Handicapper Tips & Picks

Rain expected again for Saturday so not sure we’ll stay on turf

4-BRIDGE CLASSIC showed little in his lone turf start but he was in against much tougher. Plus, would expect him to be a far more formidable foe if this race did get moved to the main track. 1-MR SWEETS just missed in his turf debut. This might be a slightly tougher field but everything his barn sent out this meet has been live. Top jock aboard helps. 3-CHI TOWN PRINCE moves up off the claim. Barn has been hot from the start of the meet and they have been winning with 24% of their first-time claims.

Like Chi Town Prince in the first 1-STYLISH GIRL was claimed from the leading barn by the barn currently in second place by one win. This filly tired in both races but she’ll be racing with first Lasix today. That could make the difference. 2-I’M HUNGOVER, the logical favorite, finished second in her last two, barely beaten each time. Makes her third start of the meet. It could be the winning one. 3-TOUR DE’ PORT has gotten slightly better with every start this year and finished in the money in last two. 4-WAVE OF MEMORIES had a pair of thirds here late last summer but might need a race. 

On paper this looks like a contest between 3-END OF INNOCENCE and 2-IZZY’S MONSTER. Both have been good on this track, though Izzy’s Monster has had far more local chances. However, the nine-length romp by End of Innocence would seem to imply that she’s on top of her game right now. She did win three of her four Hawthorne starts. Slim pick. 2-IZZY’S MONSTER is always tough on this track and always tough at this level. She’s had far more experience here with five wins and another seven in-the-money finishes in her 14 local starts. She’s been training vigorously for her first race since February. You know Lalo will have her ready. 4-WHAT’S TO DO takes on a bit tougher but she might hold a slight edge in speed. She finished second in what turned out to be a match race in Indiana in last after all but two scratched when that race was moved to the main track. Could try to wire them.

5-KETCHUM could hold the edge on turf. Don’t know if he’ll race if this contest gets moves to the main track. He was probably in too deep in a $200k stakes race at Churchill in last and coming off the layoff didn’t help but think all of his races were against tougher. Should be hard to beat. 4-HE GONE figures to be game on the lead on turf or on dirt. He was barely beaten in last, his local turf debut. Could be even tougher with that race behind him. 1-JOE THE TAILOR has been in great form for months, dating back to last fall. He’ll be pressing the pace once again and could edge by if the top pair lock up early. 3-KAZOOM can’t be ignored. He just wired the field to break his maiden and he could be even quicker on dirt.

7-ROYAL BRO gets the nod. His most recent races haven’t been too sharp but this will be the first time that he’ll be back on turf since 2024 and all his success came on the lawn. He was recently gelded and he’s dropping to the lowest level of his career. 4-LAST MOON is another that was claimed from the top barn by the barn in second place. He dominated bottom-level maiden claimers on the dirt in last and takes on considerably better here but his pedigree lends itself to grass racing. 1-BOURBON STREET BOY is likely the quickest of these. He does tend to run out of gas but he might hang on to share if he builds a commanding lead.

2-PEOPLE FORCE finished far back in his first start after getting claimed by this barn but he was in much too deep. He lost that last race by about 25 lengths but the winner was over 12 lengths clear. In any case, he’s dropping back to an easier level and getting the top rider who was aboard for the winning effort in his previous start. Not really sure what to do with 6- GLOBAL EMPIRE. He crushed an easier field in last but didn’t show a thing at this level in his previous start. 3-ELECTRIC CHARGE was outgunned in last but he had been in good form prior. Stretch runner is likely to attack late.

6-MY LADY SLEW says catch me, at least if this race stays on the weeds. She just finished second between a couple hard-knocking Michele Boyce-trained runners. She’s been a specialist at this distance, winning five of 12 starts. 4-APRIL’S GEM is another that has been so good at the distance. All eight of her turf wins came at seven and a half. She held on to finish second in last after taking a late lead. Maybe she’ll get to the lead late again and not look back. 9-MEMPHIS CASH QUEEN figures prominently if this race gets moved to the main track.