Handicapper Tips & Picks

A race that is often tough to fill, we get a really solid field at this level to open the Sunday card. Giving the nod to 5-STRANGE ARRANGE as he has speed, loves this track and shouldn't have much company early. Everything lines up for a solid performance. 4-YO DAWG is another that has run well at Hawthorne as he has three works leading into his 2025 debut. Although winless at this distance, he has found the money in seven of nine starts and should be running on late. 2-GAVEL has enough speed to chase early. He may be the most fit coming into here as he has trained or raced through the winter. Cohen has won aboard him in the past and is back up once again.

With the hope of a contested pace early, we will take a shot at a bit of an upset in here and look to 1-ACCELERATING BABE on top. She has run second in all three Hawthorne starts and comes in off a pair of good Oaklawn starts. With the two favorites potentially battling early, she could rate and run by late. 2-SHE'S INTHEARMYNOW has speed and will have to go from the inside draw. She was a good winner in New Orleans in her last and figures to contend every step of the way. 4-DIAMONDS JOY runs for the hot Rodriguez barn. She steps up a bit off her recent starts and tends to dig in when challenged. She likes this track and just needs to avoid a pace battle early.

Route runners as fitness will be the key in here. With a race under his belt, 2-DANVILLE returns quickly but should be tough on the return. He should be in a good stalking spot in here and looking to catch the pace of Midnight Blue Note late. If he can slow things down early, 3-MIDNIGHT BLUE NOTE should be able to set slow early fractions and may have enough to hang around late. He likes this track and has managed to get in four workouts leading to his return. 1-MISTER CHARMING sprinted here last week and likely needed that start. He's better around two turns and has the potential to pick off some runners late.

Bottom level maidens go two turns. 3-MALIBU FINALE ran well while sprinting here last week. He chased and ran on late in that spot and now stretches out today. With Money Agent being the only pace in here, and likely needing a race, Malibu Finale should be able to stalk the early pace and take over into the lane. 6-RAMESSES also ran well here last week as he figures to improve on the stretch. He drops in class and looks to take a good amount of action. 1-WAYLLEN RICHARD ran a good race around two turns in his last. He draws the rail for solid connections and may look to show more early speed.

A really solid allowance field of sprinters with a couple with early speed. Thinking 5-GOLDEN HORNET is going to be the fastest of all as he makes his return to the races after a year. He has worked consistently and gets Loveberry back in the saddle. 6-IT'S BOBS BUSINESS is the other with speed who also comes back off a rest. He has worked consistently as well and may eventually head to the grass but he still merits a look in this dirt sprint. 7-CORTESE has run well at Hawthorne as he comes back in from New Orleans for this start. He was a smart claim for $10k three back and should be competitive for four times that amount today.

Looking for a slight upset in here as I'm hoping there's enough pace for 7-ROCKET HOTSHOT to chase. He likes this Hawthorne strip and is fit off his Fair Grounds races. 1-DOUBLE THUNDER has enough speed to get into the mix as he should take advantage of the rail draw. He has run 1st or 2nd in all six Hawthorne starts as he figures to be the likely favorite. 2-SIXWILLBERICH has been popular at the claim box, being claimed in each of his last four starts. He runs protected today which is a positive sign as he could look to rate closer early today.