Handicapper Tips & Picks

This is a surprisingly tough race for a contest at this level. 3-PASTA SALAD RHONDA is probably the one to beat. She’s dropping quite a few levels for this. The last time she ran against straight claimers near this level, she won by six. However, her speed figures aren’t really much higher than those of most of her rivals. 4-LILY’S CREED drops and stretches back out. She was a fast-closing third in last sprinting but she’s always been far better going long and her barn wins with 28% of those stretching out She’s likely to be on or close to the lead throughout. 1-TALL GIRL finished third in her last start, racing at this level, but she was claimed from that race by a barn that wins with 46% of their first-time claims. 5-LUNARCY won her second race back and then finished second at this level in last. She likes the lead but is quite capable of making a late run. 

Short field but great race. Ging to give the edge to 1-NAVY SEAL. He always raced well on this track and he’s likely to get an ideal pace scenario ahead of him with possibly three runners fighting for the lead. 3-UNCASHED will be tough. He’s probably the quickest member of this field but not sure he’s quick enough to get an unchallenged lead and he often doesn’t fare well if he has to fight for the front end. 5-KING CAB will be one of those fighting for the lead. He beat top choice here two races back but showed little on turf when they shipped him to Indiana for a turf stakes last out. Still, he’s back on the main track. Should be hot on the pace. Late-running 4-DEVIL’S TOWER didn’t really fire in his last start here but he has run well here in the past. He has earned over $530k in races at this distance, winning 17 times from 35 starts. 2-ELI’S PROMISE is plenty quick but not sure he’s as quick as some in here.

2-KATIE M’LADY should enjoy a comfortable lead. She finished second to Another Mystery two races back, in September of last year, the last time she faced the boys, but was pushed a bit in the early going on a surface that was labeled yielding. Makes only her second start of the year and her first in 10 weeks but she has thrived off layoffs in the past. She’s going to be very tough to catch on this firm surface. 3-ANOTHER MYSTERY is a multiple stakes winner and the defending champion of this race but he hasn’t been the same runner this year as he has in the past. He won only one of his 2025 races while mounting only lackluster efforts in the other three. But he won six of his nine races on this course and you can never discount the Block barn at any level. 4-JOURNEY has suddenly emerged as a contender. While not as quick as stablemate “Katie”, and another girl meeting the boys, she probably has the second-best speed and gets in carrying a feather-light 114 pounds.

6-END OF INNOCENCE didn’t handle the company or the turf in her last start but she’s dropping to a better level while heading back to the main track. She crushed the field in her local debut back in May but hasn’t had many opportunities since. Her local romp took place around two turns but the vast majority of her races have been dirt sprints. She should be tough. Likely favorite 4-MISS MIKOS is another dropping in class and heading back to dirt after a couple lackluster turf tries, though those races were probably too short for her. She also won on dirt here early in the meet. Her barn wins with a lofty 47% of runners going from turf to dirt though that sample is pretty small. In any case, she’s the one to beat. 5-SHE STOPPED SHORT might be in a little tough but she did win two of her last three races. Can’t be dismissed.

7-LONG TALL WOMAN should get an ideal pace ahead of her. Winner of last at this level was able to run down her foes late while making her first start for this barn. This race is a quarter mile longer but that just might work in her favor. 5-MY LADY SLEW isn’t the only speed in the race but she seems to be at the top of her game. She ran surprisingly well against better in last and held on for second. She wired the field in her previous start at this level.  Not sure she’ll be able to get to the early lead but she could wear down the rest of the speed and finish with something left. 6-UNION DOLLY is probably the quickest of these but she got into a speed duel with April’s Gem in last, through blistering fractions, which cost both dearly. She’ll be facing that same mare today but doubt if the connections of that rival will choose to send her again. 

7-MOMENT TO SHINE drops sharply. She hasn’t shown much since getting claimed for $20k from a winning effort nearly a year ago but that’s likely to change big time with the drop to this level. On or off the pace, she should be tough. 4-HONOR HIS HALF and 2-LOST SUNSET could be fighting for the lead. Honor His Hald was claimed back from last after his connections lost him via claim in his previous start. Lost Sunset tends to tire but she races prominently in almost every start.

Pretty tough field for $10k claimers. 2-RIVER REDEMPTION might hold a slight edge simply because he’s has done so well on this course. He won three of his four local turf races while finishing third in the other. Fresh off a solid second-place finish in Indiana, he will be a top contender with the drop back into straight claimers. 1-WOODCOCK FLIGHT could be every bit as tough as top choice. He just missed in his first local start of the year, versus better, and held the lead through much of the stretch. If that race had been at today’s shorter distance, he would have won. He also drops which could make him extra tough. 6-CONI’S COUP has never shown a thing on turf but he is dropping to his lowest level ever and he races for the team of Block and Loveberry and that team has been winning at a 55% clip this year.

3-TEMPER TANTRUM probably isn’t a “lock” but he has won three of his last four, all while facing better. Has a great chance to run by them all late again. 1-SHADY MCGEE figures prominently. He’s been in decent form on dirt but turf has always been his preferred surface. This is likely the easiest field he ever faced on the lawn. Can mow them down. 2-JET FLIGHT didn’t show a thing in his lone turf race but he’s red hot right now and ripped off three straight victories.