Handicapper Tips & Picks

2-SHIP IT completes the sprint-route-sprint cycle. She’s been running out of gas lately but she ships in from a far tougher meet. Her barn does well with runners turning back. 5-PIONEER PARADE improved after moving to this barn to start her 2025 season. She’s probably the quickest of these. She won her first start of the year but faded to third in last after grabbing the early lead. Might last the distance with the move back to dirt. 1-MEMPHIS CASH QUEEN is hard to gauge. She was in terrific form when she was running late last year but she hasn’t raced since September and she’s been far, far better going long. But she has been training well and her most recent form needs to be considered.

With every member of this field probably wanting the lead, it could look like a quarter horse race early. But think 1-CARAMBASO is the quickest and should be first to the lead. However, he does seem to fade quickly if he doesn’t get an easy early lead. Slim pick. 3-GOOD TO BE A PRINCE, like top choice, ships in from Louisiana. He is also a runner that likes the front end. He just broke his maiden. However, unlike top choice, he’s repeatedly carried his speed throughout in his recent races and has stayed competitive throughout. He would probably be the pick if this race was at six furlongs. I like the way 4-EXCELLENT EMPIRE has been working. All of his races have been in Iowa and he’s racing for the first time since September but he dueled for the lead throughout in last, his maiden victory, and he’ll be racing with first Lasix today.

It looks like claiming 1-SUPREMELY for $5k was a supremely smart claim. They already got their money back after he won his first start for this barn and now he’s eligible for these starter allowance races for a couple years. The barn and rider are already off to hot starts at the meet. This one could add fuel to the fire, although he could face considerable competition for the front end. 5-COALMINER’S KITTEN makes his first start of the year but he’s been training forwardly, he should get a near ideal pace setup in front of him and he’s another whose connections are already doing great. He dominated in his final start of 2024, his first race for this barn. Could pick up where he left off. 7-UNRAPTURED will be coming late. He won his last two at Turfway, where he was claimed from last. He’s been far more successful on synthetic tracks but has done enough on dirt to figure he can run with these.

5-PURPLE OCTOPUS could be a standout. It’s been 10 months since he raced but he has been training well for his return. Speedy sort was claimed from last by a barn that wins with 25% of their first time claims. The “tell” however, is that he’s coming back under the waiver-claiming rule that allows him to return to race at the last level he was claimed at in no danger of getting claimed. That says a lot for a barn that churns runners. 1-ALVIN is an interesting runner. He raced on opening day, going long, and finished far back. But he did display good early speed. It has to be noted that his barn wins with 27% of runners making their second starts off long layoffs and with 29% of runners making their second start within seven days of their last race. 6-CUPID’S WAR was an easy winner on opening day. He took the lead soon after the start and drew away to win as he pleased. However, he will be taking on tougher today and he probably isn’t the quickest of this bunch.

Hard race to “like” anybody in this race without a lot of early pace but I’ll take a flyer on 7-CHRISTMAS PRESENT. He’s had only one drill since his last race in October and he’ll be making his first start for a barn that doesn’t win a lot of races but he was in good form before going on vacation and he has always had an affinity for this track. 4-IDEA MAN is probably the one to beat. He won two of his last three races and had been in pretty good form for quite a while before those wins. He’s another that has always done well here. Could deliver at the low price that he’s likely draw.  5-DRAGON DREW looks like the best speed. However, virtually all of his success came on turf and synthetic and his previous dirt races leave a lot to be desired. But he will have the early lead. Might stay there.

5-ALDORA looks tough. She’s making her first start in a couple months but has continued to train well during that time. She wired the field here to break her maiden almost exactly a year ago but she’s just as capable when coming from right off the pace. 3-SUMMER OF MISCHIEF might be the quickest member of this field but it’s unlikely that she’ll be able to grab an unchallenged lead. However, she has been in competitive form for quite a while and doesn’t wilt under challenge. Might be able to put the rest of the speed away. 6-THERDGOESONFOREVER is an interesting runner. $300k purchase was dropped to low-level maiden claimer after a poor outing in her career debut. She responded with wire-to-wire win, from which she got claimed. She’s likely to try for the lead and could give Summer of Mischief a run for the money.

8-SMOKED doesn’t possess the best workouts but she’s a full sister to the brilliant multiple stakes winner Jean Elizabeth. If she possesses a third of her older sibling’s ability, she’s going to be tough to beat, especially for a barn that wins with 38% of their first timers. 2-ARRIVEDERCCI, stablemate of top choice, finished third in her career debut. That race took place in July when she was only two. She stumbled at the start and wasn’t able to recover in time in that very short sprint. But she’s a year older and she’s racing with first Lasix. Wouldn’t be a big surprise if she crossed the finish line first. 3-DISGUISED DEVIL has been training very well for her career debut. Her barn used to “own” the spring meet here. Just not too sure about the apprentice rider with only one victory in his brief career.