ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 9, HENLEY’S JOY

FIRST RACE

DARK GEMINI has run well in all five starts since switched to the jumps last year; game finish for 2nd over shorter distance in prep off the layoff last time. FIRST FRIDAY won his debut over jumps before trying a stakes race in his second start as a 3yo; third off the layoff after making the lead last time going shorter. LAST SHANI also won his debut over jumps in his first start off a layoff; faced a good field last time and just missed 3rd.

SECOND RACE

SALT POND dropped in class and switched to dirt for her second career start where she showed good speed to tun out the other speeds, before getting overrun late by a sharp winner and finishing well clear of the others; has to do it over a fast track but she enters with the top last out figure by a clear margin. BROOKLYN GERTY chased and tired while bumping a rival in the stretch in her first start back from a long layoff last time; figures she earned in her first two career starts prior to hitting the sidelines make her hard to beat in this race if she can get back near that level. SATURDAYS VAPOR ran well in her first two career starts before having her form tail off; has the built-in excuse of running over a couple of wet tracks lately, including that last one when unable to contend with SALT POND at this level.

THIRD RACE

PADDY DUNALOT failed to stretch out effectively last time and gave way to last through the stretch with her rider allowing her to finish on her own; cuts back on the drop and she showed a little run sprinting early on, most recently when trying to close into an uncompetitive pace at Belmont back in May. STREET PASSION debuting fora tag for a capable trainer; dam posted her lone career win on turf and she is a sister to the very good turf sprinter Thieves Guild. NO DEAL has had tie most chances in this field without posted a win but she dropped to this level for the first time most recently and finished gamely for 2nd after coming wide in a race that was taken wire-to-wire.

FOURTH RACE

SPECIAL FORCES ran well in his first two starts routing on turf then tried stretching out to no avail in his next two; dropped in class last time and dominated maidens with a strong wide move, and he has the tactical speed to pull a trip from his inside post as he enters a logical spot off that win. PROGNOSTICATION burned some money on turf last year before improving in his final start of the year to post a game win; was protected off the layoff and stepped forward again to close down weaker. FINANCIAL SYSTEM finished gamely from between horses in the stretch to win on debut then returned a couple of months later and jumped up to win again while closing down a fast pace with the top figure in this field; doesn’t need to be that far back early based on his debut.

FIFTH RACE

CHILL IN WITH FRIENDS went favored in a solid field first time out and he made a nice run around the outside through the turn after having to steady early, before racing on gamely for 3rd late; threat to improve with that one out of the way. NO STONE UNTURNED broke slowly in a short sprint at Finger Lakes which left her in a tough spot early, but she chased forward and was game all through the stretch while unable to get to a front-running winner in that spot; the break will be key for her as she makes her second start for a trainer who is having his typical strong meet up here. ZIP IT JESS debuted on grass and chased the pace from the start before winding up between horses in the stretch and finishing a good 3rd; switches to dirt for her second start and has the pedigree to move up being from a Phipps family of strong runners like Inside Information and Educated Risk.