 6-LEA RO as she has been solid on the grass throughout her career and finds things a bit easier than what she has faced in recent starts. There's not a ton of pace in this race as she could rate closer early and get the jump on the closers. 10-SUMMER DAY is another that could rate a bit closer as she also finds things much easier. This is her first start of the year as she has put together a string of workouts. She's solid on either surface and fits at the distance. 1-COMMAND POINT has been a model of consistency as she has found the board in all six of her Hawthorne starts. She makes her first start of the year but is another that has worked forwardly toward her return.

Much like race 2, this race was just as hard to make a line for as all of these could win. Trainer Chris Block has a pair in here, both with chances as I'll give the nod to 3-MOONLIGHT ROAD. He was a good winner in his last as he stayed along the rail and drew clear late. The pace ahead of him should be honest as he could win right back. 5-VALIANT WEST has ability and may be overlooked in here. His two races at this level have been solid and he somehow managed to hold second in his last despite setting a cray fast, pressured pace in his last. As long as he can avoid the pace battle again, I expect he is in the mix late. 6-ELI'S PROMISE took action in his last but may have needed that start off the layoff. I expect we see better today as he comes in off a good work since that start and should be able to settle and run on late.

A really tough maiden race to close out the card as I'm hoping there's enough distance in here for 8-BOLTORO. She is winless from 16 starts as she seems to want more distance but she has run well against some very solid racehorses. Let's see if she can get going early enough to get into the mix. 3-ANQA makes her second career start as she ran a solid race while sprinting in her debut. She drew outside in that spot from a full field but found a decent position early. With the stretch in distance and move to the turf I expect we see a little bit more early speed in here. 6-ABSOLUTE MIRACLE is another that may show more speed in here as she stretches out with the move to the grass. She has a pair of bullet drills coming into this race and looks primed for a top effort.