Handicapper Tips & Picks

Two in here with speed in Ardis and Cat Attack. If they both hook up, it could set things up for 4-IZZY'S MONSTER to rate just off the pace and take over in the lane. The horse loves this Hawthorne strip and has put in a good string of drills toward the return. I expect she's sharp at first asking. 3-CAT ATTACK has done much of her best running on the turf, but she posted some main track races last spring that were sharp as well. She has speed, but will need to avoid hooking up with Ardis early as she gets Centeno aboard today. With Centeno riding Cat Attack, that shifts her regular rider, Julio Felix, over to 2-ARDIS in this spot. Ardis steps up off the claim in here as she has speed. With the inside draw I expect she is sent as we will see if Cat Attack heads out with her early.

A solid field of three-year-olds in the second as there's a good amount of pace in here. While he broke his maiden in his career debut on the front end, I expect 6-MISSISSIPPI MAN to actually rate just behind the pace in here and look to run on in the lane. He drew clear after setting soft fractions in his debut as has worked well since that start. 3-VIA DEL CORSO was game in victory in his first start on opening weekend as he stalked and pounced late. The added eighth could benefit him here as he's another that figures to rally behind a heated pace. 2-CARAMBASO showed speed at this level in his first start of the meet as he battled into the lane before giving way. We will see if he is sent away again early in here and if he can clear the lead.

He's 10 years old, and he's still awesome as 4-READTHECLIFFNOTES makes his first start of 2025. He's as game as a racehorse comes, finding the money in 19 of 27 Hawthorne starts. He has tactical speed and with some others likely to show some pace in here, he figures to rally in the lane. 5-CATEGORY TEN is another that has been fantastic at Hawthorne, finding the board in nine of 10 Hawthorne starts. He should be sitting a bit closer early on and figures to welcome the return to the Hawthorne dirt. 3-SOUL COAXING will likely be rating mid-pack early and closing some ground in the lane. His last two victories have come with Cohen in the saddle and both from stalking positions. Expect him to contend much of the way.

A solid maiden field in the fifth as a bridge race, ending the early P4 and P5 and a part of all late Pick wagers. The likely favorite and one to beat is 2-MONDOGETSBUCKETS as he comes off a near miss in his first start of the meet. If Via Del Corso runs well against winners in race 2 on this card, that will flatter the chances of this runner. The added distance should help and I expect there's enough pace to chase. 9-HIGH PROBABILITY could be a sleeper in this spot as he makes his first start as a three-year-old today. He took a ton of action in his debut, being sent away as the even money choice. He showed speed before tiring in that spot. He comes into this race with Lasix and a nice string of drills as he figures to be sent for position from the outside draw. 8-STEELY EYE also gets Lasix in here, this time for his debut as Loveberry take the call for Tanner Tracy. His recent works show he's primed for a big effort as I look forward to seeing how he looks visually in the paddock prior to the race.

2-NILES CHANNEL ran a big race in his first start of the meet, just missing as he battled near the front and was run down late. There was no early pace in that event, but things look much different in here as he figures to rate in the second flight from the inside draw and run on in the lane. 5-CODE RUNNER ran well in his last, facing starter company in that spot. He is another that will benefit from some early pace to chase as he should be closing quickest of all late. 1-STRONGER TOGETHER was game in that same race as Code Runner last out as he set the early fractions and battled the entire way. There's a couple of others in here with the potential to challenge early but he figures to have to go from the rail draw.

In a race that doesn't have much pace, 1-HONOR HIS HALF looks to be in full control from start to finish with the rail draw. She ran a game race at this level in her last, battling to the wire. Today I don't expect she is challenged as she could relax early while going the added 16th. 5-QUEEN ANNA T may be the closest to Honor His Half early as she comes out of the same race in her last. She is one that will welcome the added distance as she figures to pick off horses in the lane. 3-FREEDOM ATTACK makes her first start of 2025 as she has just the one work toward the return. We may see her in the second flight early as she looks to rally in the stretch.