ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 9, DANCE AN IRISH JIG

FIRST RACE

RACIN ROSEMARY has a decent late kick and her Beyers put her in the mix as she makes her local debut in her first start off the claim; dangerous late given some pace help up front. SCORPION ALY has some early zip and that’s no small edge in a race which doesn’t feature much speed at all; should be tough to reel in if she’s able to shake loose without much pressure, but she does loom a short price. SENSATION AL SAT R DAY comes out of sprints and draws inside, and she should benefit from a forward trip if the pace scenario develops as expected.

SECOND RACE

SOCIAL STRANGER ships over from Gulfstream and he should be prominent from the start, with first run at probable pacesetter TWO CUBAN BROTHERSU likely; he was unable to stay with that runner two back but if SANDRO can push the issue somewhat perhaps SOCIAL STRANGER can turn the tables. TWO CUBAN BROTHERS U is clearly the one to beat, but he figures to offer little value; boasts eight wins over this strip. DIVINE AMBITION usually sprints but he should be well spotted behind a possible duel up front; game wins in his last two.

THIRD RACE

HOLD THAT NOTE was no match for BANGLE when they met last time but the latter was making her route debut, and she could well move forward off that effort; she ran deceptively well in that sprint try two back, as she was moving well in the rear of the field. BANGLE is clearly the one to beat after running 2nd in each of her last two; easy to like, but value will be tough to come by. J P’S GIA goes long for the first time but the barn does very well with horses stretching out from sprints to routes; pedigree also suggests the extra ground won’t pose a problem.

FOURTH RACE

COUNTY ANTRIM was against the race flow in each of his last two starts when trying to close ground in paceless races, and while this is another race light on speed he should be expected to be more involved from the start today with Ronnie Allen aboard; dangerous with a forward trip on top of mild fractions. SNUGGLEY BEAR is down in class off a dull effort at Penn and he has to be respected based on his best figures. BLESSED AT MASS could be the one to catch from his inside post, and he could get brave if the splits are on the mild side.

FIFTH RACE

GO CRISTIAN GO could be a bit of a reach but he does land in a race which lacks an obvious race flow and he was impressive in that longshot score two back; he lost any chance at the break last time but with a clean getaway he figures to be well clear from the start today. HUNTSTOWN impressed when third in that last try, rallying some despite landing in a paceless race in his first start off the short layoff; big threat if able to move forward here. HARV WON’T TAP benefited from the pace scenario but the race came up quick and he was flattered when the runner-up returned to score in his next start (82 Beyer).

SIXTH RACE

NO MERCY PERCY is kin to four winners, including No Badge, who posted 24 victories, 20 of them dirt sprints; sports a couple of decent breezes which hint at some ability and she should offer a parimutuel alternative to heavy favorite A CHANGE OF HEART. The latter was a solid 2nd in her local bow last time and the resulting Beyer makes her the one to fear today; certainly going to be tough late given any kind of trip and some help up front. FIRST KISS is out of a dam who was a stakes winner on the turf but she’s also kin to a couple of main track winners; like the top pick, she’s also shown some speed in the morning.

SEVENTH RACE

RENEWABLE debuts for trainer Christophe Clem-

ent, who is always tough at this meet with maidens on the green; both the dam and sire were best on the main track but the connections make her a contender by default in her first career start. SAUCY

DAME ran a solid race for the show in her first start on the green, rallying late despite breaking from post 12 over a yielding course at Churchill; clearly tough for trainer Eddie Kenneally, who has solid stats with horses off this type of break. SUNSET

CRUISE is out of a dam who was best on the main track, and her best runner was best sprinting on dirt, but she’s by Data Link, a Grade 1 turfer; she was against the flow in her sprint bow.

EIGHTH RACE

HER GRACE came from off the pace to break her maiden in that last one, a race that was wellgraded and proven to be strong when a pair of runners returned to run 1-2; can repeat here if she gets a quick, contested pace up front. FANCY PINSTRIPES is another who would benefit from a lively tempo on the lead; she closed well behind PIKI PIKI GIRL last time when they ran 2-3 against similar. The latter benefited from forward positioning when 2nd at a big price last time at this same level, an effort that makes her an obvious threat right back.

NINTH RACE

DANCE AN IRISH JIG raced behind a controlled pace, with the eventual winner setting the pace from the start, and he seemed to have some traffic issues in the lane in that last run; he galloped out nicely after the wire and he seems to have some upside here, assuming a clean trip. GENERAL PADDY lacks pedigree power, with the winless dam producing three starters who have failed to win themselves, but the barn’s recent success with firsters makes him one to consider regardless of bloodlines; decent works, too. CARBONATED is the first foal out of the dam but he is by Langfuhr, and he has some intriguing breezes of his own.