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Hawthorne Race Course

Handicapping Analysis
Thu May 8th, 2025

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Ron's Picks

Hawthorne Race 1

Post Time 2:40 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
5 Lily's Creed - 7/5 2 Lucy's Lookin Left - 9/5 1 No Nannette No - 3/1

5-LILY’S CREED is by no means a lock in this race but she split a better field in her first start of the meet and she possesses the highest average speed figures of any in here. Should be able to secure an easy lead with the stretch in distance. Might not get caught. 2-LUCY’S LOOKIN LEFT just finished second in similar. She really doesn’t own much speed but the rest of the field, with the exception of top choice, possesses even less. She could be tracking top choice all the way around. 1-NO NANNETTE NO did press the early pace in last but the early fractions she was chasing, :26 and :50.4 won’t win many speed contests.

Hawthorne Race 2

Post Time 3:05 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
2 Starina - 2/1 5 Code of Conduct - 6/1 6 Lemon Bomb - 5/2

2-STARINA is probably the one to beat. She just missed in her first race of the meet and also ran well here in two previous starts. She looks like the best closer in a race filled with early speed. Beaten favorite of last can make amends. 5-CODE OF CONDUCT won her local debut surprisingly easily. That was only her second start. She came from far back in a Fonner sprint in her debut but she led every step of the way to graduate in last. Her speed figures imply that she might be slower than many in here but we might not have seen the best of her in her limited starts. 6-LEMON BOMB, another beaten favorite, did display good speed to lead much of the way in her local debut and first start for her barn but she ran out of gas late. However, that was her first two-turn start of the year. Might be better prepared to get the distance with that race under her.

Hawthorne Race 3

Post Time 3:30 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
8 Night Blue [IRE] - 9/2 3 Wild Dreams - 5/2 4 Mary Moonglow - 3/1 6 Midnight Mary - 6/1

Interesting group for our first turf race of the year. The two Rivelli-trained runners might draw the lion’s share of the wagering and might deserve it but I looked in another direction. 8-NIGHT BLUE has had only two races in the US, one last year and one in 2025, but her race last year was a maiden special on the Del Mar turf and she closed with a rush to just miss. This race could be too short for her but she has the most turf experience and the figure she generated on turf was far higher than any achieved by any of her rivals. 3-WILD DREAMS has been training very well for her career debut. Her barn scores with a huge 42% winners from first-time starters and probably leads in every relevant category.  She gets the barn’s most regular rider in the irons. 4-MARY MOONGLOW, the other Rivelli-trained runner, has had two races, both on dirt, and she ran well in both of them. She doesn’t have a great turf pedigree, few in here do, but she does have speed and she could be right there throughout. There’s a good chance 6-MIDNIGHT MARY will get the early lead. Just not sure how long she’ll stay there.

Hawthorne Race 4

Post Time 3:55 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
2 Star of Kodiak - 2/1 5 Rotary Dial - 8/5 6 Stingy - 7/2

2-STAR OF KODIAK gets the nod. He was favored in many of his races last year and often lived up to the challenge. He was favored in his first start of this meet and rewarded his backers with a victory. The runner that finished second that day came back to win his next. He’s a versatile runner with the ability to win on or off the pace. Can make it two in a row. 5-ROTARY DIAL figures big time. He finished second in his last three, by ever decreasing margins. He was narrowly beaten in last, his local debut. The trip over the track and the longer distance of this race could work in his favor. 6-STINGY completes the sprint-route-sprint cycle. After winning his first start of the year and his first race for this barn, he finished up the track in his last two. But he is taking on a much easier group than the hard-knocking veterans he faced in last and doing it at what could be a better distance. 

Hawthorne Race 5

Post Time 4:21 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
3 Shady McGee [IRE] - 5/1 10 Wicked Suprise - 7/2 4 Temper Tantrum - 6/1 9 Mr. Universe - 30/1

Wow! Tough race. Can make a case for all in here. But going to take a shot with 3-SHADY MCGEE. He has been in poor form this year but he has been racing regularly so we know he’s fit. He could possibly be the best closer in this speed-filled field. He had past local success when racing against similar. Might get up in time. I would have picked 10-WICKED SUPRISE if he had an inside draw. He was in great form when 2024 ended and will probably be favored to pick up where he left off. However, he’s a front-running type and there is a plethora of other speed to his inside. He could have a tough time putting them away and finishing with something left to hold off the closers while he’s making his first start since October. 4-TEMPER TANTRUM has earned more on turf than any of his rivals and he does get the team of Rivelli and Loveberry in his corner. But his last few turf races left a lot to be desired. 9-MR UNIVERSE always met tougher. They thought enough of his ability to run him in the Grade 1 Bruce Duchossois a few years back. But he hasn’t raced since 2022 and he’ll be starting for a new barn for the first time. Still, he likes to come on late and the pace of this race certainly seems likely to set up for him.

Hawthorne Race 6

Post Time 4:47 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
1 Purple Octopus - 2/1 7 Idiosyncrasies - 4/1 5 Hawaiian Hide Away - 6/1

Will 1-PURPLE OCTOPUS finally get his second win? It does seem likely. He finished second in last three, all as the odds-on favorite. Am expecting him to press the pace and maybe outlast the rest of the speed. 7-IDIOSYNCRASIES could offer the main challenge. Recent grad was right there every step of the way in his local debut and managed to get up right as they were nearing the wire. He was claimed from that start by a barn that wins with 45% of their first-time claims. Figures to be right there throughout once again. 5-HAWAIIAN HIDE AWAY makes his first start in nearly a year. All five of his races last year were routes. But think he might be able the only one in this field that might possibly come on late in this sprint. 

Hawthorne Race 7

Post Time 5:13 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
8 Queen Judith - 5/1 7 Wanda Strong - 10/1 4 Cat Attack - 6/1 6 Miss River Rat - 8/1

Wide-open race. I think the pace of this race will be pretty heated so I’m going with a runner that comes from out of it. 8-QUEEN JUDITH fits that description well. Ignore her recent races. They were contested on synthetic. She’s at her best when racing on the lawn. A little concerned that this race might be a bit too short for her but do expect her to finish with good energy. 7-WANDA STRONG hasn’t had many poor efforts on turf and she’s been a bit of a specialist at this seven and a half furlong distance. Although she has been successful when coming from off the pace, she could be sent right up to the front end, which was the case in her last two wins. 4-CAT ATTACK also loves the front end. She won four of her eight races at the distance. 6-MISS RIVER RAT can finish with a rush. She finished in the money in her last nine races, winning twice. The pace will set up. Can get there.