Race 1: MdClm $40k F&M 5 & ½F Turf
1st: #6 Factorintheheat, strong improvement from first to second time out since the lockdown and showed decent closing ability in each. Speed to her inside and outside should set up well for a mid-pack closing type. Winner of the last race Coconut Cake came back to win a first level allowance at 7-1.
2nd: #1 Whispurring Kitten, attended extremely strong fractions of 21 and 2 and 44 and 1 in the 2020 debut back in May and didn’t completely fold beaten just a length by three horses including the aforementioned Coconut Cake. Some speed in here so she won’t have it entirely her way again. Worry a bit about why she hasn’t come back since May, a couple middling breezes published over the last month.
3rd: #5 Villamoura, ignore the last out try over the main track, horse was the pace setter in the two back effort which featured Factorintheheat and Coconut Cake but gave way in the stretch.
Off turf: 8-7-1
Race 2: Clm $10k F&M 1M
1st: #3 Baby Bam Bam, open and shut race here, this one has won 4 in a row since June when figuring out she wants to be on the lead from the get-go. Doesn’t look like anyone wants to run early with her, and mile distance looks right in her wheelhouse. Anything over even money is a gift.
2nd: #6 Polished Copper, typically makes up lengths in the stretch coming from decently off the pace in each of her two lifetime wins at higher class levels. Just don’t think Baby Bam Bam will be pushed at all and will be tough to overcome her.
3rd: #1 Princess Georgia, 0-2 at Laurel but a second place effort last out at this level stalking.
Race 3: MdClm $16k 2 Year Old Fillies 5F
1st: #8 Claire’s Darling, going with this No Guts No Glory Farm homebred for John Robb out of the mare Ganza who won 8 races in her lifetime including her debut at Laurel. Half sibling Great Herman raced once at two and got a second place in MdSpWt company.
2nd: #1 Social, Steve Klesaris debuter shows a couple of solid breezes over at Del including last out 49 and 1 breezing from the gate.
3rd: #7 Netti Girl, give her a lot of credit for experience with 2 starts already and showed Beyer improvement. Don’t think she has the quality.
Race 4: Clm $16k 5 & ½F Turf
1st: #12 Elenzee, this gelding by Into Mischief has the speed and the class in this field. Previously trained by Mike Maker now with Trombetta, he attended the pace in two $35k claiming races in New York so far this year before fading. Last year he won at $30k and ran more than respectably in state-bred Alw company. Don’t understand the 8-1ML at all, will be more like 2 or 3-1 at post time, has to be the best of this bunch.
2nd: #7 Dragon Moon, got back on turf last out locally and rallied from 5th to be second only beaten a neck earning a 72 Beyer. The horse he dead-heated with for second Nautical Nature came back to win at this claiming level and then followed that up with a second place restricted allowance event.
3rd: #13 Sea Lover, I don’t even like this horse third but I have to mention him Won the first three races of his life in S Florida and was claimed for $25k. They tried OC75k company last out and he faded badly, took July and August off and is now in for the $14k tag? It doesn’t really make sense to me and I’m always wary of horses keeping their summertime Florida form up here. The turf course is a lot different and there are reasons to play against this one.
Off turf: 8-13-6
Race 5: Clm $12.5k 1M Turf
1st: #1 Golden Spear, first out this year at Bel in for $25k was a tremendous effort earning an 83 Beyer and missing by just a length. Followed it up at the same level at Saratoga and she bounced a bit but those races are a far cry from this $12.5k event today. Highest class.
2nd: #4 National Honor, consistent performer at slightly higher claiming levels at GP and Mth, needs the right setup ahead of him but will be making a late run no matter what.
3rd: #8 Eldritch, second time back out east here for Cal Lynch; this one was racing at much higher quality levels earlier this year and last year, earned some staunch figures.
Off turf: 3-6-8
Race 6: Clm $5k 1M
1st: #3 Always Forgiven, made the lead in the last out open allowance company at Charles Town before surrendering going slightly longer than today’s mile. Two back at this condition and distance he attached himself to the leaders early before taking over and lasting. Probably a good claiming opportunity here.
2nd: #2 Itgot Grandma, love a horse at this level with speed like this one, notice his efforts last year just absolutely controlling races at much higher claiming prices. Maybe he doesn’t have that in him anymore but will definitely be in charge up front early.
3rd: #9 Souper Catch, will attract a lot of money as was competitive at higher levels and two back won locally in an off-the-turf event. Clearly handled the slop well that day, given a fast track not sure he will love it as much.
Race 7: Clm $12.5k 1M Turf
1st: #3 Flowmotion, really don’t understand the placement of this one in here for a $12.5k tag. He won at the OC$25k level down at GP before a win at the StrHcp$16k level at Mth two back and a close third as the favorite in open allowance company. Why is he now up for sale for so cheap? Obvious claiming opportunity.
2nd: #2 Daystrike, this one has some good speed while sprinting which should play up really well at the mile distance. Don’t know if he can carry all the way around, although he may, but his speed should play better at two turns than one.
3rd: #10 Minister’s Strike, probably needs a little bit more distance than just this mile, but will obviously be making a late run.
Off turf: 11-7-1
Race 8: Alw $55k F&M 5 & ½F Turf
1st: #1 Mr. Al’s Gal, was meant for turf in each of the past two. In the three back on the turf it was a winning effort amongst LA-breds, but she has back class for sure including an open allowance win at Delaware and a length defeat in open stakes company over this turf last September. Excited to see what happens when she gets on the turf from here. I like that she has speed and can stalk.
2nd: #5 Romantic Moment, really wanted to pick this one on top but she just hasn’t been out since January. Has won on this turf last year sprinting and won at a mile at Colonial.
3rd: #3 Lemon Zip, at first glance I’m telling myself this horse has absolutely zero chance in the world! She’s a bonafide marathoner that given a sharp sprint pace is going to be 25 lengths behind turning for home. Which may well be true but Niall Saville is 5 for 6 at this meet so far and H. A. Karamanos is such a great veteran jockey something tells me they know what they are doing switching up the distance on this one. Maybe this is just exercise for something else?
Off turf: 8-2-6
Race 9: MdClm $16k F&M 6F
1st: #1a Trellis, really like that first effort where she went right to the front and set serious fractions before giving way. Will be much better for that effort and maybe will prefer a faster dry track.
2nd: #3 Ran Char, both of her best efforts came on the grass and the most recent dirt try was a solid second going today’s distance.
3rd: #5 Sevilla Sangria, missed by just a length last out stalking an honest pace but didn’t have that passing gear and was favored that day.