Handicapper Tips & Picks

3-DIAMONDS JOY could get the right trip. Dominant claiming winner of last couldn’t get by the speedy She’s Inthearmynow the last time they met but there could be a more contested pace in this race, possibly setting up for this mare’s sneaky late move. 5-SHE'S INTHEARMYNOW finds an easier spot. She’s hasn’t been quite good enough to tackle allowance company but she was a convincing winner the last time she took on rivals like these, including beating the top choice. 6-ECHO DREAMER wired the field in last under constant pressure but she’s been just as successful when coming from off the pace.  

5-TRAIL RIDGE ROAD could make it two in a row. She’s not likely to get the blistering pace ahead of her today but this stakes-winning mare will still have dead aim on the early speed by the time they reach midstretch. It might be worth taking another look at 1-UNION DOLLY. She really hasn’t shown a lot of it lately but she might be the quickest runner in this field. She made a nice middle move to get the lead in last but couldn’t sustain it. She might be able to steal this if they send her from the gate. 2-PRANCIPANTS is another who could be worth another look. She’s been racing against cheaper with mixed success over the last couple years but she was very good here on the last in 2023 and was meeting runners similar to these. Could awaken. 

5-LATE BLACKSMITH drops to the lowest level of his career. Can’t like the way he folded in his last two starts but have to figure that he’ll stay more competitive in this easier field. 4-TALLAPOOSA just finished second at this level. He wasn’t a match for the winner but he did finish well clear of the rest of the field. He’s finished third of better in four of his five races this year. Should be a major player once again. 3-CAN MAN DO needed last. He displayed good early speed but simply ran out of gas in his first start of the year. Figures to challenge for the early lead once again and might stay close throughout. 

4-OY GEVALD “should” be the one to beat. I say should because he never ran on turf and he’s coming off a dull effort. But this well-bred runner had some very good races at Oaklawn, his speed figures tower over those of his rivals, and he’s training well toward his local debut. Trainer Chris Block sends out a pair in 2-URBAN RULER and 6-NO AH A. Urban Ruler tired badly in his debut in Indiana but he was racing for a different barn then. Turns back in distance while making his debut for the Block barn. Would expect him to stay engaged far longer in this spot. No Ah A makes his debut off a series of good drills. Think he’ll be sent early. 1-MIDTERM might be the quickest of the group. 

8-HOODLUM makes his local debut. He’s been pretty successful (won seven of 30) races while racing on tougher circuits. He’s capable of running well on or off the lead though with all the speed in this race would expect his rider to be tracking the pace and to come on late. 5-DICK BEST and 3-CHAOS REIGNS could be fighting for the lead from start to finish. Dick Best just blew away a similar field by nine lengths while Chaos Reigns was equally impressive taking his last two over rivals at this level. 9-READTHECLIFFNOTES and 7-CALIBRATE will be racing at their lowest levels ever. 

Another tough race to try to figure out. 2-WILDWOOD SICILIAN is far from a strong choice but he’s always done well on this track when racing at the right level. He showed little at Prairie Meadows in last but he was in against tougher and making his first start of the year. 1-I GOT NO MONEY isn’t the quickest member of this field but he’s not likely to be far off the pace. He’s another shipping in from Prairie and another dropping to an easier level. 6-GAVEL has decent speed but he’s probably better when coming from out of it. He’s had four local starts, winning two and finishing second in the other pair. 7-TWIRLING ROSES is a nine-time winner at Hawthorne. He had excuses in his last two but he did win here three races back, the last time he was in the right spot.  

2-ANOTHER MYSTERY is always tough, especially on this course. He’s had eight local turf starts. He won six of those and finished second in the other two. He’s approaching $1,000,000 in earnings. The pace will set up perfectly for his late run. He’ll have dead aim at the lead by the time they get to mid-stretch. 4-LAMPLIGHTER JACK might display the best sustained speed. There are a couple other runners in here that might be quicker but they are making their first start of the year and could run out of gas sooner. 7-TOWERING STORM, stablemate of top choice, is lightly races compared to the rest of the field but he did come in second to his teammate the last time he raced and he might be able to do it again.  

4-LOST SUNSET was in too tough in last and getting off to a bad start surely didn’t help. But she’s been good when racing at levels like this. Wakes up with the drop. 6-HONOR HIS HALF is likely to go right for the lead. She does tend to tire late and she’ll probably be fighting top choice for the front end but wouldn’t be surprised if she broke on top and took it all the way. 5-WILDWOOD QUEEN unleashed an impressive late move to win her last start. Meets a tougher group today but a similar late move today would place her squarely in the hunt.