Handicapper Tips & Picks

1-MISS MIKOS seems worth the short price. She went off as the odds-on favorite in her local 2024 debut but her chances were compromised when she stumbled at the start and she had to settle for second place. That shouldn’t happen today. 6-IRISH SPARK finished well behind top choice in last but she also had some trouble. Takes blinkers off after a one-race experiment wearing them. Beware sharp connections. 5-LIONS LAW adds blinkers. She stopped badly in last but displayed far better speed in her previous race. Maybe the addition of blinkers will help her to focus.

1-CHARLIE LIGHTNING ran well in his local debut, just not quite well enough. Still, he did finish second. He was claimed by a much hotter barn from that race. Worked easily since. Seems like the one to beat. 2-MAD DRAGON wired the field in last when dropped to the $5k claiming level. Takes on better here but he does appear to be the best of the speed. Might grab control quickly and never look back. 6-OVER CALENDARED was overmatched in his first two local starts this year but he’s dropping to a far better level for this race. He finished in the money in his previous two starts in Louisiana while racing at this level. His figures say he fits this field very well. Don’t overlook.

Very tough race. It’s not often you see so many closely-matched runners. 7-BOURBON LIFE could get the right trip. He finished behind some of these runners in last but was moving well late. Gets the top rider today. Could be tough at a square price. 6-LITTLE STEVEN narrowly lost his last at this level despite dueling for the lead the entire race. He was favored in that event and might be again. However, he loves the front end and, if anything, there appears to be even more front-end speed in this race. 1-T LAW finished slightly behind Little Steven in last but might have been moving better late. Again, the pace of this race could be even hotter. Could edge by all of them late.

3-MISS RIVER RAT could have dead aim late. She had little chance against a runaway winner in last but she did finish well clear of the rest of the field, including many of these rivals. Can’t guarantee the pace will set up as well this time but the two that led for most of last will be entered right back. 7-BOYCE’S BANDITA finished a well-beaten third in last, about three lengths behind top choice, but she does look like the best of the speed. Could carry that speed farther in her second start against winners. 5-REBA ATTACK didn’t fire in last against the top pair but she did finish second in her previous two starts at this level, beating the top pair each time. She’s eligible to bounce back.

Eleven-time winner 4-SAMARITA certainly looks tough. At one point last year she won six in a row. However, it has to be noted that she hasn’t been able to win in allowance company, though she did come close in last. Like her speed and love her versatility. Maybe this will be her day. 3-DOROTHY LIGHTFOOT is an interesting runner. This $500,000 purchase won the first start of her career but seemed to tail off a bit in subsequent starts. She’s making her first start of the year and will be able to utilize Lasix for the first time. Her workouts have been, for the most part, exceptional. Definitely worth a look. 5-BEEHIVE, like Dorothy Lightfoot, is a 3yo meeting older. She trounced the fields in her last two races. Those races were against Illinois breds but both were highly impressive. Wouldn’t take her chances lightly.

5-ANCIENT MAN meets his easiest field ever. He hasn’t gotten close since his maiden victorying November but his speed figures seem to indicate that he’s among the fastest members of this field and he’s finally at the right level to wake up. 6-PLAIN OR PEANUT also drops and is another finding an easier group of fore. Had a couple good races in Ohio back in the winter. If he can regain that form here he’s likely to be one of the top contenders and could even give his apprentice rider her first win of the meet. 7-HAWAIIAN HIDEAWAY ran well in all three starts this meet. He graduated in his first start of the meet, finished fourth the next time out and third in last. Slight improvement puts him right there.

2-AVASARALA needed last. They raced her over her head just to give her a trip over the track. Drops to a better level. Switches back to her regular rider. Could put away the rest of the speed and finish with something left. 9-SUMMER AT THE SPA drops in class, turns back in distance, and goes from turf to dirt. Almost all of her previous success came on the lawn but this field did come up easy. 10-LADY ATLANTIC just finished second versus similar. She displayed far better speed in last than she has in a long time. Could stay prominent throughout.

10-DANVILLE could be tough on or off the turf. He hasn’t raced on turf since 2022 but he had plenty of success on grass and was only kept on the main track since he did so well there last year. He finished third in his two races since getting claimed by this barn and was facing allowance foes in those races. He seems to hold a considerable advantage over most of these rivals. 11-JEFF THE LION is entered for main track only. He finished a non-threatening fourth of six in last but he was making his first start of the year. Should be far fitter for this contest. 4-BRUCE BANNER has deceptive speed. He hasn’t shown much for a while but he’s dropping in class and will be reunited with Julio Felix as pilot and Julio was aboard for both wins by this gelding. 5-EDEN PARADISE can finish with a rush. He’s making his first start of the year with somewhat inconsistent drills but could be ready to compete at this level.