Handicapper Tips & Picks

Trainer Brian Cook has had a nice run in recent weeks with multiple Hawthorne victories and sends out 7-LOONA LUV here as she returns from Indiana for this race. She ran decent races in her last couple and looks to be positioned just off the pace in here as she figures to rate and run on in the lane. 6-RARE ACTION ATTACK is a tough one to figure out as she has run well on the grass but now drops to the bottom on the dirt. She rarely wins though, with just three lifetime victories from 53 starts, but her 17 2nd and 3rd place efforts show she can get into the mix. 5-JOLIE RULER has been the most consistent of the bunch as she had a solid 2023 and returns to the level where she was claimed three back. She should be rating in the second flight with Loona Luv early and figures to run on in the lane.

Trainer John Haran is having a solid meet as he sends out favored 4-EMITYAAZ in here. She has run consistent races around two turns and has enough early speed to either inherit the lead or rate close the entire way. She is still looking for her first victory over the track but looks to be sitting in a good spot today. 1-CAIRO SUMMER has posted much improved efforts in her last couple as she rallied late for a near miss two back and raced evenly in her last. With the rail draw and lack of pace in here she could sit closer once again as she could kick on in the lane while at a price. 6-MAIDEN ROCK ran a really nice race in her first start of the meet and closed well while sprinting last time out. She does tend to rate a bit closer around two turns which could benefit her in a race lacking of pace.

With a pair in here likely to show speed, 4-HOPPIN JOHN could get the trip as he figures to rate mid-pack early and rally in the lane. He closed well last out and gets a 16th more today as he runs for the new barn. 5-PURPLE OCTOPUS was claimed off the maiden score three back and followed that race with a good second while facing better two back. He shipped to Churchill to run on Derby day but was in too tough and now drops back down below the level of the claim for this race today. 1-BE LUCKY has speed from the inside as he comes out of the same race with Hoppin John last out. Although he made the top in that race they didn't go overly quick upfront and he wasn't able to hold on. Let's see if he is sent again today or looks to rate and run on late.

Even though she was defeated by Dream Nap on May 18, 4-MISS MIKOS had an excuse in that race as she stumbled at the break and still battled. She made amends in her last while stalking and running on late. Let's see if she looks to clear and try to take this race on the front end. 6-DREAM NAP got a perfect trip in her debut as she battled the pace and drew clear late. Curious to see what the plan is here as her stablemate has a similar running style but she has worked well toward the return and could easily repeat her last performance. 7-REBA ATTACK has three good second place efforts at this level on the meet and will eventually break through for that victory. She should be able to sit just behind the early leaders in here and figures to run on in the lane.

If trainer Chris Block hadn't said he thought 2-OEUVRE was a better two turn turf horse in his mind than she was a dirt sprinter after her score in the Third Chance last out, I probably would have selected this race's namesake on top. But the way Oeuvre won in that spot was so easy as she just costed along behind a game Purr Sea and easily took over in the lane without being asked while carrying 128 lbs. The winner of nearly $850k lifetime gets assigned 130 lbs. in here but she is deserving of that respect with 16 victories from 28 lifetime starts. 5-KATIE M'LADY gets to run in the race named for her as she has been as solid as they comes on the Illinois circuit. She's never been worse than second in 10 career turf starts and looks to continue that trend as she should be dictating things on the front end. Let's see if she is good enough to hold off Oeuvre as she gets 6 lbs relief from that one in here. 4-TRAIL RIDGE ROAD is respectable in her own right as she chased Katie M'Lady in three consecutive starts last summer. She comes off the layoff into this spot but has worked well and should be picking off horses late.

Named for a really cool and honest racehorse in his career in Big Sport, we get a field of seven for leg one of this series. A horse that was impressive last out returns as 1-RED LABEL runs once again for trainer Harry Lynch. Mojica rode him perfectly in his last and with all the pace in this race he figures to get a very similar trip. 2-BASEBALL POLITICS has speed but doesn't need the lead to win. I'm actually hoping for the trip from last April when he was able to rate and rally in the lane for the victory. He does come in off back to back scores, both over off tracks, as the trip could dictate his outcome. 6-MCVICKER runs for Vanden Berg as you figured she would have an entrant in the race named for a horse she trained. McVicker stayed in from a race taken off the turf a few weeks ago and didn't disappoint as he made the top and never looked back. The five furlongs suits as he could try to steal this race on the front end.

The intent to try to get back on the grass is key for me with 8-RED RIZZLER as he improved in his last in a race taken off the turf and drops back in for a tag in here. The Rosin barn has been solid on the meet and this one has worked well since his last start. Expect him to rate early and run on late. 6-WILLIE BIRD debuts for Rivelli as he has worked consistently into this race. He gets Lasix for the first out as I expect we see blinkers on him too, with the intent to show some speed at first asking. 9-RIGHTEOUS FREEDOM tries the turf sprint after some decent efforts around two turns. He did sprint on the dirt late in 2022 and early in 2023 with some decent outcomes as I expect he sits mid-pack in here and runs on in the stretch.

Based on numbers alone, 7-COMMISSIONER GULCH is a standout in this spot. The only question for her is how she handles the stretch to two turns/ She has never been worse than third in five Hawthorne starts and ran a good third behind Oeuvre in the Third Chance last out. In here she figures to look to clear from the outside and try to dictate things on the front end.  3-CALISUE was claimed for just $8k three starts back and followed it up with a pair of runner-up efforts at this level. She should get a similar trip once again in here as she figures to run on late. 2-MO SMOKING ran a good fourth in her start two back at this level before dropping down for a victory in her last. She's the other that should be able to show some speed in this spot as she steps up for the new connections today.

A horse that seems to be able to dictate where she wants to sit in a race, 6-STEPHANIE'S CHARM may look to rate a bit closer early in this spot. She has closed on the grass in recent start but some of those came against tougher company than what she will see in here. I expect she is only 3-4 lengths off the early pace as she will look to take over at the top of the lane. 3-I'M BOX OFFICE makes her first start of the year as she ran some solid races on the grass last summer as well. She is working well toward the return as the only question is if she will need a race back off the rest. 1-EMPIRICAL VIEW has tactical speed as she makes her second start of the year. She was in tough at Churchill in her last but the Keeneland race last fall was a good one as she chased and ran on late. That trip will put her in contention with these today.