Race 1 –
A five pack of stakes quality sprinters going 3/4mi. to kick off the card. 10 time winner 5- Storm Advisory has back class and could be a small upset choice in this compact field. Tossing the sloppy last against some of the best sprinters in the country last time. Taking the blinkers off we’re hoping a return back to 3/4 on fast dirt will produce a top effort, which is good enough against these.
1- Wilbo is the ML fav and deservedly so. Projects to sit a nice grounding saving rail trip under Mr. Churchill, Corey Lanerie. Form lines and speed figures earned in the last two races absolutely fit here.
4- Petrov can win if he is able to get loose early in a somewhat paceless race for this level. He could reproduce that front running Saratoga effort from last summer.
Race 2 –
Weak group of six Maiden Claiming $75,000 fillies here. Little speed on paper.
5- Drop Dead Gorgeous gets the blinkers on and we hope is right on or near the lead tracking close under hustle rider Ricardo Santana. Has foundation off 4 races at Oaklawn. Drops out of special weight company.
4- Cafe Mischief should be right on the lead setting a soft pace under forward rider John Court. Has been relatively productive in comparison to this group sprinting on the dirt. He’ll need to go flag fall to that;s all.
2- Miss Darley could move forward second start of 2019 and dropping into claiming company for the first time.
Race 3-
5- Sauce on Side is our choice to get Peter Miller his first win of the meet. Class lines from Santa Anita tower versus this group. We’ll bet he’s ready to fire a ‘B’ quality race which would be good enough to win this.
3- Grays Road is a longshot closing play to finish out our exacta. Will take back and make a late run under Leparoux. Like the confidence being raised from to $10K to $16K off that good effort in the slop last out. We’re hoping there’s pace to run at.
7- British Invader will try to wire the field stepping up in claiming price from $10,000 to $16,000 and now into N3L company as well. Anything from the Amoss barn is worth considering.
Race 4 –
5- Lady Cleopatra is the speed of the field and projects take them gate to wire for the red hot Tom Amos’s Barn.
1- Aife drops down into claiming company off a lack luster effort against better at Keeneland last time. Was productive hitting the board a few times against allowance foes over the winter after being claimed for $50,000 last year. Now aggressively in for $20,000, but we have cause for pause off that meh effort at Keeneland last time.
3- Superduper Sky drops in class off a poor effort first off the claim. Walsh barn usually rounds into form in the spring. Lanerie up. We’ll hope Walsh has this one ready to fire a good effort.
Race 5 –
3- Griff drops down to the $16,000 level after a solid performance last out for $25,000. A repeat of that race puts him very close. They liked him enough to try stakes company off the claim.
8- Awesome Fu drop back into claiming company after spending the winter as a relatively useful board hitter against allowance foes. Returns to the strip of his last win, which was a conditioned $30,000 race. So open $16,000 fits on the logical class progression.
1- W.B. Smudge must be respected on the big drop in class. He’s got the best race of any of these, but we’re not sure he’s coming into the race in good form. Nonetheless he’s in our picks defensively. That lay-off and clunker last out in combination with that wicked fast blowout of 45 and change at the training center say ‘claim me’ which usually isn’t a good thing and a recipe for a beaten favorite.
Race 6-
5- Crupi’s Pizza Dom claimer two back from the McLaughlin barn for $50,000. Was protected in starter $50K company off the claim and ran a bang up third at 17-1. Now freshened. Drops back in for the $50,000. Well spotted today.
3- Wetumka went 4th at this level last time out at Gulfstream against a tougher group than today. Tactical speed. Lanerie up. Should go close.
4- One Last Strike was just ok off that double line lay-off last time against ‘N1Xers’. Not thrilled to see this one in for a tag off that race and lay-off. Certainly can win this race, but we’re a little hesitant of a short price with these red flags on form.
Race 7-
8 Daddy’s on Strike is a son of Scat Daddy making his dirt debut. Should appreciate the dirt as signaled by the steady breeze pattern at the training center. Blinkers on. Hustle rider Stew Elliott in from Oaklawn now their meeting is over. We’ll swing at 6-1 to kick off the late pick 5.
5- Solo Drink possesses nice early speed. Nice effort against special weight company at Belterra last time to kick off the 2019 campaign. A move forward off that race put this one in the mix today.
3-Eskenforit has a really nice dirt route race on PP’s on 12/22 against special weights at Fair Grounds. Form has tailed off since. We’re hoping a return to a dirt route with a forward ride will turn the form around for this one. Nice open race here.
Race 8-
4- Summer of Love is a long shot firster for Dale Romans. Love this workout pattern. Quick 3/8’s second breeze in the barn shows this one has speed and then followed by the stamina building slow breezes. This shows they aren’t training the speed into the horse, it’s naturally fast. They are just putting the foundation in it.
2- Doll Collection was a nice third in a big maiden field at Keeneland last time on debut. Checked on the turn and still ran on for third. Will have a much better effort today.
11- Academy Girl was a closing third on debut at Oaklawn. Had to go wife losing ground and momentum angling off the rail. Move forward puts this one right up there today. Another wide open race in the late multi’s.
Race 9 –
7- Fort Peck was a nice five length winner against N1X company last September here at CD going today’s distance. Toss the clunker at GP last time as he was against the track, flow of the race, and 17-1. Winner of that race came out to be a big second in the Grade Two Charles Town Classic.
4- Solomini projects to be an over-bet Baffert entrant. Has a good win against allowance company two back at Santa Anita. But that last race in the Ben Ali at Keeneland was disappointing. Son of Curlin ha graded stakes placing in his resume. But that was a long time and it seems his form hasn’t improved with age. 3- Hawakom drops into claiming company for the first time in a long time. Has to be respected on the drop and is good value at 8-1.
Race 10-
9- Abyssinian was an impressive winner two back going 5f at Gulfstream and followed that up with a nice effort in a Stake at Keeneland last month. Ward does so well worth turf sprinters. Should get good outside tracking trip from the 9 hole. 10- Midnightfantasy has been sprinting on the dirt and shown ability. But we like the move to the turf given this barn does so well with turf sprinters. Props to Sharp for giving the mount to small track jockey Eric Barbaran.
5- Chelsea Cloisters has some serious class lines in the PP’s and must be respected second up.
Race 11-
11- Ava’s Charm is a firster for Baffert who has a live looking workout pattern. Nice outside post for Bridgmohan to place her where he see’s for. This barn usually has em cranked to win first out.
10- Violent Lady merits respect off her two career second place efforts. Needs to move forward on the speed figs to win this one. But has a right to for Dallas Stewart.
4- Sail On can have a say third out off a few descent efforts in both career stats.