Handicapper Tips & Picks

1-REGIMENTAL drops and moves back to the main track. He hadn’t shown a lot on the weeds lately but he dominated in a maiden race the last time he ran on dirt. Another thing to consider is that victory was scored on an off track and rain is forecast for today. Recent claimee-5-GOLDEN BUCK stretches out a bit. He finished second in last at Ellis, meeting a group similar to this. Has the look of a contender. 7-MOVE IN SILENCE has been running competitively at Fanduel. Moves to another hot trainer after last and the new barn wins with about 27% of runners debuting for them. Blinkers on can help.

1-ADIVA takes a much needed drop in class while returning to dirt. She’s been taking on better since getting claimed for $7500 at Oaklawn in March and hasn’t been showing enough. But with this drop, she’s likely to be far more competitive. 3-SMOOTH JUSTICE and 5-GO STORMIN GIRL could be fighting it out on the lead. Smooth Justice took on allowance company in her first start after getting claimed for $4k, with an obvious result, but she just might be the quickest member of this field. Go Stormin Girl, fresh off a win, moves up in class. She has plenty of speed but is just as effective when coming from off the pace.

5-CHASENTHEONE could surprise. He seems like the quickest member of this field and appears to have only one rival that will tackle him early. Also like that he has shown an affinity for turf courses that are listed as something other than firm, a strong possibility for today. 4-BRIT BLITZ drops from allowance company. He’s had some decent efforts on turf and seems to fit but his two dirt races were awful so wouldn’t give him a lot of consideration if this race does get moved to dirt. 1-COMMISSIONER OSCAR, stablemate of Brit Blitz, also drops from allowance company but he has been meeting Minnesota breds. He can run well on turf but think he might be better off if this race did get moved to dirt.

3-OEUVRE should live up to expectations despite carrying the high weight of 129 pounds. This mare is nearing $1,000,000 in earnings while she has won 16 of 30 starts. The distance is well within her range. She gets Lasix back since this isn’t a stakes race. She barely won last year’s edition of this race. She’s going to have to run down Racetothefinish, who might be alone on the lead and carries 13 pounds (maybe) less at listed weight of 116 but thinking she can do it. I might have picked 5-RACETOTHEFINISH if this race had been at six furlongs instead of six and a half. She is easily the quickest member of this field and should secure a pretty easy early lead. The 13 pound weight advantage she receives might have been difficult for top pick to overcome at six panels but that extra sixteenth mile can make all the difference. Still wouldn’t be too surprised if she led all the way. Guessing she’ll at least hold on to share. 1-WHITE LIES is coming off her best race of the year, if speed figures are any indication. Not sure she’ll get the quick pace needed to utilize her late move but it would be nice to see her go out with a strong finish.

Wide open race. Going to go with 4-ATMIDNIGHT but she is a slim pick. She’s making her first start after getting claimed. Late runner won two of her last three starts, both against claimers. She hasn’t had much success in allowance company but think those previous allowance fields were tougher than this one. If this race does come off the grass, think 6-LEGALLY LUCKY is the one to beat. She will run if the race stays on turf, she has a nice turf pedigree, but she didn’t show a lot in her lone turf race, as a maiden, in 2022 at Remington, despite going off as favorite. 1-ROAR OF SLIENCE lost her rider at the start of last, racing at this level, so we don’t know how she would have fared but she did win her previous two races. Top jock stays up for the top turf trainer. Deserves serious consideration.

3-RUN FOR YOUR HONEY drops to make her first start for this barn. East Coast shipper turns back in distance and returns to the main track. She has had far more route races than sprints but that shouldn’t make any difference. This barn does well with runners making their first starts for them. The class drop in a big help. 1-LOST SUNSET could be alone on the lead. She was in much too tough in last but she did wire the fields in her previous two starts. She’s likely to be favored to do it again. 8-ALLOTROPE is another dropper. She might be the only one capable of challenging Lost Sunset for the lead. She has been competitive in most races this year and she could be a major player once again.

This is the best race we have had here this year. Ten of the 12 runners in here probably have a legitimate chance to win. But I landed on 9-NINEELEVENTURBO but without a lot of conviction. I like his tactical speed which will allow him to stay in contact with the early leaders without trying for the lead himself. I like that he has shown the ability to handle “off” turf courses which our course will most certainly be. And, I have always been a fan of his barn. 3-ANOTHER MYSTERY will probably be overlooked by most but he’s on his home course, he’s had success in graded stakes company, and his tremendous closing move should benefit from what is likely to be a hotly contested early pace. He might be a bit slower than in years past and this will be the first time this year he races without Lasix but think he’ll still be flying late. 1-HE’SPUREGOLD doesn’t win every race but he’s a highly consistent runner that has made a pretty good living in this kind of stakes race. I appreciate that his regular rider comes in with him. He’ll be tracking the pace, racing within striking distance throughout. 8-STITCHED would have looked like a major player in a race like this last year but this year has been a different story. We’ll see if he wakes up. 

8-COOL QUARTET could be dropping into a winning spot. He didn’t show much in his first two starts after getting claimed by this barn but woke up in last and finished a good third in better company. 5-STRONGER TOGETHER also drops. He finished a couple lengths behind top pick in last after vying for the early lead. If he can relax a bit more early he might finish with something left. 4-NOT VERY GENTLE made an unexpected move to challenge for the lead in midstretch in last but he isn’t that kind of runner. He faded badly. Would expect him to race midpack in this race and save his one move for the stretch run. 

Very nice race for this level. Have to go with 8-EVEN THE WIND. He drops a few levels for this even though he’s been running well at higher levels. 2-SENDERO didn’t show much in his first few starts for the local leading barn but was able to pull it together to score a narrow win going nine furlongs at Colonial in last. He was losing ground late but this race is a sixteenth shorter which might suit him better. 1-CAUGHT OFF GUARD had some good races when they were running him against similar on the lawn at Canterbury. He seems a bit off form but think he could be in a good wake-up spot. 6-SPACONE has had two races, both on grass, and he wired the fields in both. Speed figures suggest he’s slower than many in here but wouldn’t ignore anything this barn ships in here.