Handicapper Tips & Picks

3-EYE DEE KAY showed little and didn’t beat a rival in his first start after getting claimed by this barn but he is likely to find a perfect pace scenario in this race, his local debut. Virtually all of his rivals have varying degrees of speed and he could be the best closer of the bunch. Obviously 1-GOLDEN HORNET is a major threat. He’s probably the quickest member of this field but he doesn’t seem to like getting hooked on the front end. There’s no guarantee that he’ll wire the field even if he doesn’t face any early pressure but it does seem unlikely that he’ll be unchallenged for long. 6-GAVEL, stablemate of Golden Hornet is the other likely to come from off the pace though he often displayed good speed in the past. He came from off the pace to beat a similar field at a shorter distance in last. Could try the same tactic today.

In my head, I keep trying to beat 2-WINGING WAYS in this race but I just can’t find a way to do it. It’s true that he’s making his first start of the year but he has won off layoffs. His drills have been sufficient. He wired the fields in his last three starts and says catch me today.  3-HURTS SO BAD is nearly as quick as top choice. He tired in his first start of the year but that should have strengthened his foundation and he could be right there with top choice all the way around. 1-HATCHET CREEK makes his third start off the layoff. He doesn’t have a big closing move but it seems likely that he’ll make up ground if all the speedsters tire.

I’m going to toss out the 2-MONEY AGENT’S last race. He was making his first start of the year off one three-furlong published drill. He obviously needed more. He raced at this level twice last year and finished second both times. He owns pretty good speed and would expect him to display more staying power today. 4-MALIBU FINALE tired in last when they stretched him out for the first time. But there’s a good possibility that he’ll improve from the experience. He appears to be the quickest and could be first from the gate. Can stay there throughout. 1-RAYFIELD finished third in his first start of the meet. He did that despite running into the gate at the start. Now that he’s at the right level he can fare even better with a clean trip.

2-MEMPHIS CASH QUEEN makes her third start of the year. Her first race was too short and she was in too tough in last. With the drop to the right level, she should be tough to beat. 5-PASTA SALAD RHONDA was so much the best in last, her local debut. She was claimed from that start and moves up in class but the rider that was aboard for the win is back as the pilot. Not sure if that race was an aberration, she hadn’t been in the best of form for a while, but if she can repeat that effort, she’s going to be awfully tough to beat in this spot. 6-AUTUMN COMPASSION just finished second versus similar. That was her first race since January, her first start at Hawthorne, and her first race for this barn. Seems likely to be a major player once again. 

With all the sure-to-tire speed in this race, the pace could set up perfectly for a closer. Unfortunately, none in here really fit that description but 6-U S HONOR NAP might be the most capable of making a late run. He ran out of gas in last but he did make a big middle move to grab the lead before fading. If better timed, it could be the winning move today.  Not sure old timer 3-MIDNIGHT BLUE NOTE has a lot left in the tank but I think he could still be the best of this group. He faded a bit in his first start of the year but that might have been the tightener he needed. 4-GITA’S LAD is most likely to go for the lead. He faded in both starts this year but there’s always a chance he’ll hang on. 

Not in love with 3-STRANGE ARRANGE but he was in consistently great form last year, he finished a strong second in his first start this year, and he was claimed by one hot barn from another in that last race. He does like the front end, like most of his rivals, but sharp rider in the irons might be able to get him to relax early and save something for the stretch run. 4-YO DAWG is another who needed last. He tired while pressing the pace but it’s his more natural closing ability that will be valuable in this speed-filled race. 7-BALADINE was razor sharp and razor tough in his first start of the year. He fought for the lead every step of the way and got nipped at the wire by a late running rival. He could be every bit as tenacious today.

10-ELIZA VANCE makes her first start since August. She’s one of two in this race starting for the Rivelli barn. She was barely beaten in her last start, racing against the boys. Gets first Lasix. Gets Loveberry in the irons even though he rode the other Rivelli runner in last, who was narrowly beaten. Slim pick. The other Rivelli-trained runner 7-SPINNING GLORY might make more sense. She ran well in her first two starts at Turfway and then again in her first race here when she fought hard for the lead but had to settle for second place. 2-CLEOPATRA SELENE hasn’t raced since December of 2023 but she has been training forwardly for a barn that is good with layoff horses. Plus, shipping her here might be a vote of confidence, especially since they are bringing in their own rider.