ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 4, CLASSY DANCER

FIRST RACE

TELLING TONY not badly beaten by Regal Kitten, who notched his fourth in a row, despite racing wide throughout when returning from a six month layoff on May 6. Has been idle since but shows a couple of decent main track works in the interim. Can run down the speed with repeat of that effort. DOMINATE hard to fault in his present form. Beat same kind two back, just failed in latest. GOLDEN POINT no match for It’s a Given who freaked to a career best 89 Beyer two weeks earlier. Gaffalion stays, logical but now a beaten favorite four times in his last five starts.

SECOND RACE

BON RAISON one of two first timers in this lineup for team Pletcher along with CHANNEL CAT, both demanding of respect against what appears to be a pretty average looking group of 2yos. B R certainly bred for the going, kin to multiple SW Barracks Road and 3 time Graded SW and $214K turf earner Leigh Count. SEATTLE TREASURE an obvious choice off his bow when turning in even try at five furlongs. CHANNEL CAT superbly bred by English Channel out of a Kitten’s Joy mare and note Javier C. takes the call.

THIRD RACE

BOBBY AX took some money, showed some promise in a race that featured some real trouble on the turn. Broke slow, altered course well wide on the bend, rallied mildly after angling back to rail through stretch. Son of Shanghai Bobby looks like the type who might relish the added ground and exits near bullet work last weekend. DIAMOND OOPS, kin to 2yo SW Patriotic Diamond, ran down Pletcher 4/5 shot Scrapper to win at first asking, the pair a half a pole in front of the others. Has turned in a pair of bullets subsequent to that outing. UNCLE RUNT ran a 21 and change opening quarter showing his heels to 7 foes including next out Pletcher grad Bal Harbour as a 104-1 outsider in his debut. Purchased privately after the race, may prove one to catch for new connections in stakes bow.

FOURTH RACE

CLASSY DANCER won at first asking on t he grass but bred for dirt and likely to have a fitness edge over the rest of these coming from Pletcher barn and with a 5 furlong race under her belt. Taken to run down the speed of R PAPER CHASER and GO ASTRAY, who finished a head apart when meeting at 4 1/2 furlongs on May 10 but perhaps destined for an early duel on stretch to 5 1/2 panels.

FIFTH RACE

PAY ANY PRICE continues to hold his form extremely well. Just failed to hold off Richards Boy in Pimlico Turf Sprint, the latter flattering the effort by coming back to win Penn Nat’s Governor’s Cup via a DQ next out. Back over his favorite track. One to catch again. PARTLY MOCHA exiting a solid try at CD in which he rallied sharply off contested pace. Will need similar help with the preferred choice to spring the upset. R LIMO JOE the logical choice if this one gets rained off the grass.

SIXTH RACE

FLYING GIRL was shuffled a bit during early going, finished evenly from off slow pace last time now drops to weakest level yet. As good as any in this spot. DOINTHEWATUSI knocking on the door vs. better but a hanging sort who continues to lose ground from eighth pole to wire in 2 turn races like this. MAKE BIG MONEY makes second start for new connections after getting in early wrestling match with her rider lasts time. A non-winning sort but perhaps capable of rallying for a minor share today.

SEVENTH RACE

SALUTE THE COLONEL bred to be a good one being a half to Pure Sensation. Hasn’t panned out but now down to the bottom for second start of current form cycle, may assert his inherent class edge to take the measure of this soft group. SO LONG CHUCK gelded since switching hands off the claim, strictly one to beat but must clear off early from tough post at this distance and already a beaten favorite a couple of times for this tag. SOUTHERN SEA drops, reunites with Tyler G. who guided him to a 2nd place MSW finish last fall.

EIGHTH RACE

A LITTLE OFF THE TOP worth a peak debuting with this kind. Showed enough from the gate on 6/11 and 6/25 to merit a look, especially if the money shows. DARDO likely to be odds on once again, had little excuse after making the lead from inside in his most recent start. Best on paper but perhaps vulnerable at another short price. TOM LIZ continues to pay his way in the barn having been 2nd or 3rd in each of his last 8 starts, pretty good for this m aiden level.

NINTH RACE

WHOOP TI DO finally steps on the lawn in his 14th career start while getting plenty of class relief for the occasion. By Midshipman and a half to 8 time turf winner and $274K earner Drinking Lounge. GEAR JAMMER comes off another nice effort when dropped into the category for the first time and very logical off that effort but winless now since fall of 2015 and only 1 of 20 lifetime. SALUTATION plunges well below level of runaway maiden win on the dirt but showed promise on the lawn here last season.

TENTH RACE

SWEET TOOTH HAVEN came off the bench with a big effort beating Fla. breds, this distance on 5/14 including next out SW Money Or Love. Has been given ample time to recuperate from the try, should be able to sit another stalking trip off all the speed in this lineup. FIREFOOT gives away a lot in experience but earned high marks in promising debut, how much of that was due to a wet track hard to say. Comes off bullet drill, another who should trip out off a contested pace. R ANGEL KATELYN far and away the clas of the field but was life and death to win at 1/5 last time and likely to get tested early by True Motion and perhaps Who’s the Lady. May prove vulnerable at a very short price.

ELEVENTH RACE

MO CASH turned in huge try against salty field of older horses in the Big Drama now back with his own kind making graded stakes bow. Obviously proven at the distance, might be eligible to spring the mild upset with another forward move. CLASSIC ROCK had no chance to show his best speed while bogged down on a dead rail and overmatched in the Woody Stephens but returned with a huge work on 6/24 and well posted outside to be on or with the pace from the outset here. Expecting much improvement back on familiar grounds. THREE RULES the obvious choice after running well behind Recruiting Ready from tough post in the Chick Lang but just feel like he could prove beatable at a short price once again.

TWELFTH RACE

CURLIN’S APPROVAL looked like a world beater earlier this winter but now has to prove herself all over again after a couple of dull tries both here and at Churchill Downs. Looked good in recent 5/8’s work, expect to see her sitting a lot closer early on than she was in the Inside Information. DEAREST hard used on the lead, looked home at midstretch before fading late in the Inside Information but may have a little easier time on the front end

with these. Consistent filly might not look back this time. WHEATFIELD ran well in the Inside I and better than it looks last out from a deep rail in N.Y. Can come running again for at least a share at a decent enough price.

THIRTEENTH RACE

IMPERIAL HINT may just be too fast for these if able to repeat any of his last three starts including huge win in the General George when defeating Stallwalkin Dude, who has since returned to win the Diablo and finish second in the True North. Just a question of how much the trip to Dubai, when scratched prior to the Golden Shaheen, took out of the speedy colt. AWESOME BANNER exits perhaps his best yet in the Maryland Sprint when beaten a half length by Whitmore and head for 2nd by A.P Indian, two of the best in their division. Returns to his favorite strip today. DELTA BLUESMAN won this race a year ago and appears to be training extremely well for return although certainly well off his peak form of late.

FOURTEENTH RACE

BIG MONEY MACHINE gets tepid nod in finale after making premature looking middle move last time. WEEZA GONE GRAY likely one to catch again but poorly posted a a non-winning sort who has failed to hold the lead in each of his l ast four tries vs. similar. CONSCIOUS DECISION a consistent sort from a Beyer standpoint, sheds weight with double bug up, might be able to snare minor share at a major price.