Handicapper Tips & Picks

4-BREAKING NEWS drops but that move makes far more sense than the drop of Alto Road. He was simply in too deep in last but he’s generally been a tough competitor when racing at levels similar to this. Obvious favorite 1-ALTO ROAD suspiciously drops after beating a better field in last in Indiana. He had been claimed from even better in his prior two starts. He’s starting for another different barn today. Not sure why the drop but there must be a reason. 5-HURTS SO BAD looks like the best of the rest. He likes the front end but has shown the ability to come on late in required but would like him better if this race was at five or five and a half furlongs. 

1-LALY makes her first start of the year and her first start against winners but she does look like the best of the speed. She has had many drills getting ready for this event. Loveberry in the irons is certainly a plus. 4-CALLAS came flying in last but was just a smidge too late. She has shown similar moves in the past but seldom puts on that kind of display two races in a row. On the plus side, the pace will set up. On the negative side, she’s been a router most of her career. Guess we’ll see if she can close like that twice in a row. 3-REALTA is worth another look, depending on the weather. She’s never shown a lot but her lone win came on an off track and rain is more than possible. 

I find it a bit strange that they are dropping 4-ROSE'S WISH. She just finished second versus maiden specials on turf and two starts back she finished a good third versus maiden specials on dirt. She’s certainly not a standout but there should be plenty of pace to set up for her late move and the long sprint distance is certainly within her range. 9-TRINITY'S PRIZE exits a strange race. She finished third, 22 lengths behind the winner and 16 lengths behind the second-place finisher. But that second-place finisher came back to win her next race. This filly is an Illinois-bred meeting open company but she has been training very well since that last start. She’s bred for the turf and her barn wins with 33% of runners making their second starts. 6-W W BEST OF TIMES showed little in four of her five races but she led nearly all the way the last time she raced on turf. That race was at this distance at a higher level. Expecting her to be prominent throughout today. 

This looks like the right spot for 5-DIAMONDS JOY. Ignore last. That was her turf debut and she obviously didn’t like the surface. She had been competitive in most of her starts over the last year prior to that race. She’s back on the right surface and back at the right distance. Should be a major player once again. 3-WRITTEN CONSENT might be in a little tough but she’s one of the few in here that is likely to come from off the pace in what looks like a speed-filled race. Plus, she just finished second in similar. 6-ANNA AFTER MIDNIGHT might be the quickest of these. Like top choice, she didn’t handle turf in last but she did wire the previous two fields she faced. 

Another strange race. 7-DARK VINTAGE showed plenty ability in New York and California in 2023 as a 2yo but was then sent to Great Britain in 2024 as a 3yo and failed to make an impact. So, he was sent back to the US. He started once at Churchill early in June and finished 10th, though there were a couple promising aspects to his race. Now he’s at Hawthorne and meeting possible his easiest field ever, racing for the top turf trainer. Have to give him another chance. 9-MARTINI MAN makes his 2025 and local debut. He ran well in all his previous turf sprints, wiring the fields in two of the three and finishing second in the other. He’s going to have to fight for the lead but works say he’s ready. 1-VIA DEL CORSO makes his turf debut but he’s certainly bred for it. Figures to b stalking the early pace. Late attack could get him past his rivals. 

7-BOURBON STREET BOY tired badly in all his races but all were on dirt and he’s bred to love the lawn. Think he’ll be able to grab a fairly easy lead. The trick will be staying there. 11-MONEY AGENT didn’t show a thing in his first five turf races but he suddenly awoke in last and flew late to just miss. Stretches out today but last might have been his wake-up call. 2-LONE RETURN has had a lot of turf races with little success but all have been against better. Finally drops. Could easily be the best of these.