ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 1, ROYALTY SALVATORE

FIRST RACE

ROYALTY SALVATORE came from second to beat $50K maidens with a 74 Beyer at second asking, and a subsequent double-digit loss in a starter on the grass is best forgotten. The Kantharos colt is plunging to $25K. His trainer has solid stats with turf/dirt and runners competing second-time off the claim. DIAMOND MAJESTY is switching to the dirt for his third start following an extended layoff, a surface he doesn’t mind. MAGNIFIER put up an 80 Beyer when third in an N1X here a year ago, but the drop to $25K after yet another layoff is cause for pause.

SECOND RACE

NAUSET BEACH merits serious consideration off the Navarro claim, in the third race of his form cycle. He wired $12.5K B stock most recently, and could do the same in this open $12.5K tilt over the same one-mile distance. INDIAN SCOUT ran surprisingly huge last time off the reclaim by trainer Tamara Levy, when he crushed $6.25K rivals in a two-turn route with an 85 Beyer. Expect him to come back down to reality in this tougher spot, in which he could hit the ticket after a stalking trip. Use SHIP DISTURBER and MANOLETE in the lower rungs of the exotics.

THIRD RACE

GOLD SHOT is tagged for the first time in his second start off the bench, with a hot Juarez taking over. Trainer Jane Cibelli possesses good stats pertaining to this situation, including a 15% strike rate with droppers to the maiden-claiming ranks over the past five years ($3.14 ROI). PEACE ACCORD hit the board in each of his last four excursions under the bug Medina, and should be a factor with his tactical speed. Professional maiden INHIBITION is reacquiring blinkers for his third try off the shelf.

FOURTH RACE

EILA is getting some noteworthy class relief from second-level optional-claiming company to this N1X/$25K optional event. With a clean break, she should be prominent under the accomplished speed rider Zayas. CORDELE is worth a long look off a victory over $16K claimers and a claim by a trainer with impressive stats first-time off a halter change (i.e. Indian Scout in today’s second race). UNBRIDLED COURAGE is sent out by a trainer who had a productive championship meet, and wouldn’t be much of a surprise off the $25K claim.

FIFTH RACE

VIOLENT WAVE is by the hot young Violence, who’s sired 20% debut winners, and her dam dropped eight winners, most notably stakes winner The Nth Degree ($253K). She worked a bullet five-eighths the other day, for a trainer who’s 2 for 27 (7%) with firsters during the last five years. MOST PRIVILEGED is by classic winner Lookin At Lucky, who’s gotten 13% first-out winners. The 4yo is a halfsister to four winners. LA DUQUESA is sent out by a trainer who has excelled with maiden-claiming debuters.

SIXTH RACE

GEMSTORM is descending to a new low from $20K, and doesn’t have much to beat in this $12.5K seller. He worked a quick half-mile last Sunday, and could make amends for his recent subpar showing, in which he had some trouble. FLEDERMAUS is another dropper from $20K who could have a say in the outcome. Castillo was aboard when he finished third in consecutive seven and a half-furlong turf events last year. Unraced SHANGHAI LEVI is a half-brother to G3 turf stakes winner Speed Seeker. JINGLE BELLS is a wild card off the long layoff.

SEVENTH RACE

INSIDE OUT finished on the edges in her last few in G3 stakes company, and the drop to this second-level optional claimer is significant. The capable Batista rides for high-percentage trainer Danny Gargan, who’s often dangerous with new

shooters. LIBERTY KITTEN came from third to capture a similar event Jan. 11, and has since run fifth behind Holy Helena, who came back to take the G3 The Very One. She should be an effective stalker, over a course that’s been kind to speed of late. PRINCESS GIBRALTAR has been idle since a close fourth in an Oct. 6 $100K optional claimer at Belmont, from which the third horse exited to land a G3 fixture at Churchill. Use her underneath in vertical bets, along with PSALMODY.

EIGHTH RACE

CYPRIANA won a key maiden special the only time she saw action Jan. 14—the runner-up came back to land a maiden special at Tampa (76 Beyer), and the sixth horse subsequently notched a maiden special here (70 Beyer). The expensive son of Bodemeister has been working fast for a trainer who did well at the championship meet. SEAN’S IDEA has made some noise since ending up sixth behind the top choice in the aforementioned contest. The daughter of the hot Creative Cause is versatile in terms of running style. There’s lots of speed in the field, and PROSPECTIVE DIVA could rally for a share under Vasquez, who broke her maiden.

NINTH RACE

Even though he’s shedding the blinkers, IN HIS IMAGE looks to be the speed of the speed in this five-furlong turf dash. His last race contained a pair of next-out winners, in which he faded to second behind a rival who came back to beat $30K conditioned claimers with a big 88 Beyer. The 3yo TRUMPI couldn’t handle the likes of Catholic Boy and Untamed Domain when he started last in a G3 turf route at Saratoga. Five-eighths might be shorter than what he prefers, but he could make his presence felt. STARSHIP WILDCAT drew outside the other speed, and could parlay a stalking trip into a high placing. Use PADILLA underneath in the exotics, in his first try off a $16K claim.