Handicapper Tips & Picks

**FYI, I will be traveling to Europe over the next two weekends, therefore no analysis for those days. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go to Royal Ascot during the first two days of the meet. Cheers everyone!

Race 6:  7 - 5 - 4

Late Pick 4 Ticket: 4,5,7,9 / 4,5,6,7 / 2,4,5,8,9,10 / 7  ($48)

Today’s Late P4 might be the best, most wide-open races in one sequence I’ve seen since the meet began. You’ll DEFINITELY want to jump into this pool!  It starts with a challenging two-turn turf claimer. The race on May 12th, Race 4, is one you’ll want to watch. #7 Ms. Ks Dynasty (9-2) ran big losing a ton of ground on the far turn and just coming up short. That was her first start on the turf, and she’s bred well for it as a daughter of Temple City. I’m not a huge fan of the jock, who’s winless in 14 mounts this meet, but he got a feel for her last time and hope he can save more ground than he did in her last start. 

Race 7:  6 - 4 - 5

The highest-quality race of the day is here. I needed #6 Went West (4-1) last time on Illinois Derby Day, and he just missed. Today, he gets an extra ½ furlong and perhaps more early pace to run into. Trainer Rodriguez is 28% at the meet, and Went West is consistent….will close into an expected fast pace. 

Race 8:  5 - 8 - 4

This race is by far the most interesting race on the card, with many question marks and angles to look at for maidens going two turns on the lawn. Trainer Roussel usually brings live turf horses to Hawthorne, and I believe he’s done that again with #5 Interlude (6-1). He was my top choice last time he was supposed to run, but the race was taken off the turf. The son of Mendelssohn ran well in his first two starts as a 2yo, then was wide and got a tough trip at the FG around Thanksgiving 2023. He comes back with several good works, gets our leading jock in Ceneno, and still has plenty of upside as a newly turned 3yo. In these connections I trust….he’ll have to be good in this competitive field.

Race 9:  7 - 6 - 4

The finale is a tricky $4k claimer for the girls. There’s plenty of early speed signed on, and very few horses that have shown the ability to pass their counterparts. I’ll go with #7 Shez Reckless (6-1), who has plenty of numbers on the go-back that would win this race easily. The problem? She hasn’t run that fast lately at all. Perhaps the move back to an outer post will allow her to stalk and pounce. She also is rested up, having not run in 2 months.