ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 3, ASTOUNDING

FIRST RACE

INVOCATION fell short a few times prior to arriving stateside, but he has jumped well since arriving to post a pair of blowout wins, which surround a solid effort for second to next out stakes winner Sarah Joyce. KREMLIN has taken to jumping well since switching over while improving from start to start; broke through with easy front-running score last time. ALCAZAR DE MARAM also improved with experience over hurdles, leading to comprehensive maiden win prior to the layoff; prepped with solid win on the flat. UNSINKABLE inconsistent but capable of an effort that would make him tough here.

SECOND RACE

SOUND THE HORNS likely to have to improve to win here, but he is eliglibe to do so in field where the more logical runners enter with questions to answer; exits game score over synthetic at Presque Isle, but he appears to be a much better dirt horse based on two sprints on this surface, including strong win in second career start, which followed a troubled debut. BLAZE’N PROSPECTOR was going well vs. some better horses last year, but he hasn’t come back to form since returning from a long layoff, and he disappointed when heavily favored vs. just three others on the drop last time; new trainer is solid off the claim, but he is off to 0-10 start here after strong Belmont meet. TOP BRASS 2 for 2 on fast dirt in his career, and he may be the horse to beat as he drops and switches back to dirt following a non-effort on grass, but he has been away for almost three months since that race, and was scratched by the vet from an optional $25k claimer at Parx in the interim.

THIRD RACE

ASTOUNDING looked good powering around that field with a big run when switched back to grass two starts back, and he came back to run just as well on the rise when trying to circle into a race that featured a rated pace. CITE dropping back down and cutting back from longer routes while continuing to hold form; closing style leaves him plenty to do in the stretch, but he ahs held his own vs. some better horses, and the class relief helps. HE’S CHEEKY has appeared to be something of a work in progress from the start, but he does appear to have some ability, and liked the way he finished that race off last time after a good trip; can give him a chance to improve again. CARBON DATA encountered trouble late in second career start, before shipping up here to win going longer in slow-paced race; cut back at this level last time, but was getting in instead of running all through the stretch and couldn’t impact.

FOURTH RACE

BON HEIR seems to have the best chance to knock off the streaking NORTHERN SCREAMER as she drops in class for second start off the layoff, though she will have to come forward off that return where she was simply out-paced in short sprint; been tough in the claiming ranks right along, and she came up with two of the better races of her career following the claim at the end of last year. NORTHERN SCREAMER sharp right now and looking for five in a row for a trainer who has been very live here from limited starts; turn back to this distance okay for her after easily knocking out entry-level allowance at Parx last time. CALL HER KARMA getting closer to a more appropriate level for her after trying tougher in her first few starts for these connections; speed from the rail a plus in race lacking for much early pace.

FIFTH RACE

LET’S GET LOUD went greenly after finding some early traffic in lone start up here as a 2yo, and he improved off the layoff in a race that has come back strong, while making first start for this trainer; bred to handle the stretch out, and Brown