Handicapper Tips & Picks

2-ELODINE got good late last year and hasn’t slowed down. She finished in the money in her last eight but has been especially good lately, winning three of her last four and finishing second in the other. Good speed should propel her right to the early lead. Might not get caught. Trainer Chris Block has a pair in the race. 3-CURLS NITE OUT might be the better of the two. She couldn’t handle good claimers at Churchill in her most recent race but she did win an allowance here in her prior start here, beating the highly-regarded Starina. 5-SUPRISE ME AGAIN’s first start of the meet wasn’t great but there was some promise. She stretches to what should be a better distance. She’ll do her best running late. The extra real estate can only help. 

5-DANVILLE was pretty much outmatched when taking on allowance rivals in his most recent start but he drops to a level where he should be far more successful. He won his previous two against claimers similar to these. Could get back on the winning track. 4-EUCLID AVENUE is another who will have a far better chance at this level. He has shown little in his first two races of the meet but he did wire the field at Oaklawn, beating higher-priced claimers, three races back. 3-MON AMI FUZZIE and 1-REGIMENTAL both won their last races and both are capable of finishing with a rush.

8-SAWYER FOX returns from a long layoff. He always showed ability and he finished second versus good open allowance company in his lone turf race but he is making his first start since September of 2023. However, trust the connections and trust the good workouts. He should be ready for these Illinois breds. It seems like a wide open race after top pick. Think 4-PONCHO ATTACK has a better chance than most. His recent form has been terrible but he was generally competitive in his local turf races and he finished second the last time he met Illinois breds. 3-TAKE IT AWAY makes his turf debut. He doesn’t appear to be quite as quick as top choice but there’s no guarantee that Sawyer Fox is still that quick coming off a year and a half layoff. 

This could be an interesting race.  4-TALLAPOUSA could get the right trip. He looked extra sharp in last while scoring his second career victory. With Secession and The Ridge likely to be fighting it out on the front end, he could be tracking that heated pace and run by late, though would like his chances better if this race was six furlongs. 1-SECESSION ran out of gas late in last at Fairmount while meeting runners at a higher claiming level but he dominated runners here in his previous start. Drops a notch in claiming price but runs into some other quick rivals that are going to give him a run for the money, at least early. 6-THE RIDGE displayed good speed in last, his first start since August but he seemed pretty gassed after a half mile and faded to last. Chances are he’ll be fitter for this race, however, and he could go head-to-head with Secession all the way around. 

5-TWO HEARTED can win right back. She surprised many of these rivals with a $28 score in her last start. But she has showed marked improvement with each passing start since getting claimed by this barn. The pace of this race should be honest. She could run them down again. 2-PASTA SALAD RHONDA is in great form right now. She was narrowly beaten in her two starts since getting claimed by this barn. Meets many of the same rivals today but it could finally be her turn. 3-AUTISM COMPASSION could turn out to be the best of the speed. She won her last after tracking the early pace, beating many of these same rivals. She probably won’t be left alone on the early lead but maybe she can put her other speedy rivals away.  

2-BALLYBAY BEAUTY was favored in her lone start but never seemed to recover after getting off to a poor start. Tries turf for sharp connections. Have to give her another chance. 1-SHAN'S REQUEST might do it at first asking. This well-bred runner has had a series of good workouts coming into her career debut. Could be ready for these. 8-SADIE'S SWEET RIDE is hard to figure. She races for one of the top turf barns, but she didn’t get a lot of action at the windows and she didn’t show much in her lone start. Still, anything racing for the Block barn, especially on the lawn, deserves serious consideration.