ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 8, STORM RULER

FIRST RACE

MARCH TO THE ARCH rallied inside from off slow splits to lose by a head to Queen’s Plate prospect Cooler Mike in a shorter N1X route May 20. Nine furlongs should suit him to a T. Plate nominee WESTERN TROUBLE is stretching out off a secondout maiden score traveling seven-eighths, and is bred to run on. REDOUTE’S LIGHT beat maidens under Hernandez when switching from turf to the Tapeta three weeks ago, and has since worked quickly over the turf training course.

SECOND RACE

KHAWLAH has worked well since closing belatedly from off sleepy fractions for fourth in her season opener. Leading rider Hernandez takes over in this similar $10K event. UNDER LOCK AND KEY pressed the pace en route to a lapped-on second vs. tougher $20K NW2 stock in her latest on the grass. JUNEBUG JITTERS graduated at first asking over $10K maidens when dismissed at 20-1 in her recent debut.

THIRD RACE

BLACKOUT has worked twice on the Tapeta since shipping in from Belmont, and should be ready to roll following another layoff. Note that he earned a 90 Beyer when a close third in a six-furlong optional claimer at Aqueduct Nov. 10. BUTTERFLY DANCE took the long way home while rallying to finish a mere half-length back in fourth when returning from a winter break in a Tapeta sprint May 6. PERFECT FORESTER looks best among the two McKnight entrants. DRAGON’S CRY has worked okay for his first outing of the year.

FOURTH RACE

CAWAJA TIME got away slowly while being carried out before closing outside from ninth for third in her encouraging opener. The half-sister to three stakes winners should welcome the stretchout from five to seven furlongs here with Rainford back in the tack. LA VIE EN ROSE earned a 61 Beyer after rallying inside from far back for second in her much-improved seasonal bow. Moran knows her better now. YES IT’S DYNA closed on her left lead against the grain of a speed bias for second in her comeback vs. $32K maidens. HURRICANE EMILY is another possibility.

FIFTH RACE

AVIE’S ZIP zipped a good half from the gate the other day, and could be a vastly-improved filly this year at 4. The daughter of City Zip is sent out by a capable layoff trainer, who’s overdue for a bunch of wins. ISLAY INLET was a stalking third at first asking in a similar spot May 18, and a hot Da Silva is sticking with her. Kentucky shipper HANALEI MOON is bred much more for the dirt than for the turf, but could make her presence felt after working a bullet on the Tapeta here May 30. DANCE READY is another exotics prospect.

SIXTH RACE

ROAD TO VICTORY has the distinction of being the only horse to have beaten the leading 3yo filly on the continent, G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Monomoy Girl. The unbeaten gal graduated with ease on the grass last fall. Casse has an 18% strike-rate with +180 comebackers in turf sprints over the past five years ($2.02 ROI). AFRICA just missed to the luke-

warm favorite in a six-furlong turf stakes at Aqueduct April 15. She’s worked regularly at Saratoga leading up to this overnight event. CLOSER STILL ran hot and cold in two turf stakes over the winter in Florida before losing a nail-biter to stablemate SLY BEAUTY here in the Star Shoot Stakes.

SEVENTH RACE

BLAKEY dueled along the rail through fast fractions before fading to third behind the talented Strike Me Down when returning from a five-month layoff May 4. ESKEN was bumped in the stretch last time when in the midst of his rally, which fell a half-length short of the promising Western Trouble. He deserves another chance around two turns. GIANT DREAMS pressed the pace while three-wide en route to running second when going long for the first time May 18. Use the 4yo underneath in vertical bets, along with SENT FROM HEAVEN.

EIGHTH RACE

STORM RULER rallied wide for second in a key NW3 OS allowance/$40K claimer going seven-eighths on the Tapeta after a break May 6. He was claimed then by leading trainer McKnight, and should be dangerous in this tougher N1X on the grass, a surface he can handle. VANISH is adding blinkers following his second straight high placing, and should be prominent with Da Silva aboard. Use the versatile MALIBU SECRET and WOODBRIDGE in the lower rungs of the exotics.

NINTH RACE

SILENT STING parlayed a stalking trip into his second consecutive stakes score in his season opener in the seven-furlong Queenston. The son of Silent Name shouldn’t mind moving out to nine furlongs in this prep for the Queen’s Plate, and could be the main threat to the imposing TELEKINESIS. The latter has worked fast on dirt and the Tapeta since his heartbreaking loss in the G3 Lexington at Keeneland to My Boy Jack, who came back to finish a commendable fifth in the Kentucky Derby. The Casse charge is by Ghostzapper, the sire of Queen’s Plate winners Shaman Ghost and Holy Helena. AHEADBYACENTURY closed belatedly for third over a speed-favoring track last time in the G3 Marine. He’s competing without blinkers for the first time while being reunited with Hernandez, who was aboard for his Coronation Futurity triumph.

TENTH RACE

CANMORE has worked nicely for his first outing since his third straight in-the-money finish at this level Nov. 26. WILLY’S CASTLE lacked room before ending up fifth when returning to action two weeks ago in a seven-furlong turf sprint. VICTOR’S FLAG came from a stalking position to trounce OS/$40K maidens in a Tapeta sprint after a layoff May 21.

ELEVENTH RACE

Over a track with a live rail in the Kentucky Oaks, WONDER GADOT made a wide bid to the lead in the stretch before giving way late to the gifted Monomoy Girl, while leaving the favored Midnight Bisou back in third. She’s worked brilliantly in the interim on the Tapeta, nd on which she romped in the G3 Mazarine the only time she competed over it in October. DIXIE MOON got back on track last time with a gutsy neck loss in the G3 Selene, when there was nearly a six-length gap back to third. This trainer/rider combo won the 2016 WO Oaks with Neshama. HOT CASH is an improving maiden sent out by Stronach, trainer Jimmy Jerkens, and jockey Luis Contreras, the connections which captured last year’s Oaks and Plate with Holy Helena.

TWELFTH RACE

DANCE FOR PAPA came wide from mid-pack to run second at a huge price when debuting in a shorter sprint May 19. The 4yo by Giant Gizmo should be better for the experience. ALTERNATE TRUTH is descending from open maiden special company to an inviting spot in this OS maiden special/$40K claimer. Leading rider Hernandez has the call. FAHRENHEIT benefited from a slow pace and a speed bias when second in his comeback. Firsttimer DIXIE’S GAMBLE has worked fast.