Handicapper Tips & Picks

Most of the runners in here have never raced and none have raced on turf so the outcome is murky. But we’ll do the best with the info we have. Out of those that have raced so far, 6-JOURNEY had the best effort. He finished third in his lone start and the runner that finished just ahead of him came back to win his next start. He races for sharp connections and has a nice turf pedigree. Would expect him to be on or close to the lead throughout. 8-EXECUTOR sports probably the best turf pedigree. His trainer is a whiz at training turf runners though they often need a start. 5-GOOD TO BE A PRINCE has decent drills coming into his career debut. He races for the top barn that sports a 28% winning average with their first-time starters. 7-ROYAL AND READY is an interesting runner. His works are OK. But, it’s his connections that make him interesting. They win with a high percentage of their first timers and even though they are mostly based at a racetrack without a turf course, they win with 21% turf sprinters. Might be worth a look.

3-SHE STOPPED SHORT makes her third start. Her second race was better than her first. Drops into maiden claimers for the first time. She’s likely to display good speed...maybe good enough to win this. 6-RICHIESGOLDENGIRL is one of the two Rivelli-trained Ravin homebreds in the race. Her works are a little quicker but a little shorter than those of her stablemate. She would seem most likely to be the one pressing the pace. 2-CATALOG QUEEN, stablemate of Richiesgoldengirl also races for the top barn and her five-furlong drills might suggest that she’ll be better prepared to stay competitive the entire distance.

9-JZ'S LAST SCHANCE had a ton of hype going into her career debut back in June but got demolished out of the gate and never got back on track. It’s been three months since that race and she’s had few recent drills but I know they were waiting for the opportunity to run her on the lawn. Guess we’ll see if that hype was realistic. 4-BELLA VITORIA was favored in her debut and displayed good speed but tired to finish a well-beaten fourth. But loved her drills going into that race and know she’ll be even fitter coming out of it. 1-BILLIE CEE was a $150,000 auction purchase in July of 2023. She starts for the top barn that wins with 28% of their first timers and 266 of their two-year-olds. 5-CURLS NITE OUT is the oldest filly in the race which can make a difference at this time of the year. Plus, she gets the top jock for one of the top barns.

Most everyone in here has gone for the lead at some point in recent races so it’s kind of hard to figure out who will get the early lead in this contest. But expecting 1-LOOKIN FOR REVENGE to be racing right off the early pace. He’s been in against tougher since early in the meet when he won two races. With the drop in class he should be able to turn poor recent form around and be far more competitive. 3-UNIFIED WEEKEND won two of last three. He wired the field in last but came from off the pace to win his third race back. Altogether he finished in the money in six of his last seven races, including that pair of victories. Would have to expect that he’ll hold his current form for at least one more race. 4-JET FLIGHT goes for two in a row. He wired the field, as the favorite, in his most recent start. Might try to do the same against somewhat tougher rivals.

This seems like a pretty open race so might as well take a shot. Excuse 7-PONCHO ATTACK’s last race. He was in against better and the race was moved to the main track where he never had much success. However, he has run well in four of his five turf races. He came up a little short in his first race against winners but he was flying late and simply ran out of real estate. With an extra quarter mile to play with, he might be able to fly by them all. 6-SHARP STICK comes off two straight second-place finishes at this level. Unlike top choice, he should never be too far off the pace. Might be the first two wear down the early leaders. 9-MY BROTHER KEITH seems more versatile than most in here. He has shown the ability to race competitively on or off the pace. Most of his previous races were on main tracks but he did run well in his last two start. He showed little for the barn in last, his first start after they claimed him, but he’s in a far easier spot with the return to turf in his local debut.

3-KAELY'S SISTER finished third in her first start here and her first start for this barn but then reeled off three straight local victories and then went to Ohio to record another. It’s been two months since her last race and her recent workout pattern raises some questions but think she can pick up right where she left off. 6-PURR SEA was a sharp winner in her most recent start. She had been going for the lead in most recent races and fading late but they changed tactics in last, took her back early, and she responded with a strong stretch run to notch the victory. She finished behind top choice the last time they met but could turn the tables today. 2-BEEHIVE might be a notch below the top pair but she has had 10 races in her career and finished in the money in nine of them, winning three times.

2-POLICY OPTION has some back class on turf but he hasn’t been quite the same after taking 10 moths off. He was claimed by the top barn two races back and went off as the heavy favorite in his first start for them but never really fired. But he is dropping a notch and making his second start for this barn. Could make amends at a short price. It’s been a long time since 7-BANDIT SWANSON ran on turf but he had three grass races in Texas a few years ago and ran well in all of them. They have been experimenting with taking blinkers on and off him and they come off again in this race. He hasn’t shown much in his three races this year but might wake up with the switch in surfaces. 9-LAND MARK DEAL could be the best of the rest and just might be the best of all. His previous turf races were against better. He was just claimed from last by a barn that does good with their first-time claims. He’s likely to be a higher price than top pair. Would definitely consider.

4-TOP LOOK could make it two in a row. She overpowered a similar group in last and got claimed from that race by a barn that wins with 29% of their first-time claims. 9-TIMELESS GLORY drops to a more reasonable level. She’s been a major player in many of her races at this level. Should be again. 12-EMITYAAZ showed little in her first start for this barn but they turned her back in distance for that race and she simply isn’t a sprinter. Stretches back out today. She finished in the money in six of her seven routes this year. Should at least grab the show dough.

Nice competitive race to end the day. Don’t know if there will be a clear favorite. Going to give 8-BAG LADY a small nod. She's one of three shipping in from a tougher circuit. Don’t like that she was eased in last but she was never really in the race and was always far back. But’s she’s had a couple decent drills since that race and she’s likely meeting easier company in this race. 5-ROBIN SAGE is another coming in off a terrible effort but she did have trouble in that race. She’s also coming from a tougher circuit. Her speed figures suggest she’s among the fastest of these. 4-ROAR OF SILENCE is an interesting runner. She narrowly won her turf debut in maiden claimers but then came right back to demolish a NW2. Faces a far tougher task against this group but an effort similar to last could wind her back in the winner’s circle. Always like 2-R KATIEBUG but not convinced a mile and a sixteenth is her best distance.