ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 9, MONTCLAIR

FIRST RACE

PHONE MY POSSE has the rail and tactical speed, and he should once again get first run at likely pacesetter GOING ABROAD, as he did in their last meeting; steady Beyers add to the appeal. SALSAMATIC has some positional speed of his own, and he has room to improve off that last one, where he had a troubled trip; note the trouble line three back as well. SOCIAL NETWORK could benefit from a lively pace up front; win percentage makes it easier to use him underneath than on top, however. JEWEL HEIST takes a big class drop and will be bet accordingly; claimed for $30,000 back in March.

SECOND RACE

GATA’S APPLAUSE went down as the favorite when last seen but a slow start cost her; the effort and Beyer two back makes her one of the top contenders in this field, and she will be tough if able to take back and make one run. LAWLESS LADY beat the top pick last time with the aid of a clean trip and favorable race flow; that effort verified the prior Beyer, when she ran a decent race against restricted stakes runners going long. QUEEN FANTABULOUS has speed but has been rating off late; should be just off possible speed STORMY CHANGE.

THIRD RACE

CAPE LAA DI DA makes her first start against winners but she fits based on her last try, when she came from off the pace to score in a race that was light on speed; ran well in defeat in her only other two starts, closing into mild splits at Laurel two back and running into trouble yet rallying in her bow. FASTER N BLAZES benefited from the race flow in that last score, and career-best Beyer is a direct result of the pace scenario she got, but she has to be respected off that running line; versatile enough to lead or rate, a big plus. JONIMARIE was shelved after the claim but if she can approach her best figures in her first start off the layoff she’s a threat today.

FOURTH RACE

LOVE IS YOUR NAME comes out of open allowance races at Parx and now moves to the statebred ranks at Monmouth; best Beyers make him very tough in this sprint, though he’s not likely to run back to that 90 figure he posted three back. LUCKY JAIME is the one to beat off that 83 Beyer he posted last time, and he could also be the one to catch; bet against the still-hot Jason Servis at your own risk, though value will be hard to come by. DAYTIME LOVER didn’t break well in his latest but with a clean start he can be expected to be involved from the start; Beyers rising with each start of late.

FIFTH RACE

BUDDY’S TIZ caught the eye with a solid late run two back, and he made up some ground last time in a race where the speeds held the edge; may be able to finally make the last run here with a clean trip and an honest tempo up front. HIDDEN VOW is the one to beat at this reduced level for Servis; always brings a late run, and given any kind of pace help he’ll be tough to stave off. LIQUID ALOHA was off the board in his latest, a big improvement over his first start off the short rest, out of which he was claimed by trainer Jane Cibelli; back figures give him strong credibility.

SIXTH RACE

TWEETING switches to the barn of Jorge Navarro,

who of course has been lethal at this meet; barn excels with new faces as well as with horses off this type of intermediate layoff. KODIAK KATIE was a runaway winner in each of her last two starts on the main track, and she looms the main threat to the favorite if she’s able to run to those races; will be heard from late. SINGLE BROAD closed deceptively well sprinting last time out, and she stands to improve here with the stretch-out in distance.

SEVENTH RACE

TOLAGA BAY has decent works showing for his debut, and he has some pedigree power, with the dam winning a couple of races on the turf and producing Sheet Lightning, who posted her lone career win on the grass; board tells more. BEYOND THE VICTORY adds blinkers and switches to the turf for trainer Mike Trombetta; note the barn’s solid record this meet from a limited number of starters. ARANSAS is out of Welcome Dance, a multiple stakes winner on the grass; wouldn’t be a surprise.

EIGHTH RACE

MISSION GOOD KARMA has had her chances but she may have finally found the right group, as this looks to be the softest field she’s faced here this year; she’s been running decently in defeat this year, including her latest, when she rallied for the place. SYDNEY SWEETIE comes out of the same race as the top pick, and she seems to have slightly more speed than that runner; may look to steal it for trainer Greg Sacco. DAY WIFE adds blinkers and cuts back to a sprint; if the equipment change moves her up even a little she’s right in the thick of this.

NINTH RACE

The back-classy MONTCLAIR was sharp in victory when last seen, driving to the lead in the lane despite lugging in some and safely holding the lead with relative ease; 8-year-old still has it based on that effort, and if he runs to it here he’s going to be a handful under Paco Lopez. LUCKY BALLADIER went down as the favorite last time but that was a solid effort; he meets better in his first start off the claim today but he is in good form, and he has the tactical speed to work out a trip. MISSION DRIVEN has won two straight, including the latest race in this series last time; wide post hurts the cause but he’s more than capable.

TENTH RACE

STARCLOUD could prove the one to catch in the Monmouth Oaks, coming off a fast-paced sprint try in the Azalea at Gulfstream in June; trainer Oscar Gonzalez wins at a solid rate with horses stretching out from sprints to routes and this filly’s lone route try was over at the start, as a slow getaway cost her position in the Acorn. SKEPTIC has the rail and some speed, and she should be prominent from the start; faced Talk Veuve to Me in the Indiana Oaks, and that filly is a top contender in today’s Grade 1 Alabama. GIO GAME gets away from Monomoy Girl here, and that alone is reason to expect an improved effort; Beyers prior to that last one were solid and steady.

ELEVENTH RACE

THE GENT went down as the favorite in each of his last two but that last one was on the dirt, which he apparently doesn’t love, and he set a quick pace while under pressure early two back; may be able to shake loose and back down the fractions in this one. WELL IN TUNE is down in class off his best effort to date, at least in terms of Beyers; should be running late, though he does need some help from the pacesetters. LOOKING AT U KID has had his chances but he certainly wouldn’t be a shocker in here, as he has some of the better Beyers in the field.

TWELFTH RACE

GOLDEN RAY is a little obvious but he’s also tough to go past as the main speed with the best Beyers in the field on the class drop; won by better than five lengths the last time he was in for this tag. LIGHT’S GONE WILD might be the main threat, as he has some speed of his own and may get first run at the expected pacesetter; won two straight before failing against better last time. HIGH FIVE COTTON could be the main beneficiary if the top two were to get caught up in a race-long duel.