It’s opening day for Turfway Park for the 2018-2019 meet! We have eight races today.
Race 1– 1st #9 Connie Ann to me is the most obvious horse. Rogelio Miranda doesn’t get much for mounts, but had a good year last year at Turfway. She is on a slight class drop, I’d like to see her sit back instead of sprinting to the front and burning out.
2nd #6 Lady Creed has the best Beyer numbers in this race, but her running style isn’t great. She also has the most experience in the field, but again, not great efforts.
3rd #5 Millville only has three starts, but compared to most, her losing margins aren’t as big as some of the others in this race.
Race 2– 1st #12 Malibu Tide might be coming from the twelve-hole which isn’t easy to do, but he’s coming from Mountaineer and has been enjoying success over this past fall and summer, he’s experienced on synthetic, I think he should be golden here.
2nd #1 Frost or Frippery has a solid Turfway record. Seven starts, three wins, and two thirds. He hasn’t been on his A game in a long time now, but still capable of running second or third.
3rd #11 Perfect Execution might be a pro at hitting the board, but I’m not fond of his few races. He hasn’t won in over a year, can’t trust him on top, but I think he’s okay for second place, been on the board five of eight races this year.
Race 3– 1st #4 Calm Pacific has never raced at the bottom before, so here goes. He once was quite a talented boy, and seems to have a liking for Turfway’s surface.
2nd #7 Cairn has twenty one races, and eight second place finishes. He’s done well at Arlington on their synthetic surface, I know he hasn’t raced here before but I think he should be good.
3rd If you want to see a war horse, take a look at #2 Union Bowman for third place. Ninety-two starts, twenty-one wins, eleven seconds, and fifteen thirds, with $451,415 in earnings. He’s not a top contender, but one who has done well for himself.
Race 4– 1st #2 Too Much Chitchat’s last three races have been terrible. But, now that her price tag is cut in half, she’s worth another look. Never tried synthetic before, could go really well or bad.
2nd #9 Templesis doesn’t appear to be interested in dirt or turf, so perhaps the poly is the best. Her last race was not anywhere near what it could have been but before that she pulled off a win on the poly, so this is the best race there could be for her, plus a slight class drop.
3rd #4 Mynameismoney hasn’t made much money and really wasn’t good enough for Keeneland, which I know sounds harsh but Belterra horses don’t typically run well outside that track. Also dropping in class.
Race 5– 1st #8 Spanish Justice appears to be running better Beyer numbers and performances as opposed to his competition. He has never tried this track before which concerns me a little, but probably the best horse in the race.
2nd #7 Sharm was once a successful horse at Oaklawn Park. Now here he is, running at the bottom with completely different connections. Winless at Turfway but has two second places.
3rd #3 Feet’s Afire hasn’t ran well this year, but now he unites with his winning jockey from the past and runs decent at Turfway. Capable of running third.
Race 6– 1st #6 Courtmewithcarats ran badly last out, but now is in a softer spot. Just like Picante Caliente, she is yet to try the synthetic and that bothers me a little, but she’s done very well, including a recent allowance win at Keeneland.
2nd #2 Picante Caliente is going to run well in this spot against these fillies and mares. She’s in for a decent class drop here, runs solid Beyer numbers, only question, how will she like the synthetic?
3rd I felt I needed something with a little synthetic experience in this race so I took #4 Tiz Taken Back. A better spot for this filly, and she looks competitive. Her last race was good, and I like to see her cutting back in distance.
Race 7– 1st #7 Thomas Shelby was a pricey colt at $525,000 and now here he is running in a maiden special weight for $18,000! I really like trying to beat the chalk, but sometimes you just can’t. Wesley Ward trains the Curlin colt out of a Giant’s Causeway mare.
2nd #1 Bye the Bye has several bullet works, and is a Calumet homebred by Oxbow. I don’t like that the jockey hasn’t won at all this year, and don’t think the trainers stats are great, so we will see.
3rd #9 Releasethethunder has some fine breeding, as he is by More Than Ready out of a Thunder Gulch mare. Last two races were not good, but trying the synthetic could possibly benefit him.
Race 8– 1st #8 Cruz Dez seems like the best option here as he is in for a class drop, better trainer, and tries a surface change. A $170,000 purchase, this gelding is by Lookin At Lucky. A hot, and underestimated stallion right now.
2nd #10 Slowhand winning off of that long layoff right away was good, even if it’s at the bottom level. He’s had a lot of layoffs, which isn’t a good thing, but Wesley Ward does a good job with his horses.
3rd You’d think as a four year old, #7 Kits Gold is lightly raced, right? Four years old, twelve starts. This year, especially the month of September, he’s been raced heavily, but now has had two months off. Should be fresh.