Handicapper Tips & Picks

2-D’ARCHER hasn’t shown a thing in his two races so far this year but he could be the best, maybe only speed, in this race if he fires. 6-MON AMIE FUZZIE can improve off the claim. Runners from this barn often come alive after getting claimed. This one hasn’t been showing his typical good late move lately but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of early pace in here to set up for a deep closer and his recent style of running could benefit. 4-UNCAPTURED PULSE finished with a flourish in his most recent race and lit up the toteboard. He’s not likely to get the rapid pace ahead of him in this contest but he seems to be at the top of his form cycle. You know he’ll be gunning for them late.

6-LOST SUNSET stopped badly in last and finished behind some of these rivals but it’s quite possible she bled. Gets first Lasix today. Meets many with speed but her debut race was probably the best effort of any in here so far. Hopefully the Lasix will help. 7-ANNA AFTER MIDNIGHT loves the front end. However, she does tend to run out of gas. She finished second in her last three starts, two of them routes. She was claimed from her last start. Maybe the change of scenery will help. 5-SWEET SMILA drops. She’s been marginally competitive in all of her races. Should have an easier time of it at this level.

1-TAHOE RUN did not handle the soft turf at all in his first start of the meet. Today he’ll be meeting state breds on dirt for only the second time. The last time was when he was still a maiden racing in a rough stakes race. He probably prefers route races but he did finish second the last time he ran in a dirt sprint on a fast track. 4-JOE THE TAILOR has to be caught. He’s had five races and won twice while finishing second two times. It is interesting to note that his regular rider will be piloting the top choice for the first time instead of him. 7-DASH TO THE CASH can finish with a rush. He hasn’t run since the end of August but an abundance of works will have him fit. The lack of a contested early pace could be his main obstacle. 3-VERRAZANOINTHESKY is seemingly outgunned but he has a definite affinity for this track. He’s had 10 local starts and won four of them. He hasn’t faced Illinois breds since 2021. Wouldn’t ignore.

7-RED HORNET can make it two in a row. He hadn’t shown much in his first three races after getting claimed by this barn but those races were on dirt. He came alive in last when racing on the turf. That shouldn’t have been a surprise considering virtually all his previous success came on the weeds. He’s taking on somewhat better than the group he just beat but he still looms as the one to beat. 5-SIMPLE LOGIC certainly figures. However, he’s had a bad case of seconditis. But he is stretching out and his lone turf win came at this distance. Could get over the hump. 3-STORM’S REFLECTION just finished third in a race that might have been tougher than this. Like his versatility with the ability to run well on or off the pace. He’s going to be a price. Include in the gimmicks. 4-C F V BULLET is a bit of an unknown. He finished second in his lone turf race but that was two years ago. He’s been meeting some awfully tough company since getting claimed by this barn while racing on wet tracks. There’s no guarantee that he’ll be good on turf despite that one good effort but he’s bred to relish the surface. 8-CATEGORY TEN was eased in his lone turf race but he’s been in good form on the main track while racing at this level. 

2-LUNDBERG is sure to be tough. Speedy runner has been facing superior rivals at Churchill and Oaklawn. He finished second in his last three, barely beaten in two of them. But there is plenty of pace to keep him honest on the front end. He’ll have to be at his best to take it all the way. Will 4-MOONLIGHT ROAD finally fire? This will be the right spot to do it. There is a plethora of speed to set up for a late runner and when Moonlight does fire, he can close with the best of them. 9-TWIRLING ROSES is another likely to do his best running late. He has seven local wins and six wins at the distance and he should relish the blistering pace of this race.

7-ARTHURIAN just missed in his first start on turf which was also his first start for this barn. He was able to close on a very fast pace. Considering that many of the speed runners from that last race are also in this one, the pace is likely to set up once again. However, this race is a sixteenth shorter and his rider from that last race chose a different runner. Things might not set up quite as well but he still looks like the one to beat. 5-CODE NAME needed last. He displayed good speed but the layoff took its toll and he faded late. Will likely have to fight for the lead once again but this time might be better prepared to get the distance. 2-SPANISH WELLS looks quick. He tired badly in his first start for this barn but that race was on dirt and he’s bred for this, his turf debut. Could be right there throughout. 

3-PURR SEA should be the quickest of these. She finished second in a couple tough fields in her last two starts after leading much of the way. She’s a six-time winner and won three of her eight local races. Wouldn’t be surprised if she wired this field. 8-WILMA MANKILLER makes her first start of the year. She was scratched from a stakes race last week in favor of this spot. She owns decent early food but is also comfortable when racing from right off the pace. Could be tough in her comeback effort. 9-FIRST HILL takes on tougher but she won her last four and the pace of this race works well in her favor.

Can see 11-PILKINGTON and 6-WOLF HUNTER in a duel down the stretch with a head bob separating them at the wire. It’s likely that there will be enough speed to set up for their late run. Pilkington has the advantage of the journeyman rider while Wolf Hunter has the advantage of the apprentice rider with his seven-pound weight allowance. 2-NOT FALLING BACK displayed good speed and held on pretty well in last, his turf debut. Don’t think he has much, if any, speed advantage but his new rider holds those speed runners together late as well as anyone. Might be able to put the rest of the speed away and have enough left to hold off the late runners. 1-LICENSE TO STEAL split the field in his lone start, a sprint originally scheduled for turf. But runners from his barn often need a race. They win 25% of the time when making their second starts, and 23% of the time when moving from turf to dirt.