Let’s try to get off this month long slump having a Sunday of winning propositions. Ten races wait for us with the Gravesend being the feature.
1st race: MSW for fillies, 2 year olds. One mile.
7-6-4
Dylan Davis returns to the saddle of Dancing Kiki (7), and with him she has run her best two races. I’m under the impression that she will do fine with the increase in distance and the fact that she ran only two weeks ago gives me confidence that she is ready to go. Topaz Bride (6) ran well in her debut on the grass, now tries the main track, and she should be the controlling speed of the race, and she already has experience at this eight furlongs trip. My My Michelle(4) encountered a very slow pace in her debut , but re rallied late to lose by a mere two and a half lengths. Alvarado will have the chance now to sit chiller with her at a nice stalking position and Nevin’s runners are better with a race under their belt.
2nd race: Optional Claimer $62K for fillies and mares, 3 year olds and upward. One Mile.
3-2-6
Stand for the Flag (3) drops dramatically from running in the Grade III Comely, and now faces a group much more of her liking. She also takes a cutback in distance, and she has won at longer trips already. It’s the Lezcano and Servis combo, with 31% effectiveness. Monaco Princess (2) is now in her second race for trainer Rob Atras, and from that number two hole, I expect her to be stalking the pace, and has shown fondness for the added distance. Junior Alvarado takes the call, and him and Atras hot at a 24% clip together, and he preferred her over Karen’s Gem (6), who will be my third choice. She is an Aqueduct lover, with four wins and three seconds from eight starts, and her record at this trip is also very impressive.
3rd race: MSW for fillies, 2 year olds. Six furlongs.
5-1-4
This race should be decided by the two first time starters that are working lights out, Champagne Lady (5) and French Café (1). Neither of them will be a surprise at all, I will prefer the Mark Hennig trainee, who has a better post in the gate and because her works indicate she is a little quicker from the blocks. Of the ones that have experience, Kansas Kis (4) should be included. She has lost twice to Lake Avenue, who later won the Demoiselle impressively, and returns to the six furlongs, the distance she has run better so far.
4th race: Claiming $16,000 NW3L. Three year olds and upward. Six furlongs.
4-1-3
Freudian Sip (4) was hit with a dose of reality after he flunked last time out, in a much better group. Now returns to his level and he should be stalking the pace very close to the leaders and Dylan Davis will have the assignment once again. Autostrade (1) is now under the tutelage of Linda Rice, who should start winning races more regularly very soon. She hits at a 25% clip first time with the barn and Lezcano is one of her go to jockeys. The speed of the speed is Flatexcel (3), if Gutierrez can go easy enough in this initial fractions, he can be long one.
5th race: Maiden Claiming $30,000. Fillies, two year olds. Six and a half furlongs.
5-2-8
Big Cyn (5) has shown a constant pattern of improvement with each new race, and in such a bad group, is a good trait to have, and, at 6/1, I am willing to take a chance for continuous improvement. La Negrita (2) should be considered the favorite thanks to her last race. To ask her to repeat is maybe too much, it will depend on how easy she can get the lead. Sky Tap (8) drops from the allowance ranks after not lifting a hoof in her debut. That alone gives her a fighting chance in here, although I will not recommend taking a short price on her.
6th race: Optional Claimer $40,000. For fillies and mares, 3 year olds and upward. One Mile.
2-4-7
Confident placing by trainer Arriaga after Viradia (2) won her last for $16,000. She is looking for her fourth win in a row, and when they turn good, they always find the way to win. She Takes Charge (4) was way back in her last race and came flying late, in a ride we definitely didn’t get at all. She as the .35/1 favorite in that race, and she will be favorite once again. Let’s see what Lezcano will do with her. Wadadi Princess (7) will be making her second start after a layoff. She was running against the likes of Newly Minted and other good fillies, so we can expect a better performance from her now.
7th race: Claiming $40,000. For three year olds and upward. Six and a half furlongs.
7-5-8
Monteleone (7) should be much fitter for this race, which will be just his third since March. The last two times he ran against straight claimers, he won, so he is back to his level and his works leading up to this event are extremely good. Aristocratic (5) comes back to where he has been doing good after a failed attempt in a very tough optional claimer. He will have company up front, but I am sure Cancel will receive the instruction of sending him at all costs, and that how he runs his best. Earned Success (8) was extremely flat in his first claim try, but now he is been trained by Linda Rice, who gave him six weeks of rest and sends him in the same level. We should expect an improved effort on his part.
8th race: Allowance $77,000. For fillies and mares, 3 year olds and upward. One Mile.
5-1-8
Newly Minted looks very strong against this bunch. That last race was better than it shows on paper, as she had some trouble at the start and kept fighting against a very good filly. Has lost twice in a row as the odds on choice, so there is reason for being skeptical with her. Lezcano returns to her saddle. Both components of the Godolphin entry have been running versus much better fillies. Enliven (1) returns from an eight month vacation, and her trainer hits at a 26% clip doing this, so she should be ready, and Nonsensical (1A) sports blinkers for the first time, which should enable her to be closer to the pace. Private Beach (8) also is coming back from a layoff. She has the speed to be prominent from the start, lets see how well she comes back from the bench.
9th race: The Gravesend. For 3 year olds and upward. 6 furlongs.
2-6-4
This race goes thru Grade I winner Firenze Fire (2), who towers against this competition. The only thing that leaves me with some questions is that Irad Ortiz doesn’t travel to ride him. Lezcano is a great jockey, but the fact that Irad elects to stay in Florida is interesting to say the least. But if he repeats anything he has done over the last year or so, he should win without any problem. Happy Farm (6) has won four consecutive races and no doubt he is the main threat for Firenze Fire. Probably, jockey Reylu Gutierrez will try to steal it up front, taking advantage of the outside post. Wonderful Light (4) completes the selection. Interesting that Jorge Vargas Jr. elects to ride him instead of Happy Farm, whom he rode in his last win.
10th race: Claiming $25,000NW2L. For 3 year olds and upward. 6 and a half furlongs.
7-5-6A puzzling race to end this Sunday card. Beach Front (7) just broke his maiden on the grass, but the last time he ran on the main track, he lost to Funny Guy, who later won a stakes race. He maybe is not the same horse, but even taking a bit of a dip in form, he will be competitive in such a low quality group. Legion Storm (5) last two races have been over the slop, he will most probably find a drier surface today, so watch out for an improved race on his part. Violent Delights (6) takes a nice cutback in distance, and he will be part of that early flight. Hasn’t win in two years, so don’t rely too much on him. The 7/2 morning line is way too short in my opinion.