ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 4, EMMETT PARK

FIRST RACE

AWAKEN MY SOUL has shown improvement since stretching out two back when she ran second in her turf and route debut. She went to the sidelines for six weeks and stalked nicely before tiring in the lane when boosted to straight maiden company. She’s dropping back into the claiming ranks and will be a pace factor with her rail draw. MARTINI EFFECT has hit the board in both route tries when running for a tag. She set the pace and lost a photo last time when running against easier. She’s stepping up again after that solid effort. PARTY GAL is coming north for the first time and taking the blinkers off. She made her route debut last time and gave her best try yet. This is her first start on a synthetic surface as she makes for first start for barn that has done well with new faces.

SECOND RACE

LIFE NO PAROLE did nothing after a two-month layoff, but he dropped to this level after that and ran second before winning by 7 1/2 lengths last time. She has a powerful closing kick and has scored all five career victories at this track and at this distance. Those past two starts are better than any of her tries last year. TELL HER YES got a big drop last time and set the pace before fading a bit late as the favorite. She gets the final drop to the bargain-basement level here, and we’re willing to give her another look in part because of her outside draw. She can get a good stalking trip and may offer more value today at her favorite distance. HALLIE JAE ran second last time, beating the second choice, in her first start at one mile. Like the way she finished, and she should be tougher with that one under her belt.

THIRD RACE

BARREL KNOT is a proven sprinter. The 10 YO past classer is coming off an easy win at this level in a wire-to-wire effort. Though he’ll be challenged for the lead here, he doesn’t need to lead to win. He draws the rail so you know what the strategy will be. He’s going in good form and appreciates this distance. LUCKARACK drops to the bargain- basement level today and is getting a 10-pound weight break. He ran evenly when third as the even-money last time for basically twice this price. Watch for him in the lane. LITTLE JACK has good early speed and is capable of grabbing the lead here. He’s game and won by a nose at this level and then stepped up a notch to share a dead heat win last time.

FOURTH RACE

EMMETT PARK has won twice at this level, first sprinting and last time routing after being claimed. In between, he was fourth in a four-way photo when he closed well against better. He’s won half of his starts here and has been part of the exacta in three of his four starts at this distance. He has no sprint speed, but he knows how to finish. He just needs a clean trip. NATIVE TREASURE dropped to this level and has hit the board in both starts since returning from a six-week freshener. He’s another that does his best running late. Should get a good trip with his outside draw and does like to swing wide for his best moves. SIR VRONSKI has bounced around at a variety of levels. He’s made his past two starts in allowance company. He set the pace in a turf route and then set the pace before fading late in a six-furlong race. He’s won five of seven starts here. He’s the one they’ll have to catch.

FIFTH RACE

SKY FOREVER is sharp right now. She’s improved her Beyer in her past three starts and is stepping up here. Her career record here is 14-6-3-3. It’s worth noting that she ran twice at this level last summer, winning at both Pleasanton and Sacramento. With the big step up, she’ll likely offer value today. DEB’S WILDCARD is a stakes winner sprinting. She went to the sidelines in September 2015 and miss all of 2016. She’s run twice this year earning minor checks while meeting better. She drops to the lowest level of her career today and will be worth watching in the lane. LOOK QUICKLY was a multiple stakes winner as a 2 YO. She’s become something of a nibbler of late but has hit the board in three of her past four starts. She split decisions with the second choice, trailing her last time with a disappointing seventh-place finish.

SIXTH RACE

CARNIVAL LIGHTS looked good when graduating as the odds-on pick in a bottom-level maiden race in her last start. She has hit the board in four of five starts at this distance. She didn’t threaten