Handicapper Tips & Picks

7-GOPHERS AXE was no match for the winner in her local debut but she finished second, seven lengths ahead of the third-place finisher. Turns back in distance today. Expect her to be more effective. There is no real speed in this race but 1-D'ARGONAUT might turn out to be quickest. 4-WAVE OF MEMORIES finished far back when stretched out in last but she’s turning back in distance today and she finished third in her last two sprints. 

1-ALLISON ROAD races on dirt for the first time. She didn’t show much in her two turf races but runners from her barn score over 40% wins when going from turf to dirt. 8-LILA'S OAK TREE ran well and finished a close third on turf in her debut but took on better in last and finished up the track. However, she did have traffic woes. Had a good work since. Drops to face easier. Expect better. Always have to consider Rivelli first timers but 11-BATTLE WING might win the pedigree war but have definite concerns about her having only one drill in the last two months. 10-AVA ROSE had the one of the better races of any in here. That race was a third-place finish on turf. She’ll be making her dirt debut but her barn does well with their runners switching surfaces.  

It’s been a long time since 11-ONE TIMER visited the winner’s circle but that could be about to chance. This multiple-stakes-winning millionaire will find himself in a race with plenty of front-end pace. He finished third as the odds-on favorite in his first start of the meet but was coming off a layoff to do it. He finished behind a couple of rivals in his last start but now he’ll be running with a recent behind him and he gets some extra real estate to work with in this race. Could fly by them all. 8-CONGRATS ON FIFTY isn’t the only speed in this race but think he’s the best. He wired the fields in his last two turf sprints. Might be able to do the same thing today. 5-SINE QUA NON has been razor sharp in his two starts since moving to this barn after spending his early career in California. He was an easy winner in last after barely missing in his first start of the year. Could easily repeat. 9-DARK VINTAGE has been meeting better with some success but he had one turf race at Hawthorne earlier in the year and he dominated. Could do the same in his return. 

7-JET FLIGHT drops. He took on better in last and finished up the track but he won his previous four races, three at this level. He’s always tough when meeting rivals like these. Today shouldn’t be an exception. 5-CHAOS REIGNS could be tough. He has been having a tough time getting the distance but he’s easily the quickest of these and his last race, his first in nearly three months, was his best in a long time. Drops a notch. Legitimate threat to wire the field.  1-RICKY BOBBY has had two races since dropping to this level and he won them both. Like many in this field, he’ll be coming on late. 3-SIXWILLBERICH has been in great form all year. He finished in the money in none of his 11 2025 races winning twice, including two of last three. Got claimed from last but he has changed hands many times with continues success.  

Not many real turf sprinters in this field but 10-EMPIRICAL VIEW might be one of them. She’s two for two at the distance. She was claimed from one of those wins in her last start but moves into another capable barn. 2-KANT BELIEVE IT didn’t show a lot in her lone turf race but she does own a decent pedigree and she just might be the quickest member of this field. 6-SWEET MUSIC didn’t show much in her only grass race but she is another with a good pedigree and winning her last three races, on dirt, ensures fitness. 

8-MAN ON ATTACK has been something of a tease but he is dropping to the lowest level of his career and he’s been very good at the distance. He might have only won one of his ten at the distance but he finished in the money another eight times. Could get over the hump. 1-GRAND ILLUSION has been in good form anyway but maybe even better since moving to the turf. He finished second in his turf debut and then won his last. With his good tactical speed, he’s likely to be in the thick of things throughout. 5-BRIT BLITZ adds blinkers. He’s been a pretty good closer at times but he might display somewhat better speed today. 

Don’t really like anything in here so I’ll take a flyer on 6-FLYING SAMURAI. He always had great route speed but distance was his enemy. They kept running him at a mile and 70 yards; sometimes at a mile and a sixteenth. He apparently wanted to go seven furlongs or less. Finally turns back in distance. Might forget to stop. 1-SHACKLEFORD STRONG looks pretty obvious with the drop to his lowest level since 2023. But I wasn’t crazy about the way he finished his last two races. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he won this but it would surprise if he didn’t. There is likely going to be a heated pace in this race. 14-COOLTHING might turn out to be the best closer if he can draw into the field. 

6-ZOOMBIE ran well in all local starts, finishing third or better in all five. But he has shown some improvement since moving to the Rivelli barn. He’s not a standout but is probably the one to beat. 11-JOE THE TAILOR drops off the win. He was able to hold off the late move by top choice in last. Might be able to do it again. 4-MIDNIGHT SPECIAL finished third in a stakes race in his last start so it’s a bit surprising that he’s dropping into a nickel claimer, especially since he’s done so well in turf sprints. But's he’s been off since July with only minimal drills so something might be amiss. He’s hard to ignore in this spot but caution is urged. 

Can make a case for most runners in this race but 4-RACARINO does seem most likely. He’s been in decent form while meeting marginally better and he did win the last time he dropped to this level. 10-OFF TO THE RACES is another in good form. Like that he’s able to race competitively either on or off the pace. He has never been a high percentage winner but he does often get close. 7-IDEA MAN generally races at Fairmount but he seems to save his best efforts for when he is shipped to Hawthorne. He won the last time they shipped him here and narrowly missed in his previous local excursion. 

2-WORDS OF WISDOM brought his good Canterbury form in with him. He scored the victory in his first start of the meet, winning for the third time this year from only six starts. He also finished second twice. His lone poor effort came on turf. He’s likely to be a major player once again. 8-SOUL COAXING could be every bit as tough. He has, for the most part, been meeting better rivals. He’s capable of running well on or off the pace and could be tough no matter how the pace develops. 1-PRINCE RAMA is hard to gauge. He had been in good form for most of the year but got simply crushed when making his local debut, finishing 25 lengths behind top choice. On the other hand, he beat that runner by five in their previous meeting. Can he bounce back?