Handicapper Tips & Picks

These baby races are over in the blink of an eye so it’s important for the runner to get out of the gate cleanly and quickly. Off the last work 7-ELIZA VANCE might be best equipped to do that. Her :47.0 out of the gate was the second fastest drill of the day and workouts are for all ages so she outworked many older horses. She races for the top barn (24% first timers and 20% 2yos) and gets one of the top riders in her irons. This $285k purchase could be the one to beat. 6-THIRSTY NATALIE has the advantage of experience. She finished fourth of five in a race in Indy a few weeks ago. Like that they gave her an easy drill since. Could have more of an impact in this field. Not crazy about baby first timers starting from the rail but 1-DANCING MAGIC, a $270k purchase, is another racing for a barn that does well with 2-year-olds and first timers, though the sample is much smaller. Her works haven’t been quite as impressive but you know the barn will bring her ready. 3-FAITH HOPE N LOVE has a series of bullet drills at Fanduel. There weren’t as many workers as there are up here but the times were quick. Guessing she’ll be competitive. 

Nice race for the first race of this starter series. Going to give a slight edge to 5-IZZY’S MONSTER. Winner of last in allowance company finished second in her previous two starts in starter company. She owns enough speed to stay close in the early going but can still finish with authority. 4-SHE BE SHEEHAN could be the quickest of these. She pretty much wired the field, going six and a half, in her local debut and beat allowance company that day. However, she has been better in routes. She might never relinquish the lead. 3-BLESSED ANNA owns decent speed but she’s another that might prefer to track the early pace. She finished behind Izzy’s Monster two of the three times they met while defeating her in the other.

6-LITTLE STEVEN looks tough. He’s had four local races and finished in the money in all of them. The speed figures he generated in his last two starts, both seconds, were the highest recently of any in here. He’s capable of running well on or right off the lead. 2-EUCLID AVENUE is probably the quickest of these. He wired the field to graduate two starts back and led most of the way at this level in last. Has a legitimate chance to lead all the way. 5-ICE AXE can share. He didn’t handle the turf or the company in his first start after getting claimed by this barn but his late style of running could be favored by the probably quick pace of this race in his return to the main track.

7-MURDOCK, a $375k Carolyn Wilson purchase, makes his debut. With six works over the last seven weeks, he should be ready to go. Had two impressive four-furlong gate drills, getting him prepared to start in good order. With the top barn in his corner, he certainly looks like the one to beat. Owner/trainer Louie Roussel has a pair of runners that look ready to go. Both 5-FACE THE FUTURE and 2-STRANGER’S CHURCH have been training steadily and posting good numbers. 3-FINEST CORDON and 4-BOLD COMFORT are a couple months older than any of the others and, at this stage of the year, that can make a difference. Both are a little short on drills and runners from the Perez barn often need a race but both seem capable.

2-ANOTHER MYSTERY gets the nod. Talented 8-year-old is approaching $670k in earnings. Late running Block trainee will be meeting Illinois breds for the first time since finishing second in the Pizza Man here in 2022. He’s meeting many of that same group today including Richiesgotgame, who beat him by a head in that race. His main obstacle today could be the lack of a legitimate pace to set things up for his closing move. 3-RICHIESGOTGAME hasn’t shown much since getting claimed by this barn but this will be the first time that he meets Illinois breds since that claim. He hasn’t been quite as successful as Another Mystery on turf but he did beat that rival here in the aforementioned Pizza Man the last time they met. 5-READTHECLIFFNOTES never won on turf but he might be the only legitimate speed in the race, though Man On Attacks lone turf win came wire to wire. Readthecliffnotes lost by only a head after leading for all but the last jump the last time he met the top pair in the same race. Another thing to note: with the wacky weather we have been having, it’s possible that this race would be moved to an off main track and, if that happened, his chances improve dramatically.

5-TRIBEST drops and stretches out. She’s typically a bit speedy but that speed should certainly be enhanced with the stretch out. Her barn wins with a lofty 28% of stretched-out runners. This one might not get caught. 2-ARRINGTON is another stretching out. She finished third here in a couple sprints earlier in the meet but they sent her to Indiana, where she went off as the odds-on favorite, but she clipped heels in that race and fell. In her last start here, she hadn’t seemed to recover from her fall. However, the only time they stretched her out on the main track she finished second. 1-GOOD MAGIC WOMAN hasn’t really shown in in past race when they stretched her out but she might be as quick as top choice and her chances can improve with the move to one of the top riders.

Maybe today will be the day for 8-RISKY BOY. He’s been in very good form this year and pretty much runs the same race every time. He’s had a win, three seconds, and a third from his five 2024 races. It will all come down to the trip. Will Santa come twice? 4-CHRISTMAS PRESENT comes off his best effort in a long time. He beat a similar field in last, paying over $58 in doing so. It’s been a while since he was able to string good races together but it’s always possible. 3-CHARLIE LIGHTNING can win right back. He finished second in his local debut and then took last as the odds-on favorite. Meets more accomplished rivals today but seems to be headed in the right direction.

3-ALL CHOKED UP responded with a romp when he was dropped back into the claiming ranks in last, his second start of the meet. Grabbed the lead quickly but never by much until they turned for home and he opened up, ultimately winning by five. He’s meeting better today and facing some other speed but he could be up to the challenge. 9-AQUACAT takes the much needed drop. He hasn’t been having a lot of luck lately but has been in too deep. His speed will be far more evident and useful at this level but he will probably wInd up fighting top pick for the lead. 6-EDEN PARADISE could get the trip. He needed last, his first race since August. Drops in class and finds himself in a race loaded with speed. Could come rolling late.

4-FIRST MASAMUNE could surprise. He’s dropping one more time and stretching to a better distance. Gets a hot apprentice and her seven-pound weight allowance as pilot. Could display better speed and let the others try to catch them. 3-COWBOYS DREAM hasn’t raced in over a year but he’s dropping in class and working well enough to think he’ll be competitive at this level. 2-NOT VERY GENTLE faced a winner that was 20 lengths clear in his first start of the year and a winner that was 12 lengths ahead of the field in last. So, he’s getting closer. Maybe today.

9-COMMAND POINT has been sharp so far this year. She beat many of these rivals at this level and a similar distance, on turf, in her first start of the year and finished second in last, racing on dirt for the first time since her career debut. There isn’t a whole lot of speed to set up for her late run but she’s capable of doing it all on her own. Guessing 2-SUMMER DAY is sitting on a big effort. Her first race of the year was awful but she showed signs of coming around in last on dirt. But she’ll be back on her preferred surface today. Like the strong drill she posted since that last start. Can surprise. 12-MY LADY SLEW is an interesting runner. She’s jumping in class but she looks like the only real speed in the race. Interestingly, she stole one on the lead here last year, going seven and a half and beating many of these rivals including top choice. 

1-PRETTY SKYE makes her debut. Her barn is having an off meet and her recent drills haven’t impressed but do like her works from April and May. 11-THUNDERSTRIKE figures to improve. She raced in ninth throughout in her lone start but she was facing some awfully tough maidens at Oaklawn. She’s been training well since that December race. Adds blinkers and gets first Lasix. 4-SURPRISE ME AGAIN split the field, on turf, in her lone race. But runners from her barn generally improve with experience and the barn sports a 23% win rate with runners going from turf to dirt.