Hello, My name is Andrew Rdesinski, and my twitter handle is @phillyboy415. I am honored to be apart of the Colonial Downs group of analysts making our selections throughout the meet. I will be handicapping the Thursday cards, each week. Lets print money!
Race 1- 1 Mile 1/16th Turf CLM 16,000n2L for 3yos and up
TOP PICK- #7 Iywaan – Keivan Serrano/ Burton K Sipp
- In this wide open affair in the first race at the Colonial Downs 2019 meet, I am choosing to go with a horse who has never been on the turf before and only has two races under his belt. This colt is bred amazingly for the turf, and the Dam has produced 2 turf winners. In his debut the connections pointed for turf but it came off the turf and he still won on dirt. Then the connections went to PID and ran for 25K n2L on synthetic at 5 ½ and closed well. Watch out for the stretch out and the addition of turf in which I think is his ideal surface.
UNDERNEATH
#2 Conquest Falcon – Daniel Centeno/ Kieron Magee
- This gelding is 1 for 21 lifetime but has hit the money over half the time he runs. In the past three races he ran 2nd each time at this distance or at a flat mile, and his speed numbers have increased each time. Expect a solid effort off the pace today.
#5 Baytown Jimbo – Alex Gonzalez/ Paul McEntee
- This gelding loves to break slow, and it sometimes costs him the race, but this closer I think can make some noise underneath. Drops in class today so look for him flying late.
#12 Inchesky – JD Acosta/ Michael Matz
- Off the pace type of horse, that might even go to the lead. Very eligible to improve third off the layoff. Look for JD to send.
Race 2- 6 Furlongs DIRT MSW 50K 3yo&up
TOP PICK- #9 Empty Tomb- Trevor McCarthy/ Arnaud Delacour
- First time Starter from the outside post. 3 straight Bullet works before an easy breeze going 4F in 49 and 1. Decent breeding, for first time winner and at the distance. Look for a short price winner here.
UNDERNEATH-
#8 Speed App – Horacio Karamanos/ Ferris Allen III
- Most experienced in the field. Shipping in from Churchill and was just claimed off of D Wayne Lukas, look for this horse to be right in the mix.
#4 Mutashabeh- Keivan Serrano/ Burton K Sipp
- Had a bad start in debut, and was working really well going into that race. Expect this horse to be more forwardly placed today and possibly win at a decent price
Race 3- 5 ½ F Turf ALW65000 2yos
TOP PICK – #3 Vincent William – Jose Valdivia Jr./ Larry Rivelli
- The interesting thing about this horse is that he was bred by Wesley Ward, but is trained by Rivelli. Ward trains the horse inside of this one but I expect this horse to run well on the turf.
UNDERNEATH
– #2 Zanno- Paco Lopez/ Wesley Ward
– Paco should send this horse and the horse has already won on turf. Watch out for a gate to wire finish.
Race 4- 1 Mile Turf MSW 50K 3yo &up
TOP PICK – #6 Goddess of Cash – Mychel Sanchez/ John Servis
- This filly wants nothing to do with dirt. Breeding suggests nothing but turf, and I know Cash is King and Servis put their horses in the right spot. I expect this horse to bet and this horse to win first time on turf.
UNDERNEATH
- #7 Beale Street – Jorge Vargas Jr./ Michael Matz
- Huge closer on turf, and Vargas in my opinion is just a stronger rider than BJ hernandez, and I believe this horse can make an impact.
- #9- Shikaka – JD Acosta/ Sarah Nagle
- Pace Setter, that could improve at a longer distance. Possible gate to wire horse, but should be able to hold on for a placing if a duel happens.
Race 5- 1 Mile Turf MSW 50 K 3yo & up
TOP PICK- #9 Memories (GER) – Feargal Lynch/ Graham Motion
- This first timer is bred HUGE for grass, however Motion usually doesn’t win first time out, but this horse is training well, is bred well, and has a good turf jockey aboard. I look for this horse to fire first time out.
UNDERNEATH
-#4 With Herself – Jorge Vargas Jr./ Graham Motion
– Another Motion horse but this horse has 3 races under her belt and has been steadied or stopped in each of the last two. I expect Vargas to get this horse a good trip and this horse to be closing late.
#2 Just a Look – Horacio Karamanos/ Ben Colebrook
-This first timer is 20/1 morning line, but I think she should be 10/1. Breeding suggests turf, and good works seem to me that she is ready to go. Watch out for this horse to blow up the exotics.
Race 6 – 1 Mile DIRT OC 25Kn1x 3yo&up
TOP PICK- #8 Lngtermrelationship Jose Valdivia jr./ Michael Tomlinson
-This gelding looks like the best horse in their given form in this field. This horse should have the perfect trip set up for him. The horse has had some rest too since his last start. The distance hits him right between the eyes.
UNDERNEATH
- #2 Degrom – Mychel Sanchez/ John T. Servis
- This horse is a parx horse so I know him very well. Experience vet with a return to form since leaving Papa Servis. The owners that claimed this horse off of John C. Servis, used Marcos Zulueta for two races, before giving this horse to John Servis’ son, John T. Servis. That interests me that they brought a horse doing so subpar back to the family they claimed it off of.
- #4 Desert Spring – JD Acosta/ Michael Stidham
- This Godolphin LLC horse, should be the pace of the pace, and should set strong early fractions. If Victor Severino( a jockey I used to be an agent for a few years back) can win and run 2nd in an ALW with this horse, I think JD can get even more out of him.
Race 7- 5 Furlongs Turf MSW 50K 2YO
TOP PICK- #1 A is for Artist – Feragal Lynch/ Timothy Keefe
- This horse hung in debut but was also on the dirt and was also his first start. I think with more maturity due to a race being under his belt, he should be more professional in finishing. He was well bet in debut and has breeding screaming for turf. I expect a way stronger outing today.
UNDERNEATH-
-#9 Embolden- Paco Lopez/ Michael Stidham
– This horse should also run better switching to grass and was a little troubled in debut. The only knock I have with this horse is the dam never produced a turf winner. Paco should get the lead if no first timer fire early, and Paco on the lead is dangerous.
#11 The Poser- Jorge Vargas Jr./ Hamilton Smith
- This first timer has tons of turf breeding and some consistent workouts on the tab. A talented rider, and a decent outside post, this horse could make noise at a double digit price.
#12 Summer Somewhere- JD Acosta/ Joan Scott
- Like the 11, this horse is also a first timer. However the breeding isn’t as strong for turf, this horse still has some turf pedigree. Possible shocker from the outside.
Race 8- 1 Mile 1/16th Turf ALW 60Kn1x 3yo&up
TOP PICK- Tiz a Kitten – Ruben Silvera/ Gerald Brooks
-This mare is very tricky. This horse ran well last time out on turf but never really fired in the other turf starts recently. I just don’t see anything special in this field, and I think if the trip sets up right this horse should be right there rolling down the stretch.
UNDERNEATH-
#8 Zonda- Trevor McCarthy/ James Lawerence II
- Horse will go off as the favorite, but I think this horse can be beat. Blinkers on is a huge upgrade and this horse is a likely winner
Race 9- 5 ½ F Turf OC 40Kn2x
TOP PICK- No top pick this race but I equally like 3 horses
#4 Nottoway- Johan Rosado/ Lacey Gaudet
- For those who do not know, Rosado and Gaudet are actually one of racings newer couples off the track. Usually I like to keep my eye on connections that are dating, because they usually communicate more and the riders usually give a stronger effort. This horse ran 4th back at Kentucky Downs in September and has not run on turf since. That race was a 300K stakes race and he almost got up. This horse should be sneaky and Johan Rosado should be riding strong down the lane.
#7 Faction Cat- Daniel Centeno/Gerald Bennett
- This horse is always right there at the wire, and has strong speed numbers in this field. Centeno is a very good Mid Atlantic jockey and pretty decent on turf. If this horse goes back to his Tampa Bay Downs days this horse should win.
# 11 Rapid Dan – JD Acosta/ Patrick Nuesch
- I am not too familiar with this trainer, but this horse has just missed the winners circle in his previous 3 starts. Look for him to put it all together today.
Race 10- 1m 1/16th Turf Claiming 10K OPEN Condition
TOP PICK- #10 Teflon Tony- Luis Reyes/ Alan Bedard
- This horse is going to be double digits and this field is wide open. I just really liked his last effort for 8K at Penn, but he was steadied. Clean trip and a better jockey and this horse sees the winner circle.
UNDERNEATH
- #13 Whistle Player- Raul Mena/ John Fennessy
- Another longshot underneath, a little bit of a one pace horse, but in a field this open, he should be live. If close enough to pacesetters, he could just glide on by.
- #7 Megeve- Dean Sarvis/ Jane Martin
- Finally another double digit horse that was recently gelded. If this horse runs the race he did at Suffolk he could be in the mix. Wide open race here and good luck