BEST BET: RACE 5, ALLIE

FIRST RACE

CATSKILL FLYER adds blinkers and stretches out and she may appreciate the extra distance, as she has a decent closing kick; meets an average group for the class and she should get at least a little pace help. MYSTIC DELIGHT could be the main speed despite the outermost post; could be tough to catch if able to back down the fractions on a loose lead. BEELINE usually turfs, and she’s best on that surface, but she may be good enough at this reduced level.

SECOND RACE

SEAN MICHAEL was caught wide and well off the pace in a route which featured slow splits and a two-speed exacta when last seen, and he stands to improve today given a better set up; in this sprint; some of his best Beyers came in one-turn races. DREXELS GOLD returns to the main track in his third start off the layoff; should be a late threat here. BROOKSIDE is the main speed, and he could be tough to catch if he gets away on an uncontested lead; light price likely.

THIRD RACE

DISQUALIFIED was a decent third against similar in her latest, chasing some slow splits and holding well late, and she ran deceptively well in defeat two back in that sprint; should be able to use her early speed and inside post to work out a favorable trip. MISS POW WOW has a decent closing kick and fits well enough in terms of Beyers; comes out of the same race as the top pick, where she was hurt by the tepid fractions. LITTLE TWITCH benefited from a favorable race flow in her latest but she has to be respected off the resulting Beyer.

FOURTH RACE

CITY ELITIST could be dangerous at a big price here as the main speed, as he seems to have a chance to shake loose and dictate the pace; latest was a sprint featuring several speeds, which didn’t help his cause, and the wide post was another problem for him there. EMPIRE IMAGE was an easy winner as a prohibitive favorite against an overmatched field in his latest, and the figure he posted there makes him a top contender in this sprint. J. R. BUTTON beat EMPIRE IMAGE in his maiden win when loose on the lead; needs to avoid a race-long duel if he’s to win this, it seems.

FIFTH RACE

ALLIE was moving very well in the late stages of her latest, and she may be able to make the last run today if she gets a clean trip from her inside post; she was no threat in her prior try but that was a deep field and she may have needed the race off the short break. ELUDE was with the pace two back when the splits were slow but she was forced to rate in her latest when she landed in a race which had some more speed in the field; latest Beyer makes her an obvious threat today. CAMISOLE was no threat in her bow but she was hurt by the slow fractions, and the barn excels with horses off this type of layoff.

SIXTH RACE

FUJIMO is kin to two starters, both of them multiple winners, including Duff, who won a couple of stakes and earned over $288K; sports some very nice works for a barn which does well with firsters. THURSTON was against the race flow in each of his last two starts and he has license to improve today if he gets a better set up; may get a perfect trip behind MILL HILL PLACE and SPECTACULARWARRIOR. The latter just missed in his latest but he had no obvious excuse there, as he was loose on the lead from the start; today’s shorter distance should work to his advantage, however.

SEVENTH RACE

CALICO KITTEN middle moved in his latest and weakened late but that was not a bad effort, as he may have simply made a premature bid; strategy here may be to gun for the lead, as this paceless field seems vulnerable to a loose speed and he has proven to be tough to reel in if he’s able get clear

and set his own pace. LEFT FOOT SLEWIE has the hedge and enough speed to stay close, if not make the lead outright with aggressive handling early on; that early zip should give him the edge on the stone closers. ALLIE’S EVENT has a solid late kick and he loves this course; main danger late but he may or may not get enough pace and he looms a relatively short price.

EIGHTH RACE

LADY GREGORIA blew a clear lead in her most recent but the race came up fairly quick and she cuts back in distance, and that figures to help the cause; solid connections add to the appeal. DAILY FEATURE makes her first start since April but she lands in a soft spot as she takes a huge drop in class; that raises a flag but she may be able to win this by default. COWBOYS SWEETHEART has high speed and could prove the one to catch; has room to move way up in her third start off the layoff.

NINTH RACE

KING DUDE OF OCALA was off the board in both of his two turf tries to date but he had trouble each time; he moved prematurely in each of his last two, on the main track, but he could surprise here at a big price if he gets a clean trip and makes a bettertimed run. LAMBANO stretches back out and looms a threat if he’s able to run to his best figures; blinkers come off but he should be close-up from the start nonetheless. SIMPLY TIZWAY makes his first start on the turf but his sire, Tizway, scores at 20% with such runners; extra distance should work to his advantage as well.