Handicapper Tips & Picks

Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes: 

#13 NANDA DEA takes the step up in class for this second stateside start and still reasonable in stakes company to start out 2025. She was professional under J. Ortiz picking up the allowance win in October at KEE and looks very fit and race ready training into this race shipping in for the connections. 

#7 AUSTERE has been patient waiting for this stakes race scratched from the Pago Hop when that event was moved to the main track last month. AUSTERE brings in current form with the allowance return win off the layoff in November and back class to compete in stakes company from the juvenile/sophomore seasons. 

#6 WAY TO BE MARIE returns from a BTL effort making a CLOSE X_FLOW in the Pago Hop on the main track. The connections had entered MTO in the past and has shown a level of surface versatility should that come back into play.

SILVERBULLETDAY STAKES: 

#1 CHASTEN looks pointed to this race and to start the sophomore season following a dominate/B+ debut win back in November at CD. They have not missed a beat training at FG since that race and to point here. As far as the rail and stretch out in distance they have tactical speed, stamina (the 12/16 drill) and class despite coming from off the pace in the 7f debut and would not be a surprise to see F. Geroux show early speed especially if there is an off-track. Brad Cox does many things well in the game of horse racing and one of those in this particular category (1/2020 to present) of sophomore dirt stakes fillies at the FG with positive $1.16 ROI with 45% winners and 75% in the money.

Trainer K. McPeek shows up with a trio in this race with #2 GOLDEN GAMBLE coming off a place finish in the Untapable Stakes last month likely the fancied of the set. A lot of her race could have been attributed to the paddock behavior, very MANIC and did not appear focused on the day and something to follow here. The other two fillies hold ability as they step up off MSW wins over this course and distance: #6 GOWELLS DELIGHT stepping up to take on winners off a smart debut around two turns and similar for #7 SHE'S A SWEDE catching an off-track with the layoff win just 20-days ago. 

W. Beckman also with a strong hand with a pair returning from different races last month. #3 SIMPLY JOKING showed talent breaking their maiden in stakes company and earned the highest recorded figure in the field in the process though will be tested with distance giving up that experience to others in this field. That includes their stablemate #4 DREXEL HILL one that recorded a BTL and B- OptixGRADE in the Untapable Stakes, the same GRADE as GOLDEN GAMBLE and #5 CALIFORNIA SUNSET despite the change in finishing position. The trip for DREXEL HILL was compromised by the break/TROUBLE_S, race dynamic (Very Slow early) and lacking ROOM SAVED made a CLOSE into that Very Slow early and Slow late pace and continued to GALLOP+ after the wire.