ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, MARCHTOTHEMUSIC

FIRST RACE

VALIANT FLAME steps up as he goes after his fifth straight win. He’s making his third start following a two-month freshener. Outside post should keep him out of trouble as he sits back a bit early with his traditional stalking style. Leading barn makes a confident move with what is obviously a very sharp runner. BETTING MCCANN CAN dropped to this level last time and scored a front-running win. He’s the stablemate of the top pick who drew the outside post. While there’s other speed in here, he looks like the one who can take the lead if he wants to, and the rail draw probably means he’ll want to use his speed to full advantage. EXTANT is getting a big drop after a nine-month say on the sidelines. He’s been part of the exacta in six of seven starts here, but he’s been gelded during his layoff. Works are decent, and he hasn’t seemed to miss a beat.

SECOND RACE

MARCHTOTHEMUSIC ran second at this level in his debut here. He’s been a consistent check earner and has turned things around of late, hitting the board in his past four starts. His strong effort here came after dropping to the bottom level at Santa Anita. Has an easy maintenance drill since that effort. Lone sibling is a $100K earner. SMOKE AND BURN was claimed in his debut here and turned in an improved effort when finishing third behind the top pick in his last start. All four of his siblings are winners. Has a much better work since raced than the top pick so expect another solid effort here. CANDY’S MARTINI is coming north for the first. His two best efforts have come in his two sprint tries although he has never been a factor in any of his four career starts. He moves back to the main track from the turf and does have a work over the track. All three siblings are winners with two earning black type. Barn shows a profit when dropping runners from the straight maiden ranks into claimers.

THIRD RACE

MY FOOLISH HEART ran here once in allowance company on the turf and was never a factor last fall. Ran all right without threatening in her come- back race after nearly eight months on the sidelines, but the effort suggests she’ll be a contender in her second start. Barn has brought her north and given her two works here after qualifying for this starter allowance level in her comeback. INTWO MYPOSSESSION is coming off back-toback career-best Beyers. Her fist game in her first route at this distance on the main track. She followed that up with a solid sprint win in her turf debut. She does have a bullet work since then, albeit a slow clocking, as she tries her first turf route. TRICKED AGAIN is a veteran turf runner, who has hit the board in her past two start on grass (the second coming on a disqualification). Although all four siblings are winners, she is the first member of her family to record a turf victory.

FOURTH RACE

CRAWFORD’S GLOVE is a consistent sort, who always turns in solid efforts. He’s been gelded since his last start when he ran evenly at this level after qualifying for it in his previous start. He’s been working well since the “equipment change,” and horses often show improvement in their first start after being gelded. As it stands, his past two starts are better than any of his rivals have ever run. DAD’S A GAMBLER has hit the board in all four starts, breaking his maiden as he turned in a career-best effort despite a mild problem in the stretch. He should be a pace factor here. AT TWILIGHT TIME defeated the top pick in his debut and then ran second last time at this level, defeating another of today’s rivals. This may be a tougher field than last time, and he’ll need to improve a bit more today.

FIFTH RACE

There should be a contentious pace for HAWK’S JOURNEY to sit behind here just as she did in scoring her maiden win last time. She has never finished off the board on the turf here. Her past two starts were her best yet, and she could be sitting on a repeat win. BISHOPS OF COMPTON has a win and a second (on a disqualification last time in a tight heat) in three starts over the course. There’s plenty of speed in this race, and she will be sitting well off the pace. Watch for her in the lane when the real running begins. HER BIG MOMENT has other speedy rivals here, but the 3 YO, who is meeting older, does like the lead and has the advantage of the outside post. She’s been getting better with each start since coming north and moving to a new barn, and she seems to love this course.

SIXTH RACE

BEBA, like Her Big Moment in the last race, has turned things around since coming north. She just ran second at this level, getting passed late as the odds-on choice. She’s been the runner-up in her two main-track starts here so we’re willing to give her another chance. CALL YOUR BLUFF just broke her maiden after being claimed at the bargainbasement level in her previous start. Barn wisely is cutting her claiming price in half for her first start against winners. She can be a pace factor here as she meets older. SEATALPHA faded a bit in the late going after turning in an even effort in her first start in six weeks when chasing the top pick. She’s capable of better and should improve with a race under her belt.

SEVENTH RACE

The first thing to note is that there were 12 runners signed up for this race. Both Cat’s Tough That, a full brother to turf millionaire Chamberlain Bridge, and Get Like Me, whose two siblings have scored all their victories on turf, can win if they draw in. But, in case they don’t...SEEKING BEA dropped into the claiming ranks again last time when he ran third over the course when favored at this level. He seems a decent turf runner and has a pair of works for new trainer here. THE ICE BOX KID turned in his best effort yet when got passed late by Get Like Me in his turf debut last time. He’ll be a pace factor throughout and is bred to like the turf. MOOKIE’S WISH makes his turf debut here. Sire enjoys success with turf first-timers, and dam was a turf winner. He’s been running at the bottom level, but remember that this is the bottom level for turf maidens.