ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, GREAT KAHUNA FIRST RACE

MEXICAN GROOVE is plunging from a key NW3 OS allowance/$40K claimer to where he could get back in track in this $10K B route, in his second race off a long layoff. MILWAUKEE FLASH closed belatedly for third second-time off the shelf in an identical spot May 30, finishing just behind VILMA, who could be the dominant speed.

SECOND RACE

GREAT KAHUNA has worked impressively for his first start in over a year, and should be ready to roll in just his second trip postward. The Cassetrained 4yo is a full-brother to champion/classic winner Lookin At Lucky. ENCYCLOPEDIA, another nicely-bred son of the late Smart Strike, has worked encouragingly for his debut and gets leading rider Hernandez. STRIKE THE FLAG is adding blinkers for his local debut, and should be in the hunt if he handles the Tapeta.

THIRD RACE

After prepping at Tampa, MY BORROWED ANGEL put away a game Yangtze Delta during a frontrunning score at first asking May 11, when she earned a solid 77 Beyer. Yangtze Delta came right back to graduate with a 70 Beyer, and MY BORROWED ANGEL could double up in this NW2 tilt, with the addition of Lasix. MONSOON RAIN earned a string of Beyers in the 60s last year at 2. She’s making her first start for a hot layoff trainer, and could rally for a high placing. DIRTY GIRL was competitive in both of her races this spring, and should be a factor going from turf to the Tapeta.

FOURTH RACE

SPARKLE SAMMY wired $20K maidens following a five-month absence May 11. With the rail out in the sometimes speed-friendly lane 5, she could double up in this $20K NW2 turf sprint. LAILAS PRINCESS awaited room on the turn before rallying for second in a recent six-furlong Tapeta tilt at this level. SKY VISION is going from NW2 OS allowance/$40K company to a logical spot, with the bug taking over. Use AFLEET DOLL underneath in the gimmicks.

FIFTH RACE

AFLEET CONNECTION dueled up front before fading to third when dropping from maiden special company to OS/$40K in her latest. The 4yo is getting some additional class relief in this $25K event, and could lead all the way under regular rider Husbands. LADY BELLA, another Casse charge, is descending from the maiden special ranks, and the homebred has one of the highest Beyers in the lineup. TWO TRIBES raced against the grain of a speed bias and a slow pace during a wide/closing trip May 21. The longtime maiden is a must-use underneath in the exotics, along with ROSY’S RAINBOW, who was a slow-starting fourth in her debut.

SIXTH RACE

CHESTERMERE earned one of the highest Beyers on the page when second behind a runaway winner at first asking in a five-furlong dash on the Tapeta May 21. The son of good grass sire Silent Name is the second foal from a turf winner, and has a license to handle the surface change. SONNY’S BLVD is also bred for the grass on both sides of his pedigree, and is going on Lasix for his second race of the year. With blinkers on, YOU’RE BATMAN is dropping from open maiden special company to a logical spot.

MARILYNS LAST LOVE captured a $20K conditioned claimer on the Tapeta in her final ‘17 outing in September, and probably needed her May 25 comeback on the grass. She’s descending to a new low in this $12.5K event, and can track all the speed before making a bid. DANZIG RAINBOW won two $10K conditioned contests in a row prior to a fading fourth in a $12.5K starter two weeks ago. SHOW SHAPE, who’s exiting that same turf starter, is another possibility.

EIGHTH RACE

At a glance, the consistent and versatile RINCE TAPAIGH seems outclassed in this $32K turf tilt, but the race is inflated, and she could make some noise in her second race off the shelf. ARTHEMISA missed the break by at least five lengths in her local debut in a briskly-run $40K turf sprint 11 days ago. She was winter-raced at Gulfstream, and is a capable turf router when she’s on her game. PHIL’S GLORY is dropping from N1X company to a new low in her third start off the sidelines.

NINTH RACE

MISS MO MENTUM was stuck in traffic at the rear of the field last time before closing furiously on a speed-favoring track to win the fast-paced G3 Selene, from which Dixie Moon exited to take the WO Oaks with an 88 Beyer. The 3yo is meeting older opposition in this G3 fixture, but the synthetic track freak seems up to the task at hand. ICKYMASHO stalked a moderate pace on a speedfriendly track when a valiant second in the allowance prep for this event. GAMBLE’S GHOST passed two rivals to finish a non-threatening third in the prep, which should set her up for her second race of the year. Da Silva rode her to victory in the G3 Maple Leaf in November. GRIZZEL is unbeaten in two starts at this distance on the Tapeta.

TENTH RACE

STRIKE REVENGE fought for the lead before drawing clear late to graduate second-time out after a vacation May 19. The Sam-Son Farm homebred probably has the most upside in this N1X. GRACED LIGHTNING crushed $20K maidens off an extended layoff May 25, while earning a fat 87 Beyer. The lightly-raced 5yo is eligible to regress in this acid test, but could still make an impact. ESCONDERA raced wide all the way over an inside/favoring main track when a lapped-on third last out Dec. 10. Use him on the bottom of vertical bets, along with SPEIGHTSTOWN TIME.

ELEVENTH RACE

AMEN ALLEY was a stalking second at this level early in the meet behind Cross Border, who subsequently beat NW3 OS allowance/$40K stock with an 81 Beyer. The 6yo is moving out to what might be his preferred distance of a mile and a sixteenth. DIAMONDS AND ROSES toppled $32K claimers in an overdue maiden victory traveling seven-eighths May 25, and could hit the ticket with his confidence on a high. FIRE FOR EFFECT is dropping from the N1X ranks while stretching out to the distance of his maiden win. Use CONQUEST ELIMINATR in the tri and super.

TWELFTH RACE

FOXY B is bred for the turf on both sides of his pedigree, and could break through while halving in price for his second race off the bench. LOYALTY BOY is another 3yo experimenting on the grass with some pedigree for the surface. THEREALQUAFF is lengthening out to an appropriate distance for his turf debut. Save KISSOFFIRE for the lower rungs of the exotics.