Handicapper Tips & Picks

3-DESSERT FIRST was claimed from a similar event last time out. She doesn’t have a strong closing move but she is likely to finish with good energy while stalking what should be a heated pace ahead of her. The shorter distance of this race is the main concern. 4-HONOR HIS HALF might hold a slight speed edge. She fought for the lead in both local starts and held on fairly well. She’ll have to fight for the front end once again but she is making her third start over the track and she’s cutting back in distance. 1-FAST N HAPPY finished fourth behind the top pair in last but she generally races competitively. There are no standouts in this race. It could be her turn.

There is plenty of early speed in this race and the front end could be hotly contested but I’m still going to go with 2-SPINNING GLORY as the one to beat. She led most of the way in all three of her races. Narrowly lost her local debut. Tries turf for the first time but is bred to handle it. There are two Illinois-bred first timers that could be good. 9-WEDNESDAY ADAMS and 7-SADIE’S SWEET RIDE. Both come from sharp barns that do well with first timers and both are bred to thrive on the lawn. 11-ESCOVEDO, stablemate of top choice, tired late in her lone turf start back in December. She’s had some strange drills coming into this race. Some have been brilliant, some have been glacial. Not sure how she’ll do.

If 4-SHAMEN SEZ runs the way he did in last, it’s unlikely that any of his current rivals will beat him. However, he hadn’t shown that kind of ability in any race since his maiden win last year at Canterbury. Will he regress or build on that effort? Guess we’ll see. 1-MINIMO turns back in distance. He displayed decent route speed in last but just ran out of gas. He won’t be close early in this race but think he’ll be able to finish with good energy and could pass all the tiring speed. 3-IDIOSYNCRACIES is probably first from the gate. Has a legitimate chance to wire the field. 2-FREEDOM EMPIRE just graduated. He often displayed speed in his recent races but those times at the Arizona track don’t always equate to our deeper track. 

8-COALMINER’S KITTEN has been on a pretty nice roll since moving to this barn. He crushed bottom level claimers in his first start for them and then had a win and two close seconds in his three races since. He owns enough speed to stay close in the early going but will mount his best move once they turn for home. 1-WE MISS ARLINGTON faded as the favorite in last but he hadn’t shown much on the turf prior to that race so the extra attention was a little surprising. However, he did win his previous two races on dirt. He’s capable on or from right off the lead. Figures prominently either way. 6-ALL ABOUT TONITE looks like the quickest of these. He probably won’t get away unchallenged for the lead but, with the drop from allowance company in his second start for this hot barn, he might be able to put them all away.

Going to take a flyer with 9-BEADS. She hasn’t been in the best of form lately but the last time she ran on turf, she won and paid over $14. She didn’t show a lot in her other three turf races but those races were at Del Mar, Belmont, and Delaware. Jareth Loveberry rode her to victory in her lone turf score and will be the pilot today. Could surprise. 5-DEAL’EM AND WEEP’s 19-length maiden win was impressive but she was only facing five Illinois-bred fillies that day. She’s been training well but she will be meeting winners for the first time while coming off a seven-month layoff. Could be vulnerable. 3-ATMIDNIGHT has been in good recent form. She finished second in her last two, including her local debut. She’s probably the best deep closer in the field. Her chances improve if a fast pace develops. 

2-THERDGOESONFOREVER drops from allowance company. She’s shown only brief speed in her two races since her maiden victory but she should find the company far easier at this level. 9-ABSOLUTE MIRACLE also drops. She didn’t beat a rival in her local debut but, like top choice, she’s going to be meeting an easier field this time out. 6-BABE IN THE WOODS has been better on turf but there is a lot of speed ahead of her in this race and I am expecting her to display some late run.

7-TRAIL RIDGE ROAD tailed off at the end of last year and didn’t show a thing in her 2025 debut so the drop into claimers in warranted. Makes her second start off the layoff and many runners improve when doing that. Guessing she’s due for a bounce back effort. 6-MIDNIGHT BELLA takes a much-needed drop in class while making her local debut and her first start for this barn. The pace of this race should be brisk which plays right into her strong late kick. 4-EXCELERINA is another dropper. She split the field in last, her Hawthorne debut. She might not get the early lead but think she’ll be in front by the time they turn for home. At this level she might still be there at the finish.