Our Handicappers

4-RUMBRANDT was dropped to this level for last and finished second while getting claimed. Wheels right back at the same level. She did hold a clear lead in the stretch after taking in control but couldn’t hang on. Might be able to today. 6-GOLDEN NOTE probably tries for the lead. She displayed pretty good speed when dropped to this level for last but she was in against the boys and couldn’t quite keep up. But she’s back against her own gender today. Could be right there throughout. 5-MISTY SUNDAY seems to be the quickest member of this field. She stopped badly in last but she was making her first start of the year, her first start for this barn, and she might have bled in the race. Gets Lasix for the first time. Would expect her to be far more effective with Lasix and a recent race under her.  

5-GRAND HIDEAWAY seemed a little short in last but he was making his first start of the year. Late runner posted a couple slow drills since that last race but they always work him slow. In any case he should be better prepared for this race and the pace will set up for him good stretch move. 2-XPRESSIR again tries to make his turf debut. Speedy runner doesn’t have much turf pedigree but he is the quickest member of this field and the turf course should be pretty firm without much rainfall lately. Did age finally catch up to 6-CHANNEL WON? Even last year he was incredibly effective with three wins and 2 seconds in five starts. However, he finished up the track in all three races this year. Still, going to give him one more chance.  

6-DESSERT FIRST has been claimed from her last two races. She’s stretching out in her first race for them. Her previous two-turn races have been at higher levels. At this distance, she should be the best, if not the only, speed. Might lead all the way. 2-GHAALEB'S RANGER drops back to the right level. She was outclassed in last two but still managed to finish third in one of them.  She lost ground throughout in her most recent race, so the drop was necessary. Would expect her to improve at this level. 5-SILKY WARRIOR has been pretty inconsistent. She will often toss in a clunker, as she did as the 1-2 favorite in last, before bouncing back with a strong effort. She closes well when she fires. Might be able to pass them all late. 

Not a fan of any in here but 7-BOURBON STREET BOY has always met better. He’s dropping in class, turning back in distance, and racing back on dirt after a one-race turf experiment. Many of these runners possess early speed but all of them wilt late in the stretch. 2-RUMBLING also drops. He’s also making his start for a new barn. He finished third two races back, the only time he ran against rivals similar to these. Might better that today. 1-WARRIOR OF GOLD held on to finish in the money in his last three starts. That streak might continue.  

5-DOUBLE BURN couldn’t have broken his maiden much easier. He showed little in his first few races but exploded when dropped to a low-level maiden claimer. His connections made the right decision bringing him back to face winners at this level. Might be able to repeat 2-SHAMAN SEZ, the stablemate of top choice, might be the biggest obstacle in the way of top choice winning two in a row. He’s had a number of races at this level to try to earn his second victory and ran well in most of them but that second win still eludes him. But that can easily change today. 3-IDIOSYNCRACIES looks like the best of the speed. He tends to tire late but the cutback to five and a half furlongs could work in his favor. 

Sometimes you have to look at intent. Trainer Jose Rodriguez has entered two runners in this race...one he just claimed and another clearly in too deep, probably to ensure that this race was used. 3-SOMNUS, the recent claim, also appears to be in over his head but he was taken from a barn with a 6%-win rate while Rodriguez is winning at a 39% clip (7 of 18) at the meet. Clearly, he knows where to place his runners. Might be poised to surprise with this one. 4-SECESSION was claimed from Jose Rodriguez from last. He’s another moving up in class but he was taken by a barn that wins with 44% of their first-time claims. He’s one of many with good speed but he just might prove to be the best. 6-VIA DEL CORSO finished far back in three of his five races but he won the other two. Drops to the lowest level of his career after losing his last, on turf, by 46 lengths. Don’t count him out. 1-CANYON SHADOWS drops into claimers for the first time. He’s making his first start of the year but he has a long series of drills to get him ready.  

4-LARRY THE POET drops and stretches out. He’ll be racing without blinkers today which could temper his speed but still think he’ll be the quickest runner in here. Might not get caught. 5-LAVENDER EARL usually goes for the lead but he got off a step slow in last and his rider was able to get him to relax. So, instead of rushing up, he was able to track the pace and have something left for the stretch run. It resulted in a second-place finish. That same tactic could work well in this spot. 2-C F V BULLET has some back class. He’s making his first start of the year but his new barn and rider are having a great meet. Could be the best of these. 

5-LAST MINUTE never ran on turf but he’s certainly bred for it. This $475,000 purchase drops into claimers for the first time. He could be the quickest from the gate. If he takes to the lawn, he won’t get caught. 1-RED RIZZLER might be overlooked but he did race competitively in all four of his turf races. He owns enough speed to stay close through the early going and has already shown that he can come on late. 6-A P BLAZING GREEN challenged the lead through blazing fractions in last when dropped to this level and ran out of gas but he’s had some success in the past when tracking the pace. If he reverts to that running style today, he could finish with something left.