Handicapper Tips & Picks

Four of the six runners in this race won their last start. Two of them won their last two. While they haven’t exactly been taking turns beating each other up, they have, for the most part, been running against similar rivals. I like the versatility of 5-RUSSIAN TO WIN in this spot. Like most of his rivals, he owns good early speed but it’s his ability to finish with authority that makes him the pick. 6-WINGING WAYS might hold a slight quickness edge. He wired a similar field in last. But it’s likely that he’ll be hooked early and could tire if forced to fight for the lead. 4-STRANGE ARRANGE, like top choice, won his last two races and also like that pick, is versatile enough to handle any pace. 2-NEON DIEON also rates high on the versatility scale. He came from off the pace to score a longshot win but he also wired the field the previous time he ran on dirt.

4-OY GEVALD pretty much proved that he isn’t a turf horse in two of his three recent starts. However, in that in-between race, he dominated runners in his lone local dirt start. He might not be first out of the gate in this race but think he’ll have the lead by the time they turn for home and could hold it the rest of the way. 2-RUN JALEN RUN showed little in a recent pair of Indiana races but he dominated in his two Fairmount starts prior to that and he had been running well at Oaklawn this spring and in Kentucky late last year. His speed figures suggest that he’s as fast as top choice. Could be an interesting race. 1-WE MISS ARLINGTON jumps in class to take on this group and he might simply be in too tough but he has been so good on this track, winning five of nine local dirt races, including his last five, that he has to be worth another look.

The short sprint distance of this race makes it a bit more interesting. If this race was at five and a half, I think 8-URBAN RULER would be a standout. However, this distance could be too short for him. However, he just finished third in a maiden turf sprint at Kentucky Downs, after finishing second in his prior start here. Still think he’s the one to beat but he might run out of real estate. 7-ANTHONY THE GREAT and 4-RIPTON’S MUSIC could be fighting it out for the front end. Anthony the Great just missed when making his turf debut at this distance two races back, while Ripton’s Music displayed good speed in all his races, especially his turf debut at Gulfstream in February when his first two fractions were :20.3 and :43.00.

3-LOST SUNSET can surprise again. He won last Sunday and paid about $47 doing it. He appears to be the best of the speed ion this spot. Might take the lead quickly and never look back. 6-AWESOME SUNDAY takes a pulling drop. He’s been in good form for months and beat allowance company downstate in his last start after he narrowly lost against the same kind of company in his previous start. But he took over three months off after that last win. Sparse drills since and a drop to the basement raise all kinds of danger flags. 5-WRITTEN CONSENT finished second in his last two starts. He’ll be tracking the early pace and should continue to make up ground throughout the stretch run.

7-GEORGIA ON E’SMIND should get an ideal pace ahead of her. She has had five races at this distance and finished in the money in four of them. Gets into a straight non-winners of three. Tracks early, pounces late. 3-HIALEAH HOTTIE goes for her third in a row. Quick mare seldom fails to grab the early lead. If she is left alone to coast on the front end early, they aren’t likely to catch her. 4-MADELYN ATTACK is another likely to come on late. She’s dropping in class and turning back in distance. The last time she turned back from a mile to a race at this distance she came on late to win and paid over $55. Wouldn’t ignore.

Nine-year-old 6-ANOTHER MYSTERY might have lost a few steps but the probable pace of this race could make him feel like a youngster once again. He isn’t the only closer in this speed-filled field but his back class could reassert itself in this field. Takes them late. 10-LEADING THE CHARGE, stablemate of top choice, is another that will be flying late. He finished second in his last three starts. It wouldn’t be a big surprise if he was first to cross the wire. No guarantee that 5-DEVIL’S HARVEST will be ready after a 11-month layoff but he has always been awfully quick from the gate and his barn has a knack for bringing runners off layoffs back ready. 

1-GABE’S CHOICE is the slim pick. Lightly-raced runner finished second in last, his first start against winners. That race came after a brief layoff. He should be fitter with that contest under his belt. Maybe. 4-TWO STORMY OCEANS has been knocking at the door. Canterbury shipper finished third in his last three races. Might get over the hump today. 8-REGAINED POWER will try to lead throughout. He tends to run out of gas but he’s dropping to his lowest level ever. Might last on the lead.

5-MAN ON ATTACK could get the trip. He has had a lot of starts and not a lot of success but he has been in good form recently and could prove best in this wide-open race. 8-I O FEDRO has suddenly turned into a pretty good closer. Winner of last should get more than enough pace ahead of him in this spot. Can make it two in a row. 1-DINO’S DIXIE will try to wire the field. Not sure he can get the distance, all of his recent races have been at five or five and a half furlongs, but he could build a commanding lead and forget to stop.