Handicapper Tips & Picks

6-JOURNEY hasn’t been working as fast as some in here but his drills have been sufficient, he’s one of the older members of the field, he’s already been gelded, and his barn does well with two-year-olds and first timers. 4-LOU MAN could be the better of the two Rivelli-trained runners in this race. He’s getting one of the top riders and racing for the top barn. 3-BEST DRESSED MAN hasn’t been working quite as well as his stablemate but he does get the top pilot and he is in the Rivelli universe. 2-ROBERT’S MOON has most of the fastest drills but his barn, although winning at a 24% clip for the meet, hasn’t had a lot of success with first timers. This one might need a race.

2-ROAR OF SILENCE can win right back. She barely got up late to graduate in last but that race was a sixteenth shorter and she could relish the extra real estate of this contest. 1-TRIBEST has to be caught. It took her 16 races to break her maiden, which she did two starts back on dirt, but she also led almost all the way in last, her first start against winners. That race was contested on grass. The runner that finished third behind her there went on to win her next start. This filly might do it today. 3-CATHOLIC SUE lost her lone turf race by many and beat only one, but she has since moved into the barn of this sharp young trainer and he has been tearing them up. He’s won with six of his 22 career starters (27%). Would never count him out.

5-KITTEN ROCKS gets the nod. She’s making only her third start of the meet and stretching out to do it. Without really wanting it, she could find herself on the lead. Might not get caught. 3-MAIDEN ROCK is in better form than most of her rivals. She finished in the money in last two; once here and in her previous start in Minnesota. The mare that won her last, where she finished second, came right back to win again. 2-MORNING LINE NEWS raced in second throughout in her most recent start and, on paper, that looks like she displayed speed but the pace set by the winner of that race was rather pedestrian. But the speed figure she generated in that race was the highest recently by any in here and the last race highest “Beyer” has been a useful handicapping tool.

1-PRINCESS TENKO should find the pace to her liking. Well-travelled filly finished second in her two local starts. She’s generally not a big closer and this race might be too short for her but think she’ll start to engage the early leaders by midstretch and might finish fastest of all. 4-TU CHA also comes on late. She hasn’t raced for nearly six weeks but she’s been training well during that interim. 5-SURPRISE ME AGAIN looked sharp as a longshot maiden winner two races back but wasn’t able to repeat that effort in her first start against winners and finished well behind top choice. But that race was contested on an off track and today she’ll get a fast surface. It might make the difference.

Hard to get past 5-MADELYN BELLE with her four-race win streak. She’s two for two on turf. Others in here have speed and could challenge her for the lead but she has repeatedly put that tyle away. Seems likely to do it again. The Childers barn got off to a slow start at this meet but they have been firing on all cylinders lately. They have a pair of accomplished turf sprinters in this race. 4-CHROME ATTACK might be better suited to this spot. Although not in the best of form lately, she’s capable of closing with a rush. 2-LIPLINER, another in relatively poor form, can also close but she’s more likely to display speed. Could help to set things up for her stablemate. 3-COTTON CANDY ANNIE drops and takes blinkers off and turns back in distance. She hadn’t shown much in previous turf attempts but, other than top choice, this could be the easiest field she has met on the lawn.

7-CAPTAIN'S FLAG drops and moves back to the main track. Three of his four races were on turf and he showed little in those events but he did finish second in his lone dirt race and he was in against better rivals. 3-SENDEMDOWNTHEROAD will be sent to the lead. He does tend to tire late but there is always the chance that he’ll finally hang on. 4-MALIBU BRAD ran well in his two races at this level. He just finished second after stalking the early pace. Figures to get the same kind of trip in this one.

This is a race where I could have made a case for many runners but I did wind up with 8-GRACELEADSUSHOME. She’s one of many in good form but like that she ran well in last, her first turf sprint, and think she can be even better her second time around. 5-STAR WISHER ran well in most of her starts and could easily be favored in this race. However, she’s running for the first time since October and I haven’t been impressed with her recent drills. She might need a race. 3-FRANKEL BABY has shown the ability to run well on or right off the pace. Would probably like her better at five furlongs but certainly think she’s capable of sharing. 6-BACKSTAGE PASS is an interesting runner. She had only the one turf race, a maiden win in last, but she still generated one of the higher speed figures of any in here.

Sometimes a change of scenery can wake a horse up. 4-DANVILLE could be the case in point. He always runs well on dirt but has been unable to get a win at this level. But he has now switched barns and they win with 21% of runners debuting for them.  It can make the difference.  I’m tired of getting beat on 3-CATEGORY TEN but he does seem like the most likely winner of this race. Always like his versatility. Maybe today will be his day. 8-GLUCKSTADT could be meeting his easiest field of the meet. He getting the top rider for this attempt. Expecting considerable improvement.

The pace of this race could set up perfectly for 8-EASY FAST if he isn’t sent to contest the lead. He made a nice move in last and took a late lead but couldn’t sustain it. However, that was his first race since September. There’s a ton of speed ahead of him. Might be able to edge by late. 2-EXTRA HALO looks like the quickest of these. He’s been having a hard time getting the distance but the class drop and the shorter distance will work in his favor. 7-WE MISS ARLINGTON heads back to the main track. He’s also dropping in class and turning back in distance. Figures to rate right off the early pace and might be the first to move on the early leaders.

Don’t know how long 4-SECESSION will last but he will almost certainly get the early lead. He did hold on for third in his previous two-turn turf race after leading much of the way. With that experience of facing possibly easier company in this one, he might be able to steal this race on the front end. 3-SHARP STICK is probably the one to beat. He’s coming off a good second place on turf and he also ran well in his only other turf attempt. Will likely be racing closest to top pick in the early going and would likely to be one to make the first move if that rival falters. 6-DASH TO THE CASH drops into claimers for the first time. This will also be his turf debut and his first race around two turns. Gets the top jock for this attempt. Might be worth a look.