ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 8, I WANNA TALK ABOUT ME FIRST RACE

AVENTINE HILL has been working well enough toward her return from the long break, and she lands in a seemingly average field; needs to stay close from the start. CATDAMBLUE is out of a dam who won as a 2-year-old, and her lone starter was a minor winner; needn’t be a superstar to win this. FAST POINT was third for this tag two back; may be able to pick up a late check given some help up front.

SECOND RACE

LEMON GROVE makes her first start in two months and meets a weak edition of non-winners of three than she did in her two starts at this meet thus far; looking to close late but there seems to be enough pace in the field to set her up for a late run. LAPULGA came back from the long layoff in sharp form, and while she benefited from a favorable trip in that last score she was game in defeat two back despite a difficult trip; speedy and inside, and she should use that edge to her benefit. GIRL POWDER gets back on the main track and she has to be respected off the Beyer she posted in her most recent try on the dirt.

THIRD RACE

DRESSED IN HEELS cuts back in distance for her first start since late January but she should still be the controlling speed, as this race lacks a clear pace scenario and she may be the main pacesetter; needs an alert start, something she didn’t get in her latest. JUST MY GAME has a hint of speed and the rail, and that can go a long way if the pace is in fact controlled; has been turfing but she’s won three races on the main track. CHIQUE TO CHIQUE may be the main threat late; she was moving well late in her most recent but came up a neck short.

FOURTH RACE

FAR TURN is the first starter out of the dam, who won sprinting and routing, and this gelding has decent enough breezes and he meets a typical field for the class level; board should tell more. GRAND PRIMPI showed a little more speed in his first start off the hiatus, and if he can break well enough from the rail he figures to be prominent from the start; best Beyers fit nicely. MAGIC MACK has more speed than he showed in that last one, and should benefit from getting off the rail.

FIFTH RACE

A WALK IN THE MOON LITE hasn’t been out since July but the barn excels with horses off this type of layoff, and she does fit well with this crew based on her best figures; she has only one win in nine prior starts over this course but she ran well in defeat on several occasions here last year. CHANTSES makes her second start off a long break of her own, and while she was no threat in her latest she didn’t get much pace help in that Fair Grounds try; has more tactical speed than she showed there. LUCKY STRIKE DEL CO CO was due lin her latest but her prior Beyers put her in the mix; another looking to capitalize on quicker early fractions.

SIXTH RACE

THULEAN adds blinkers here but even without that equipment change he could be expected to be the main pacesetter in this paceless turf route; he tried to stalk and come from just off the pace in his first start against winners but he can be expected to try to get clear and control the issue today. AQUA TEEN is the one to fear, on the strength of that most recent figure; he has regressed in the past after posting top figures but he seems well spotted here given his positional speed and inside post. POMME D’OR clearly has issues but he does fit in terms of his figures, and he has enough early zip to work out a forward trip, a plus given the expected race flow.