ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 6, FAST GETAWAY

FIRST RACE

GLORY TO KITTEN has held form over a long series of races vs. better for excellent connections; dropping back in for the $25k she was taken for out of a win back in January and she was a strong winner when closing down a slow pace in her first start for this trainer. MISS NANCY also dropping out of tougher races as she returns to the Brian Lynch barn, for whom she won her career debut on grass before switching barns and improving to win a turf sprint last September; closer needs some pace. SAIDA stayed in off-the-turfer at this level last month and wired a field over a track that was carrying speed all day; turf form is solid and her speed will play in this spot, as well.

SECOND RACE

TIMBER GHOST took money in both early season starts at Gulfstream but didn’t have all that much to offer in either of those races, though he was chasing wide throughout that second start; starts back with some improved works showing for trainer who won two races here on Thursday. ASDAAF a half to the fast sprinter Takaful, who also raced for these connections and blew away maidens in his career debut with a 92 Beyer; appears to have missed some training last month but has returned with three recent breezes over the main track here. LEINSTER has already had seven chances without success but has hit the board in four if his five career sprints, including runnerup effort in the mud last time behind a sharp winner.

THIRD RACE

TAP TAP TAPAROO gave way after getting bumped a couple of times in the early going when stretched out off the layoff; can do better cutting back based on career debut where she put in a good late run for 2nd behind the talented Andina del Sur. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY was favored over what appeared to be a weak field first time out and got untracked late to rally into 3rd; has to improve to beat this field. RARITIES was purchased for $700k after breezing 21-flat as a 2yo in training but never made it to the races; full sister to Palace, who was a multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter on dirt but also won sprinting on turf.

FOURTH RACE

MOONLIT GARDEN enters soft Summer Colony off career-best 93 Beyer effort at Monmouth and she has been on an improving pattern into that race while winning each of her two prior dirt routes for her underrated trainer; has the right running style for this race and figures tough if bringing her recent form to NY. AWESTRUCK was no match for some much better horses in Churchill Grade 2 two starts back, but she has otherwise run well in her recent races and she is nicely drawn to the inside with some speed; has never won around two turns. NOMORERICHBLONDES a new face returning from a long layoff to make her first start for a very good trainer; lightly-raced filly improved with distance in Dubai and never really got going as a 3yo.

FIFTH RACE

SISTER KITTEN one of two contenders for Chad Brown in a field full of first time starters. This one a Kitten’s Joy half to two turf winners from a dam who won three times in her career, all routing on grass, and is a sister to the good turf horse Unitarian. EXCUSE MY CHARISMA breezed a strong-looking 10.2 prior to bringing $300k at OBS in March; not a ton of pedigree on the dam side but she has been working right along for a trainer who has made the most of his opportunities at this meet. TRAIPSING by an underrated turf sire in Stroll, though worth pointing out that he has not had much success with his 2yos in turf routes recently; Clement excellent debuting 2yos on turf up here. TIP AT TAPIT a full sister to Grade 1 turf winner Time and Motion, who also raced for these connections and was good right from the start despite having some trouble in her career debut up here as a 2yo.

SIXTH RACE

FAST GETAWAY got bet in his dirt debut and had speed in that race, but he never looked that strong up on the lead and gave way readily when challenged. Looked like a totally different horse on turf in his second start when overpowering a field in the stretch with a solid figure and he steps up for a trainer who is 10 for her last 16 (63%) with last out winners on turf at Saratoga ($6.85 ROI). VITSAL stayed in to run on the main track last time and was no match in the stretch after contesting the pace; facing NY-breds for the first time on turf after failing to class up with some better horses out of town and he owns a couple of stand out figs to go along with his early speed. BELLEVILLE SPRING does not care for a wet track so won’t be too hard on him for that last one off the trainer change; goes shorter on turf this time after laying down a fast pace going seven vs. a better field and giving way in the stretch in that Stallion Series race two back and his turf debut wasn’t bad.

SEVENTH RACE

Guessing with CHINA CAT in dirt sprint for 2yo fillies full of first time starters. CHINA CAT has plenty of turf on the bottom of her pedigree but debuts on dirt from a nice outside draw and her trainer has them ready to go right off the mark. IT JUSTHITTHE WIRE brought $410k in April and is a half to three solid runners from this dam so far, including Pray for Leslie, who won the first two starts of her career sprinting on dirt with Beyers of 86 and 85; dam is a sister to King’s Bishop winner Capo Bastone. MO WHEELS UP was taking money when scratched at the gate prior to scheduled debut up here on August 5, a race that was then won by her entrymate; Uncle Mo filly has some pedigree for a trainer who is having an excellent meet up here.

EIGHTH RACE

WONDERFUL LIGHT came up short as an odds-on favorite most recently but didn’t really care for the ride he got that day while rating the break to sit off the pace, and then trying to rally along the rail; 102 Beyer earned for his maiden win suggests he will be tough here, and he was a strong winner two back when closing down a loose-on-the-lead Phi Beta Express. PETROV getting some class relief after failing factor in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at a big price last month; hasn’t really panned out after showing some promise early on but he has tried some very tough spots and is a much better fit in a race like this. FAVORABLE OUTCOME similar to PETROV in that he never really panned out after much early promise and he will also appreciate this class relief; good effort two back in a race where he had no chance with a loose on the lead winner in the slop.

NINTH RACE

ADMISSION OFFICE ran in spots before leveling off late and closing down maidens first time out and he ran every bit as well last time when falling just short of a talented rival in a strongly-run race; blinkers on as he takes on more distance. NAKAMURA has no distance limitations and he exits a solid try at Delaware when out-closed late after taking a wide trip at 1 1/2 miles; did his best in a much tougher field at Belmont three back. STRIKE was game to hold a challenge all through the stretch to break his maiden off the layoff and he took a tough beat last time after cutting a solid pace and just getting touched off late; bred to get this far and he is dangerous here if able to get comfortable on the lead.

TENTH RACE

OVER RIDER hasn’t done much running so far this year but he is cutting back off the claim and lands in a race where he is going to be competitive if just showing up with his dirt form from last year, where he was a 2yo; blinkers on. LA CAT WARRIOR earned a Beyer of 82 when winning his career debut in a race originally scheduled for turf late in his 2yo year, and he then endured a long layoff after a couple of starts vs. better; big drop for this after being scratched by the vet from an entry-level allowance early in the meet. FORTYTHREEOEIGHT N and COMEONCOMEONCAT dueled each other all through the stretch and were tired late when outfinished in a similar race up here on opening day, though the winner that day is likely better than anything they will face here; FORTYTHREEOEIGHT N ultimately prevailed in that battle, but only after they were already overtaken inside the final 1/16.