Handicapper Tips & Picks

As expected, 1-TAKEITAWAY ran well in his debut. He only finished third of six but he had pressed the pace early and didn’t fade too much late. He’s had a couple drills since that start. Should be prepared to stay more competitive throughout. 6-ELIZA VANCE is a filly meeting the boys. She got off to a terrible start and never fully recovered in her lone start. It’s been two months since that race but she’s been training well since. This $285,000 auction purchase was favored in her debut. Might be able to make amends in this one. 2-RUMBLING, stablemate of top choice, has been training well for his debut. The barn wins with a high percentage (33%) of their first-time starters and does quite well in baby races.

This looks like the right spot for 4-MONEY AGENT. He’s had a lot of races and has started for a lower claiming price but this race did seem to come up abnormally easy. 1-CUPID’S WAR drops, stretches out, and goes from turf to dirt. He appears to be the quickest member of this field. He could be sent to an easy lead, slow down the pace, and finish with something left. 2-DRAFTSMAN finished up the track in both races but both were against maiden specials. Stablemate on top choice could improve in his first start vs. maiden claimers.

5-ANOTHER MYSTERY looks awfully tough. This multiple stakes winner won his last two and now has three wins and two seconds from his five local turf races. Because this is a handicap and he seems so superior to his rivals in here, he’s give up anywhere between a six- and nine-pound weight allowance but it shouldn’t make any difference. He would eclipse $750,000 in career earnings with a win and he seems likely to do it. 3-TOWERING STORM, from the same barn as top choice, has been victorious in both of his starts. He’s giving up a serious experience edge to all his rivals but he hasn’t done anything wrong yet. We’ll see. 1-SILVER QUARTERS finished about five lengths behind Another Mystery in the Bucks Boy but he was making up ground late and might appreciate the extra distance of this race.

2-ARDANWOOD already has a pair of wins at this level this meet. Speedy runner is likely to find plenty of company on the front end but he often puts the rest of the speed away and he can do it again. 4-READTHECLIFFNOTES is a classy old guy that isn’t quite as fast as he used to be but still gives his all in every race. He has 10 wins and six other money finishes from 20 Hawthorne dirt starts. Can easily share in this one. 7-RUNWITHHEART’s speed figures aren’t quite as high as those of some others in here but he did win two of his three local starts and with his tactical speed he should be racing right off the contested pace and could take over if his speedier rivals falter.

There are quite a few speed types in this race but 1-GOOD APPLE could be the speediest of them all, though he has shown some ability to run from off the pace. In any case, he’s dropping to the lowest claiming price of his career. He finished out of the money only twice in his eight-race career. Figures to stay sharp. 2-TABLE MONEY surprised in last, his turf debut. He beat allowance company in that spot and paid nearly $50 doing it. After that win it’s a bit surprising to see him back on the main track but most of his prior success did come on dirt. His sharp pilot will have him tracing the possible contested pace. Could run by them all. 3-STRANGE ARRANGE seems to be a bit off form but he’s dropping in class and returning to the main track for this. He could easily challenge for the lead and might even prove to be the best of the speed.

8-MALIGATOR was clearly overmatched in his last couple starts and racing on turf didn’t help. But he’s back on dirt and dropping many levels to what could be the lowest level of his career. Wakes up in a big way. 5-UNCLE HEADLY would have gone off at 2-5 last year if he had dropped to this level. However, he hasn’t raced in nearly a year and his recent drills just don’t look that promising. It would surprise if this late runner won this but it wouldn’t surprise if he didn’t. It seems likely that 4-BE LUCKY will be sent right to the lead. Ignore his last on turf; the race was too tough and too long. He has a legitimate chance to wire the field against these foes.

2-CROSSANNA has had two outstanding races. Unfortunately, neither resulted in victory. But today could be her day. In her first race, she closed about seven lengths to miss by only a half and that contest turned out to be a “key” race. In her second start, she moved a little earlier and got to the lead in the stretch but she could quite hang on and finished second, a mere neck behind. It’s been a little over two months since her last race but her barn has been training her constantly. She looks ready. 3-MY VERSION didn’t really show a lot in her lone start but this regally-bred filly can’t be ignored. She races for a top barn for one of the top owners in the world. First Lasix is a plus. Expecting far better. 5-DEALE’M N WEEP looked sharp in her debut on turf but, in her follow-up start on dirt, she couldn’t have looked much worse, ultimately finishing last, 54 lengths behind the winner. But they have been training her aggressively since that last race. This race should be back on the lawn. Should bounce back in a big way.

It’s almost impossible to eliminate any of the runners in here. None in here would surprise me. 1-SAMARITA got off to a poor start and then ran into some traffic trouble in last which, hopefully, accounted for her poor effort. She’s been in incredible form for most of the year and all of 2023. She’ll never be too far off the pace. Can take over at will. 8-LILY'S WOOFY is another in the midst of a great year but she has, for the most part, been meeting rivals easier than those of top choice. She’s probably a bit quicker than top choice but she might not be able to close ground if she is headed. However, she is capable of wiring the field. 3-DOC'S SEVEN drops. She’s met allowance company in her last two. She just missed three races back, the last time she ran at this level. The pace of this race is likely to set up for her late run. 7-TRIPLE SCOUT finished behind some of these in last but she was sent to the lead and she’s been when tracking the early pace. Wouldn’t count her out. 

7-COTTON CANDY ANNIE takes a much-needed drop in class. She never really showed much in previous turf starts but her speed figures are comparable and she was always in against better. She should be tough at this level. 4-KINGSBURY DREAM makes her third start of the meet while dropping to the lowest level of her career. She finished third in her last. Can get the job done at this level. 8-TRIBEST is worth another look. She’s certainly eligible to meet easier but she could easily be the best speed in this race.