Handicapper Tips & Picks

Tough race. They all want the lead. But, might as well take who appears to be the quickest of the bunch. 1-CONGRATS ON FIFTY wired both local dirt fields he faced, one last year and in his most recent start. He dominated both times. He could face plenty of early pressure but guessing he’ll put them away. 5-GOOD APPLE seems to be the only one that has even tried to come from off the pace. He usually goes for the lead but believe others in here are quicker. Think he’s best chance will come if they get him to relax early and come on late. 4-BAXLEY has shown a lot of grit in his races. He has fought hard every time. He doesn’t seem to be as quick as some in here but he does run for the top barn and looks ready to make his first local start of the year.

3-DOUBLE THUNDER is the one they have to beat. He finished out of the money in only one of his six races this year. At Hawthorne, he has a win and three seconds. Tactical speed will allow his to just sit behind the rest of the speed. Can take over late. 1-SLAVA UKRAINI will try to take this from flag fall to finish. He has yet to win in eight races this meet but he did finish second in last two. Can he get the distance? 5-GLOBAL EMPIRE finished up the track in last but did finish second to top choice in his previous start. He is bred to run all day. Could make an impact late.

3-CHARLIE LIGHTNING is the choice. He’s been in very good form with two wins and three seconds from six starts this year. However, he was claimed from last and the claim was voided so he was forced to take a small vacation and it’s been about five weeks since his last start and he’s had only one slow drill during that time. 2-CHRISTMAS PRESENT won two of his last three races. He can display a good closing move when he fires. 1-LORD GRANTHAM rides a two race win streak. Ships up from Fanduel to try to extend that streak to three. His barn has had considerable success with their shippers.

Team Haran could pull off a one-two punch with 1-SHE BE SHEEHAN and 3-EMITYAZZ. “Sheenan” drops and will likely go right for the lead. Emityaaz also likes to display speed but don’t think she’s quite as quick and could be leading the second tier all the way around. 5-NO NANNETTE NO doesn’t always show if but she has been a good closer at times and there’s a chance that the pace will set up perfectly for a late runner.

8-MIDTERM, if the weather cooperates, should finally race on turf. He has been entered for turf three times but all those races were switched to the main track. He seems to be the quickest of these, if those dirt races are any indication. Might finally lead throughout. 1-MILLARD A MAVERICK overcame a lot of trouble to finish second in last. He started behind the field after running into the starting gate but slowly reached contention before a powerful late move only to lose by a neck. Moves into maiden specials for this but could easily be even better with turf experience and a clean trip. 4-HONORANDPRINCIPLE ran evenly in his lone start and finished a couple lengths behind top choice. But he could be better on the lawn and it’s worth noting that his barn wins with about 38% of their runners making their turf debut and around 30% with turf sprinters.

2-RAVIN’S TOWN seems likely to be first from the gate. They have tried to race him on turf in his last four starts but every time the race has been moved to dirt. But it looks like the weatherman will finally cooperate. Of course, we can’t be sure that he’ll take to the lawn but the top barn has been pretty successful moving runners from dirt to turf. 5-PONCHO ATTACK has been very good in his last two turf sprints. Late runner might not get an ideal pace to run at but he’s coming off a dominant maiden victory and he could be poised to make it two in a row. 1-PROFESSOR HIGGINS has had five turf races and finished in the money in four of them with the one win. However, all those races have been routes and he was able to make up ground gradually. With the turn back in distance, the pace of this race will be far more brisk. He’ll have to close quicker or get left behind.

6-LALY didn’t show a thing in her debut but she ran very well in two of her next three races when meeting Illinois breds. She led for most of those affairs and finished second in each of them. Meets a bunch of first timers today. Experience should give her the edge. 1-ISABELLA’S BEAUTY makes her debut. Her works haven’t been fast but they have been consistent and her barn does well with first timers. 7-SANITARIUM has had some really nice drills in Indiana in preparation for her career debut but her trainer has yet to produce a winner in 42 starts this year. Would be hard to bet with confidence.

Going to give the nod to 8-KINGSBURY DREAM. She has only the one turf win to her credit, from 20 grass starts, but she has been in against tougher in every start for years. She was in too tough in last, especially since she was making her first start of the year. She should be far more effective with the drop and the recent race under her belt. 11-TIZ A COUNTRY GAL moves up off the claim. She’s had limited turf starts but ran well in her last two. Moved from one of the top barns around to the top local conditioner. She’ll draw plenty of action at the windows and might deserve it. 6-SILKY WARRIOR is worth a look. This will be the first time she races on turf since October. She won her last two against easier on dirt and she was claimed from last and moves up but her speed figures from previous turf races place her squarely in the hunt.

8-VIOLENT GIGI has been in good form recently and could get even better with the addition of blinkers. He’s obviously winless this year but did finish in the money in his last four. Could improve just enough to get over the hump. 4-MON AMI FUZZIE drops. This frequent claimee keeps getting close but coming up a little short. Meeting slightly easier company certainly helps his chances. 5-HURTS SO BAD looks like the best of the speed. He does tend to run out of gas late but there’s always a chance that he’ll last when meeting weak fields.

4-TOWERING STORM gives up a huge experience edge to his rivals but think his debut win was pretty impressive, even though it came at the expense of Illinois breds. It’s worth noting that David Cohen apparently chose to ride this one of the Block-trained runners even though the stablemate is has had far more success and is likely to go off as favorite. But both these runners will have to try to catch Man On Attack who could easily grab an unchallenged lead. 2-MAN ON ATTACK, another Illinois bred, has been super sharp lately. He finished second to a multiple stakes winner, and if I remember correctly, earner of over $700,000, two races back and then forced to try to catch the even speedier Code Name in last. He doesn’t seem likely to face much early pressure today, unless the stretching out dirt sprinters decide to test him. Will have to be caught. 3-MONSTERONTHEMIDWAY will be coming late. He won his final two starts of 2023, was narrowly beaten in his first start this year, and then was forced to try to catch Code Name in last. He could fall victim to a pedestrian pace if Man On Attack is able to grab an easy lead and slow down the fractions.