Turfway Park Saturday February 8, 2020
Mike McEntire
Twitter: @Gorgonzola44
Mike has been an avid horse handicapper since he discovered the Daily Racing Form in his Econometrics and Forecasting Data class at Erskine College (SC) in 1992. He has worked as a field auditor, employee benefits consultant, martini bar owner, and is currently a business insurance broker in Columbia, SC. Since his 2009 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, Mike has been an avid couch potato and horizontal horse handicapper. He loves Superfly Jimmy Snuka, Superbad, Super Mario Brothers, and Super Bowl hangovers. His fiancée is an equine pharmacist and she supports his love of horses and handicapping by driving eight hours to various horse tracks and reminding him not to hedge, therefore, he hits 3/4s, 4/5s and 5/6s on the regular.
Fade me.
Race One: 6:15 post – MC 30000 6 1/2 F 3YO
1-2-4-7
#1 Hydrogen gets the ultimate equipment change after leaving the Bob Baffert barn. We don’t see too many Baffert horses travel east and reappear at Turfway Park. Trainer Jimmy Corrigan is plenty good enough, as well as jockey Julie Burke, and if this one runs anywhere near his debut, this race is over. #2 Two Dot gets his second start over the Turfway all-weather as he is entered for a tag for the first time, a move he likely needs. #4 Cha Cha Express is the most intriguing FTS in this field, and it won’t take much to get his picture taken at first asking. Sims only hits at 7% with his debut runners, but he has some First Samurai in his sire line and his workouts show he may be ready.
Race Two: 6:44 post – Claiming 7500n3L 1 Mile 4YO&Up
3-10-4-2
#10 Seventy Seventycat was made a very lukewarm ML favorite at 7/2, but he certainly figures. He is 4/9 ITM over the Turfway strip and he has fared against other claimers of this level recently. Jockey Rogelio Miranda jumped off of him for another horse but got scratched. That’s reason enough to look elsewhere.We may catch an early Julie Burke Double as she has the mount for #3 Purr Cat, who has been whiskers away from completing this level in his last two starts. He changed tactics in his last race after making the lead on 12/20/19, so I like his versatility.It’s hard to ignore #4 High Powered as he is dropping in class and gets leading jockey Albin Jimenez.
Race Three: 7:13 post – MC 7500 6 F 3YO
9-6-4-3
In this low-level claiming race, I can honestly make a case for all but three of these 3YO colts, but I’m not so sure I should play the race that way. Sure, I could press the ALL button in my horizontal wagers, and I may on one of my tickets, but I find the most value by backing #9 Modern Day Drifter. He’s likely named after my good friend Ryan Dickey with Horse Racing Nation (hi, Ryan1!), and, like Ryan, he has a recent barn change. Claiming off of Wesley Ward isn’t always the best move, but Ward usually has his pigs running this time of year before his 2YOs get running and dominate Keeneland. New trainer Larry Smith is plenty astute enough to improve this Storm Cat runner to win at this level. #6 Florida Flash was never really thought that highly of by the Dale Romans barn as he debuted for a tag way back in September 2019 and has continued to drop down the ladder. This is as low as he’s been, and, in a race with a bunch of question marks, that may be all it takes.
Race Four: 7:42 post – Claiming 5000b 1 Mile 4YO&Up F&M
3-6-7-2
#3 Kickin Kimberly is an incredibly chalky play, but the only horse I can try to beat her with is #6 My Aunt Tillie. I would much have the improving Mike Maker runner than another Cipriano Contreras reclamation project, but I do have some concerns that Maker is dropping Kickin Kimberly after a rather easy Turfway Park win against better on 1/16/20. It’s almost like owner Michael Dubb wants to lose her, but that makes sense as Dubb normally doesn’t hang out in Florence Y’all. I can’t see any way she doesn’t get claimed tonight, probably by the trainer of the second-place horse.
Race Five: 8:12 post – MSW $46K 1 Mile 4YO&Up F&M
9-12-4-8
Trainer Tommy Drury has gotten off to a rather slow start at this Turfway Park meet, but his numbers are sure to improve after this MSW. Both of my top choices come from his barn, and it should come as no surprise that #9 Estill is my top chalk-eating choice. This daughter of Bernardini has finished second in her last two starts at this level after getting her in his barn compliments of Billy Mott, but tonight’s the night. Just in case it’s not… Drury has #12 Madam Pie under regular jockey John McKee. She’s not quite good enough on paper, but she’s next best if Estill is a chronic loser.
Race Six: 8:42 post – Claiming 5000b 6 F 4YO&Up
9-1-2-8
Normally, $5000 claimers at Turfway present an opportunity for price horses, but I am a chalk-eating weasel in the sixth. I would typically back the improving owner/trainer Anna Navarrete entry #1 Durrett Lane but drawing the rail in Turfway sprints is a negative, but she’s probably better than everyone else in this field. #9 Muny Me Too easily handled an N3L field on 1/4/20 from an outside post under jockey Jose Riquelme and I expect some improvement in his third Turfway Park start. He gets the tactical advantage and a likely Polaroid.
Race Seven: 9:12 post – Allowance 46500n2L 6 1/2 F 4YO&Up
7-5-4-3
Ron Paolucci Racing has sent a few runners to Florence for the increased purses this meet, but he has yet to hit pay dirt. #5 Going for Gold almost won for him and trainer Anthony Quartarola on 1/23/20 against similar foes and conditions and he has every right to improve enough to take the victory tonight. Though he has been in a couple of graded stakes, he has only won a maiden race. #4 Bizzy Ride wired a MC $30000 field here at Turfway Park on 1/17/20, but that was the first time he showed that trick. Can he continue those tactics against winners or was that an aberration? #7 Riverboat Gambler has yet to win on the polytrack, but he has run credibly enough to know he doesn’t hate the surface. Trainer Tommy Drury has this 7/10 ITM runner primed for a nice check tonight under jockey Malcolm Franklin.
Race Eight: 9:42 post – Claiming 5000n2L 6 F 4YO&Up F&M
3-1-5-7
Tonight’s finale is another $5000 claimer of evenly matched fillies and mares. Eleven runners are all looking for their second career win under the famed red-and-white water tower, but I am looking at a couple of fillies on the improve. The post is going to be a killer for #1 Bivian B, but she has adequate experience in Florence and trainer John Hancock knows what the Turfway winner’s circle looks like. That said, she’s not a standout and she’s up against the rail. #3 Matzo Bella is going to get pounded because of the connections, but if our reasoning was good enough in the fourth race, it’s likely good enough in the last.How’s your reading comprehension?