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Hawthorne Race Course

Handicapping Analysis
Thu June 5th, 2025

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Ron's Picks

Hawthorne Race 1

Post Time 2:40 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
5 Racing the Light - 5/2 6 La Clasica - 7/2 3 Savvy Smila - 4/1

5-RACING THE LIGHT adds blinkers. She raced competitively in all her races, including a turf try in last while making her turf debut. But she’s back on dirt for this race. Should never be far off the pace. Might prevail. 6-LA CLASICA has a similar running style to that of top choice. She just missed as the favorite when she raced here three weeks ago but then didn’t far quite as well in a race downstate. Still, we know she’s in decent form. Could be the first to cross the wire. I have to give 3-SAVVY SMILA another chance. She’s an Illinois bred meeting open company and she was thoroughly beaten in her debut but this is a far easier field. Might have improved from the experience.

Hawthorne Race 2

Post Time 3:06 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
7 Regained Power - 20/1 1 Professor Higgins - 3/1 4 Via Del Corso - 5/2

7-REGAINED POWER had a couple turf races that were horrible but this race has been moved to the main track and he has been far better on this surface. Drops in class and turns back in distance. He looks like the only real speed. Has to be caught. 1-PROFESSOR HIGGINS has been far more productive on the lawn but his speed figures suggest that even on dirt he’s among the fastest of these. 4-VIA DEL CORSO showed little in the two races since breaking his maiden but he was in against better both times. Would expect him to be far more competitive against this type. 

Hawthorne Race 3

Post Time 3:30 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
3 Stagflation - 5/1 6 Accelerating Babe - 7/2 4 Lady Helena - 3/1

3-STAGFLATION made freaky improvement since getting claimed by this barn. She broke her maiden by 13 lengths in her first start for them, defeating six rivals and dusted her next field by six, defeating nine. This will be her toughest test yet since moving to this barn but if she runs the way she did in last two, she could leave them in her dust again. 6-ACCELERATING BABE, new stablemate of top choice, is certainly worth another look. She showed little in last, after getting claimed by a barn and making only one start for them but now moves to a barn that sports a 30% win average for runners debuting for them. She had been in good form prior to that last start, while racing here and at Oaklawn. She could prove tough to beat. 4-LADY HELENA flailed as the favorite in last but she had been red hot prior to that start, winning three in a row and narrowly missing in the other of her prior four starts. She’ll be meeting somewhat easier in this spot. Has a good chance to bounce back. 

Hawthorne Race 4

Post Time 3:55 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
10 Uncashed - 5/2 8 Twirling Roses - 4/1 5 Congrats On Fifty - 9/2 3 Big Vince - 3/1 6 Unpredictable Bay - 8/1

This race became more interesting since getting switched to dirt. Probably have to give the nod to multiple stakes winner 10-UNCASHED. He was terrific as a 3yo but must have had some issues in his last start of that campaign since he was given over a year off after that campaign and had only one race as a four year old. He’s not quite the runner he was at three but he has managed to win two of his six races this year and he was favored in five of the six 2025 races. He might not be the quickest of these but he’s going to be right there throughout. Love the versatility of 8-TWIRLING ROSES. He runs well both on and off the pace and his nine local wins, from 25 tries, lets you know that he loves this track. Can they catch 5-CONGRATS ON FIFTY? He was entered for turf but he’s been better on the main track and the short five-furlong distance works in his favor. 3-BIG VINCE, stablemate on top choice, never ran on dirt but he is stakes-placed in his last two. He has loved the front end in his races but doesn’t seem to be quite as quick as a couple others in this field. 6-UNPREDICTABLE BAY fits well from a pace standpoint but it could come down to a matter of timing. At this short distance he might have to get moving sooner than would be optimal.

Hawthorne Race 5

Post Time 4:21 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
3 Readthecliffnotes - 9/2 8 Empire Builder - 3/1 4 Megan's Honor - 7/2

3-READTHECLIFFNOTES might be 10 but he’s still as game as they get. He finished second in last at this level while making his first start since October. Had two strong works since that race. Should be at the top of his game. 8-EMPIRE BUILDER races for the first time in three months and most of his works have been on the slow side but he has been very quick and has had some success off layoffs. However, he’s a six-year-old and he’s managed only six races over the last two years. He generally races competitively but those layoffs are a concern. 4-MEGAN’S HONOR will finish fast. There should be plenty of speed ahead of her and her pilot should have dead aim at the lead by the time they hit midstretch. 

Hawthorne Race 6

Post Time 4:47 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
6 Steampunk - 4/1 4 Lemon Bomb - 6/1 8 Little Poison - 6/1

It looks like most members of this field will be trying for the lead. Two who won’t be, 6-STEAMPUNK and 4-LEMON BOMB, will do their best running late. Steampunk has always faced better on a tougher circuit. She tired in a tough route race at Churchill in her first start in seven months but that race should have set her up perfectly for this sprint. Lemon Bomb owns good route speed but she’s not as quick as most of these sprinters. She did lead most of the way in her last two routes but think she’ll be a bit farther back early in this contest but could finish full of run. 8-LITTLE POISON has dangerous speed and she could be meeting her easiest field ever. She’s making her first start of the year but she had a win and a narrow loss in the two races where she ran fresh.

Hawthorne Race 7

Post Time 5:13 PM CST
Analysis by Ron Uchman
1 Gabe's Choice - 10/1 8 Gunny Sack - 7/2 7 Frontier Marshal - 4/1

Wide open race but going to go with 1-GABE’S CHOICE. He showed little in his debut but he was in against open company and he had considerable trouble at the start. Guessing that with a race behind him and the move to Illinois breds, he’ll be far tougher. 8-GUNNY SACK raced in second throughout in his career debut. That race was on turf. Many think that turf races make the perfect prep for dirt. He does have speed. Should be close throughout. 7-FRONTIER MARSHALL meets Illinois breds for the first time. He was much improved with first Lasix in his last start. He could be the quickest of these. Might not get caught.