ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 3, DRAXHALL WOODS

FIRST RACE

DALAMAN launched a strong middle move before tiring when debuting last month at Churchill Downs in a respectable maiden $30,000 sprint; 49 1/5 half mile work leading into this and a picks up Santana; bred to route on the dam’s side, being out of a Giant’s Causeway mare that won her only race at a mile; improvement expected. WOLVERINE broke a few lengths slowly in his debut against straight maidens and never really got in gear, finishing a distant seventh, though behind Bravazo, who returned to be second in the Breeders’ Futurity; debut experience, class drop, and blinkers should contribute to a far better secondout performance. CAN GO was twice whipped in maiden special weight sprints at Saratoga, and is fittingly dropped into the maiden claiming ranks; blinkers come off after a one-race experience with them.

SECOND RACE

NEWPORT BLUE flashed improved speed second out at Indiana Grand in a five-furlong maiden claimer before fading to finish in a dead heat for fourth; being by Proud Citizen, expecting this one to handle the shift from turf to dirt; biggest plus is the maiden $32,000 to maiden $15,000 drop. KLASSIE CONNECT rallied to be second against bottom-level maiden $10,000 claimers at Churchill, but she is a deep closer and such types typically settle for minor awards with frequency. FANCY PINSTRIPES hung a bit when third in the same race in which KLASSIE CONNECT was recently second; on the board in 4 of 7 starts on dirt.

THIRD RACE

DRAXHALL WOODS, first or second in 22 of 53 starts, has been popular at the claims box in recent months, and looks poised to take this $10,000 claimer with aggressive placement by trainer Eddie Kenneally after running fourth when claimed for $12,500 Sept. 1 at Saratoga. LUCKY LOTTO didn’t fire in either of his last two starts, but performed well earlier in the year and can contend with a return to that form. ELECTRIFYING ran well this summer at Arlington on turf and Poly and seems likely to keep producing on dirt, a surface on which he ran well prior to heading to Chicago.

FOURTH RACE

BE A FACTOR was flat last out in a second-level allowance at Belterra when fourth but has otherwise been in good form for months; best efforts for her current barn have come sprinting on turf, but she recorded a win on dirt at Oaklawn in March; one of the better closers in a race that figures to set up for an off-the-pace type. TIGER EYES likely goes favored after winning three of her last four starts. Although moving up in class, she was managed like her connections wanted her gone this summer after repeated drops; does show a bullet work over the track and ran competitively on dirt earlier in her career. SALUTE THE WARRIOR came up empty late when third going a mile, suggesting seven furlongs should suit her better; doubt she is good enough to win but may stalk and pick up a minor award.

FIFTH RACE

LION’S SHARE could be dangerous at a price in the fifth; well bet first out at Kentucky Downs off some lively works, he had a troubled trip and ran sixth; bred for more distance and cut out to be a nice horse after fetching $550,000 at auction this year; half-mile breeze in 48 1/5 seconds leading into this. HAVE AT IT ran second at Kentucky Downs as the favorite in a route, which had followed a debut fifth at Saratoga in which he was only beaten 2 1/2 lengths; solid form but no figure edge over the leading Beyer horses in here. STORM RUNNER has twice run second in each of his two starts, and

the Grade 3 Miss Grillo. BURKE’S GARDEN nearly overcame a troubled start at Ellis Park to finish a close second in a turf sprint; was steady-paced that day after fading to fourth in an off-the-turf race in her debut that was won by eventual stakes winner Kelly’s Humor. LENAMARIE closed well to grab second in a sprint at Kentucky Downs Sept. 6, and retains hot-riding Julien Leparoux; would appear well suited to this longer race, though often closing sprinters are overbet on the move to a route.