| « 09/17/2025 | 09/19/2025 » |
Thu September 18th, 2025 |
Download as PDF |
Ron's Picks
Hawthorne Race 1
Post Time 2:43 PM CST
Had a hard time separating this group. Almost all of them prefer racing on the lead but one seems to hold a pretty considerable advantage in that department. Going to toss out the last race of 3-FINDAWAY. He has had four races this year and started for a different barn in each of them. Finally has some consistency and makes his second start for Patti Miller. He’s undoubtedly the quickest member of the field. Might leave them all in his dust.
Was looking for a runner that could show some late run if top choice runs out of gas and ended up with two. 1-I'll go with 1-LINE TO GAIN but not in love with his chances. Maybe the switch to the top rider, by wins, will make the difference. 2-GABAGOL does have to ability to come from off the pace, though he has been pressing the lead in recent races.
Hawthorne Race 2
Post Time 3:12 PM CST
4-SADIE'S SWEET RIDE will likely be favored and might deserve it but think she could be overbet. On the one hand, she ran well in both of her starts against Illinois breds. But she was beaten by a member of this field in last while that filly was making her turf debut. But she is adding blinkers today which could help her late focus. 6-HOT T’MATER isn’t the only speed in the field but she could be the best. She fought hard for the lead in her lone turf race and managed to hold on for second, while getting beaten by less than a length. Maybe she’ll just put them all away in this race. 5-WAHIDA OF MARDEN didn’t handle the two turns or the open company in last but she’s back in against state breds and back into a short sprint. She has shown late run at times. Could come along for show dough.
Hawthorne Race 3
Post Time 3:40 PM CST
3-LITTLE POISON meets Illinois breds for the first time since finishing second in the Debutante at Fairmount last year. She’s been running well in Iowa and scored an allowance victory in her last start. She had two local races, a 10-length maiden romp last year and a good third against open company to start her 2025 season. Should be tough to beat in her return. 2-MISS MIKOS also beat open company in last, though her race was against claimers. Like top choice, she’s capable of running well on or off the lead. Seems like the only one in here capable of giving top choice a run for the money. 5-CLOEY ATTACK could be the best of the rest. She finished second in her last two; once on turf and her last on dirt. Her dirt “figs” would seem to indicate that she’s a bit slower than the top pair but she can’t be ignored.
Hawthorne Race 4
Post Time 4:09 PM CST
5-RICKY BOBBY gets the nod. He beat only one in his lone local race but he was in against tougher and he had some trouble at the start. He was an easy winner in Iowa when he dropped to this level in Iowa for last. Should find plenty of pace to set up for his late run. 2-SIXWILLBERICH also won his last at this level. That was his first start after getting claimed by this barn. Switches one of the top riders for another. Races for a hot barn. Can easily win right back. I think I have been wrong every time on 4-BLURT. When I pick him, he finishes up the track. When I think he has no shot, he wires the field. Wonder how he’ll run today. 3-DICK BEST drops into straight claimers. He’s been in terrible form but this could be the right spot for him to turn it around.
Hawthorne Race 5
Post Time 4:39 PM CST
This is a much tougher race than it appears at first. 1-ZOOMBIE might be the logical favorite. He ran well in all his local starts, finishing second in last two, and he’s dropping one more time. However, he’s meeting many other droppers that are also eligible to improve at this level. Probable low odds makes him an “iffy” bet but you do you. 2-GRAND HIDEWAY also drops. He couldn’t handle better in last but he finished ahead of Zoombie two races back. Can do it again. 4-CYCLONE ATTACK is the great unknown. I would just toss out his last race. He was making his first start of the year with a single slow drill in preparation. He could easily be a contender with a race under his belt.
Hawthorne Race 6
Post Time 5:09 PM CST
I’m going to take a little flyer here with 3-CALL ME CHRISTINE. She was a decisive debut winner at Fairmount but I like her second start at Indiana better. She did display a pretty good closing move in both races and, although she only finished third in Indiana, she was still making up ground late in that shorter event. After lackluster races in southern California in 2023, 8-SULTRY KITTEN returned to racing after a year and a half and promptly graduated in Iowa. She wired the field in that race. However, she came from last in her next start, after clipping heels early, and wound up finishing second. That race was in July and it’s been about 10 weeks since, but she had five strong drills in the interim. Guessing she’s ready to roll. Not sure what to think of 7-THINK FAST. She just broke her maiden by about a sixteenth of a mile (really almost 29 lengths) and generated one of the the highest speed figures of any in here. This is a much tougher field than the one she beat but if she runs the same way today, she might run away from her foes.
Hawthorne Race 7
Post Time 5:45 PM CST
Wonderful race. Last year at this time, 6-ONE TIMER would go off at 1-9 in this field and probably romp. But, it’s 2025. This five-time stakes winner hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since 2023. He did finish in the money in both races this year, however. He’s still likely to win this race, it might be his easiest contest since his maiden score, but there are no guarantees. 3-LEADING THE CHARGE, possibly the main competition, hasn’t won since 2022. But he’s probably the best closer in this speed-filled race. 2-INDYVILLE hasn’t finished worse than third in his seven career starts but he has also never raced on turf. He’s as quick as most in here while not needing the early lead to score. 4-CONGRATS ON FIFTY is probably the quickest member of this field. So far, he’s been better on dirt but he did win his lone turf sprint at this distance.
Hawthorne Race 8
Post Time 6:17 PM CST
8-HOODLUM finished third in his local debut and then went on to win his next two races at this level and he generated the highest speed figure of his career in that last victory. He’s been beating some of these but will also be facing some new shooters this time out. He looks tough but strange things can happen at this level. 5-POLTERER could surprise. He didn’t handle the company at this level of the track downstate in last but he wired the field here in his previous start while making his local debut. He’s generally quick from the gate. Could be right there throughout. 6-GENERAL ISSUE certainly figures. He won two of his last seven and finished in the money in his last three, finishing behind Hoodlum in last couple.