Handicapper Tips & Picks

2-LITTLE STEVEN could win right back. He was second early in his Hawthorne dirt debut but when he got to the lead, he held it all the way to the wire. Comes back at the same level. The ability to thrive on wet tracks could come in handy. 1-HANDSOFFTHEGOODS had dead aim at tip choice in last but the wire came up too fast. He was making his first start of the year in that race and should be fitter for this. The probability of a heated early pace ahead of him helps his chances. 4-OLIVERIO won two in a row before taking on rivals at this level in last. Think that was a tougher group than this and most of his recent speed figures were higher than those of most of his rivals. Would select him higher but he hasn’t raced in nearly two months and has had only one drill during that time. 

3-ALL ABOUT TONITE seems most likely. Speedy runner finished second in his last two starts, finishing ahead of most of these rivals at least once. 2-MON AMIE FUZZIE has had two races this year and finished third in each, behind top pick both times. 5-RODAVLAS won his first start of the meet but showed little when moved to the lawn for last. But he is back on dirt and drops in class. He did win by daylight the last time he moved to the main track following a dull race on the weeds. 

5-GRAND ILLUSION looks tough on either surface. All four of his races this meet have been scheduled for turf but all have been moved to the main track. He won one of them and just narrowly missed in last. But he might be even better on turf where he has been victorious in two of his three races on that surface while finishing second in the other. 3-TOWERING STORM removes blinkers for his second start of the meet. He hasn’t shown a lot since blinkers were added three starts back but he was far more competitive without them, always against better rivals. Could wake up in a big way. 2-TEXAS STORM is hard to figure. Not sure he likes turf, even though he has had success on that surface and he really seems to dislike wet main tracks. However, if this race does get moved to dirt and the track is fast, he does hold a legitimate chance. 1-MONEY AGENT is a legitimate speed threat if this race does stay on the lawn.

4-KEEN GAL has improved dramatically since coming back to Hawthorne. Her turf race in last wasn’t great but she finished third the last time she raced on dirt and she won her two races prior. This is her easiest field since she broke her maiden. Looks like the one to beat. 1-WILDWOOD QUEEN finished second in her first two races of the meet, one on turf and the other on dirt, and finished a close third in last despite considerable traffic trouble. That race was also too short. The extra distance of this contest works in her favor. 2-SAMARITA looks like the best speed. She showed little in last, her first start of the year but that race was on turf and she finished up the track in all her turf races. She has been far better on dirt, especially “wet” dirt where she won four of her seven races, along with two thirds.

Really have no idea if this race will be on or off turf or, if on the main track, whether it will be wet or fast. But I am thinking the race will be moved because of continued thunderstorms. With that in mind…Going to go with 7-HONOR POINT. This lightly-raced 4yo won three of his last four races, including the victory in last, a similar race that was moved to dirt. He has proven that he can win on wet or dry dirt and he seems to have the right kind of tactical speed to score one more time. 1-SPONGE BATH has two wins on turf and two on dirt but think he’s a better runner on the main track. He’s going to get the early lead. The question is how long he’ll stay there. 2-BIZZIE CHANNEL, the likely favorite and likely winner if the race stays on the lawn, has not shown a thing on dirt. Not sure that it will change today. 5-DYNAMIS didn’t show a thing in his lone turf try and he wasn’t much better on the sloppy track in last but think he has a great chance if this race gets moved to dirt and the track is rated fast. 8-SILVER QUARTERS is always a threat but don’t think there will be enough pace to set up for his late run. 

5-EUCLID AVENUE will contest the lead along with a few others but he is dropping in class and he’s been a monster in these nickel claimers. 1-PEOPLE FORCE will be right there throughout. He has a pair of wins and a second in his three local claiming races. 4-ROCKET HOTSHOT is the best closer in a field where most of the runners want to race on or near the lead. The pace should set up perfectly.

1-MONSIEUR CANDY looks like a standout on turf but doubt if he would start if this race does get moved to the main track. 9-BABY BOAT could be the one to beat on dirt. Entered for the main track only, he looks like the best late runner in a speed filled field. He’s two for two at the distance. 3-STRATO will be laying right off the pace. He’s two for two since getting claimed from his last race at Oaklawn. He never ran on turf but see no reason he couldn’t handle it. 6-KAZOOM probably gets the early lead on either surface. He won his last two. Can extend his streak.

7-MY LADY SLEW should be tough on or off the turf. She’s making her third start of the year. She finished second to a tough group in her last. Could be on the lead all the way today. 5-APRIL’S GEM seldom get much respect at the windows but she has been a factor in so many of her turf races. She finished second in her last two. Can do it again. 4-DEAL ‘EM AND WEEP makes her first start since February but she had four solid drills coming up to this race. In her 13 turf races, she has finished in the money 10 times, winning three.

3-HUEY ATTACK drops in class and heads back to the main track. He might be the quickest member of the field. Baird as the pilot helps his chances. Might not get caught. 4-EASY FAST takes on better while switching barns but he did win his last easily. There isn’t a lot of early pace in here which could help his chances but most of his main competition are also late runners. 5-UNCAPTURED PULSE is hard to gauge. He might be the quickest runner here but he switched barns since last and is now in the hands of an unknown (at least to me) trainer.

6-CLOUDY LASS isn’t the only speed but she could be the best. She has shown some ability on turf and dirt. Drops to her lowest level yet. Might last on the lead. Could this be the day that 5-CATNIP HILL graduates? She is making her 23^rd start as a maiden but her last race, when they finally added blinkers, was easily the best race of her career. She finished second in a maiden special on the weeds, going off at nearly 65-1. 7-WW BEST OF TIMES could challenge for the lead.

7-MOOGIE SON looks tough in this spot. He’s dropping in class after just beating better rivals at the distance. Probably takes them late. 2-EVEN THE WIND is consistently in the hunt. Like top pick, he’s dropping in class and will likely wait until the stretch to make his move. 8-LAMPLIGHTER JACK and 5-RIVER REDEMPTION might be worth a look if this race does come off the grass. Both would have a shot on the lawn but both have scored three times on dirt, which might give them the advantage on the main track.