Handicapper Tips & Picks

4-WANDA STRONG looks awfully tough in this spot. She’s coming off a wire-to-wire allowance victory where she outgunned the speedy R Katiebug for the lead and proceeded to take it all the way. Her recent speed figures are among the highest of the runners in here, especially recently. Although she wired the field in last she’s just as capable when running from off the pace and her connections might deem to cede the lead to older half sis She’s Wandaful. It took a while but 3-MISS RIVER RAT has finally pulled it all together. Winner of last two, like top choice, has the versatility to either display early speed or to come from off the pace and she boasts red hot connections. 6-SHE’S WANDAFUL could be the quickest of these. She might try to wire the field but, at the least, she could set things up for the late run of her sister.1-MUSED is an interesting runner. She has been meeting rivals at lower levels on the main track but she had some good efforts against better rivals than these when whey last tried her on the lawn. 

4-EUCLID AVENUE wanted nothing to do with the turf or the tight turns in last and finished nearly 60 lengths behind the winner. But he’s back on the main track for this race and back with the rider who was aboard for his last victory. He looks like the only real speed in the race. Might wire them. 2-ROCKET HOTSHOT has been in good form all year. He finished out of the money only once in seven starts and recorded two wins during that time. Likes to come from behind, however, and the lack of a contested early pace in this race could be an obstacle to overcome. 6-PATH TO SUCCESS takes a much needed drop. He finished second in his first race for this barn, facing better, but wasn’t able to come up with a similar effort in last. So the drop makes sense. Should wake back up. 

In my mind I know I shouldn’t recommend betting on 6-SAWYER FOX. This lightly-raced runner had one race in 2022 and only two races in 2023. He’s making his first start of 2024 off a series of great drills. The problem? He’s dropping from a strong second in an allowance turf sprint to a $5k non-winners of two. Races for one of the top barns around and gets one of the top riders in the irons. Will be interesting to see how many claims will be dropped on him. Yes, there are other horses in this race. 2-THE RIDGE just wired the field to break his maiden. He races for the top barn. Might be able to repeat. 4-STOLICH has been in good form going long, he has had some success in sprints, and he just switched barns to one that has been heating up. 

This appears to be a closely-matched group. Three of the runners come from the same race where only about a quarter of a length separated them at the wire. But probably have to give the edge to 4-ERNESTINA. So far, she hasn’t been too effective but she will be dropping into maiden claimers for the first time. She possesses the highest speed figures of any in here. Might hold a slight class edge. 3-BABE IN THE WOODS had had three turf races at this level and finished second in two of them. She might not go for the lead but she probably owns enough speed to do it. 6-MACHIVA finished a nose behind Babe In the Woods in last but was making up ground quickly. That race was her turf debut. Seems likely to improve with experience.

5-UNCAPTURED PULSE could bounce back with a vengeance. He finished up the track in his last two starts but both were contested on off tracks and a quarter of his races have been contested on off tracks and he never won. Price shot is worth a look. 2-ONE WAY HOME could lead throughout. He was in too tough in last and tired in at route race. But he drops in class and turns back in distance today, a 22% winning move for his barn. 3-ALYAANABI has been in good form for months. He’s moving up in claiming price for this but so are many of his rivals and most are in poor form. 

Don’t think there’s much chance of this race coming off the turf but, if it did, 9-I’M WIDE AWAKE would be very tough. Speedy runner has been in great form recently. Not sure anybody could keep up with him on the front end. On turf, this race appears to be far more wide open. Will probably have to go with 1-MAHONEY ROAD he managed one third from three turf races but he’s in better form now than he ever was before and his barn wins with around 20% of runners going from dirt to turf. 4-CANYON SHADOWS finished a close-up third in his only previous turf sprint. He just graduated on dirt, going wire to wire. Could be right there throughout. 5-TALONS TIME is an Iowa bred for turf. He possesses some of the highest speed figures of this group. Have to respect that the barn wins with a high percentage of turf runners, especially turf sprinters. 

3-FLATHEAD FINALE drops once more. This is likely the easiest field she ever met. She finished second in maiden specials the only time she ever ran here. Could be the best of these. Not sure how long 4-LOST SUNSET will last but she does seem to be the quickest member of this field and could find herself with a relatively unchallenged lead. 2-GOOD MAGIC WOMAN finished second in two of last three. Completes the sprint-route-sprint cycle by turning back in distance for this race. She’s been tiring late but might finish with a little more energy at this distance.

Competitive race. Can make a legitimate case for almost every runner in here but think I have to go with 3-NOVGORAD THE GREAT. He’s shown considerable improvement with each passing start this year. He ran away from a good field in last without being really asked. Not sure he can get the early lead today and not sure how he’ll react if he doesn’t but might not be headed if he does. 9-MEGAN’S HONOR could have the perfect running style for this race. She’s not a big closer but she usually finishes with good energy and the probable brisk early pace of this race could play right into her strong suit. 5-RICKY BOBBY can finish with a rush. He’s making his local debut after winning his last two at Canterbury. His speed figures suggest that he could be slower than some in this group but think he can close enough to be part of vertical gimmicks.

Going to give 3-LICENSE TO STEAL a shot. They have tried to run him on turf three times and every one of those races has been moved to the main track. That shouldn’t happen today. When this barn and rider teamed up this meet, they won 43% of the time. This could be one of the few Block-trained runners that wins at a square price. 1-PILKINGTON could be favored and might deserve it. He finished as good as second for time in his last race, his local debut, but that race was on dirt. However, prior to that he had always been in against tougher fields on tougher circuits. Could be his graduation day. 6-STREET FEST had a promising debut. He races for a sharp trainer. He’ll be meeting open company instead of Illinois breds in this race but he also figures to improve with experience. The runner that finished first in that last race came back to win his nest start. Price shot shouldn’t be overlooked.