ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, FIRE MISSION

FIRST RACE

MOON VISION has speed and the rail, and if she’s able to shake loose she will be tough to reel in; main — and valid — concern is that she was off slowly when she drew the fence last time out but if Ferrer can get her away with the field she should get immediate position. SILVER MAJORETTE didn’t show her customary speed in her first start off the short layoff but if she can stay closer in the early stages this time she figures to benefit from a forward trip and a controlled pace; note past success here. JULIA CHUBOULI wasn’t close in her last start of 2017 but she has solid back figures; she also won her last year off a similar layoff.

SECOND RACE

FIRE MISSION is down in class for this but the real allure is in the expected pace scenario, which should be squarely in his favor as a closer; this is a short field but it’s not light on pace, and he figures to be ideally spotted behind a lively tempo. HE’S GOT TALENT was behind FIRE MISSION a couple of times last year but he was close-up on the wire; he has speed but can also rate, no small consideration given the likely race flow. SINGANOTHERSONG was hurt by a duel in his first start in a couple of months but if he can take back and make one run he could pick up some pieces late; uncoupled stablemate of the top pick is more likely to get involved from the start, however.

THIRD RACE

MERRIL’S BANK seems well spotted for her seasonal bow as the main speed in her first start for the barn, which wins at a high rate with new faces; likely to shake loose here, and her stock rises if speed holds up in the first two races. CONGRESSIONAL STORM has been turfing but she could well be at her best on the main track; quick enough to stay close if she’s ready off the bench, and that’s a plus. ANNA MAY OUR QUEEN hardly ran her best race in her first start in nearly eight months last time; perhaps she needed one.

FOURTH RACE

BRAVE REQUEST rallied strongly to get the win in the slop here last week and he makes his first start off the claim for Mario Serey Jr. here, capable of repeating given a clean trip and a favorable set up; should get the latter for certain, with several speed-types signed on. PIRELLONE is one of the likely pacesetters, and he is an obvious threat at this reduced level upon shipping over from New York; needs to avoid a race-long duel to run his best race. FIELDING GOLD meets lesser after a sub-par effort in his local debut; addition of blinkers could also move him up.

FIFTH RACE

ACCUSING was claimed and apparently gelded by trainer Kelly Breen, who couldn’t have gotten off to a much better start at the meet; in a race lacking a clear-cut pace scenario this may be the main speed given an aggressive ride from Paco Lopez. MY BERNIE comes out of a paceless sprint but now moves inside and adds blinkers, and he figures to show more early interest on the stretchout to two turns. CUTTER HELM is in for a tag for the first time, and his Beyers clearly suggest he’s going to be a handful at this level; picks up Bravo.

SIXTH RACE

MORE TRIX is up in class after beating nonwinners of two at Penn National in her latest but she is capable of a repeat given a stalking trip behind expected speeds TOWN TART and TIZ SUPER; sure seems to have come back running in 2018. TIZ SUPER drops in price for her first start off the claim; she’ll have TOWN TART to deal with early on but she’s capable if she’s not taxed too

much by that runner. COOKIE COOKIE has posted both of her career wins over this strip; may be able to pick up some of the pieces in the lane if a contested pace does in fact develop.

SEVENTH RACE

DREAMING OF NENO settled for the place in his first start of the year but that was a solid effort, as he put away his pace rival and continued well to the wire only to be run down by the co-favorite; he can also rate if need be, which could be the case with speeds to his inside and out. SALT IT HERE likes to be close-up, and his inside post should help in that regard; has to be taken seriously, especially if he’s able to sit off a contested pace and make one run. SAY MR. SANDMAN didn’t break well in that return try but he closed with some interest in the lane, and he galloped out well; could make the last run, and he should be a price.

EIGHTH RACE

R LIMO JOE failed in his last two turf sprint tries but he ran well in defeat, and he was in against much better there; working well for Navarro as he makes his first start off the claim and he will be tough to reel in if he’s able to establish a loose lead, regardless of surface. UNCLE YOUDGE has steady figures and hails from a barn which does well with turf sprinters; has back Beyers under these conditions that put him on the short list of contenders. JROCK was a close 4th in his latest despite a slow start from a very wide post; now all the way inside, and one of the likely speeds here if able to break cleanly from the hedge.

NINTH RACE

BLINDING was beaten by nearly 50 lengths combined in his last two starts but this is a prime spot for him to rebound, as he lands in an otherwise paceless sprint and he figures to shake clear without much issue; moves inside, and he broke from the rail three back, when he controlled the tempo and scored by over eight lengths. SCOBEYVILLE was caught well off the pace in a shorter sprint last time, a race featuring a much different race flow than what he’s likely to encounter today; expect him to be more involved this afternoon. NOT SO QUIET MAN usually turfs but he was a sharp 2nd in his last appearance on the dirt, over a sloppy track here in August; threat if ready.

TENTH RACE

PRINCESS GIBRALTAR was a game winner in her return from a winter break last time, and she ran a deceptively strong race two back when a closeup 4th after racing behind the pace in a race lacking speed; handles an off course, which could be significant given the amount of rain in Jersey this week. PARTY BOAT was posting steady, solid Beyers, before she went to the sidelines in the fall, and though she hasn’t been out since November she has run well when fresh in the past; tactical speed should ensure she gets position. MAGIC HATTER steps up in class off the win but she was sharp in victory in that last one, another solid effort over this course; may be good enough with the right kind of trip.

ELEVENTH RACE

RIVA BELLE stretches out to two turns again, and though she was off the board in both route tries at Oaklawn she had valid pace excuses each time, as both race flows favored closers (note both “C” symbols in DRF pp’s); should be prominent from the start. TRUELY SUITE faced better in each of her last two at Charles Town when in two-turn routes but she could be in a good spot here, as she should be able to use her early speed to work out a forward trip; if the early pace is in fact controlled that would give her an edge on the stone closers. REINA LA KELSY usually turfs, or sprints, but the figure she earned in her lone dirt try going long puts her right in the thick of this.