ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 5, CELTIC SINGER

FIRST RACE

CALAIS CAT got away slowly before closing belatedly and then galloped out strongly on debut three weeks ago. The daughter of the popular English Channel has a little more ground to work with in this six and a half-furlong maiden special. MALIBU DAWN flashed speed before finishing a distant second at first asking on the dirt at Delaware. The Sam-Son Farm homebred by Malibu Moon might ultimately find her niche around two turns. TRULY HONOURED TRULY didn’t disgrace herself last time when fourth in a lucrative maiden special over the European-style turf course at Kentucky Downs.

SECOND RACE

SILENT CONTEMPT set a lively pace and then widened through the lane when posting his second straight seven-length tally over $10K B opposition two weeks ago. The Silent Name gelding will be tough to catch in this open $12.5K seller if he stays in the zone. TIMEISEVERYTHING is competing off a $12.5K claim by the trainer of the top pick. His recent form on turf is weak, but he was once competitive on the Tapeta. The wild card SOUPER FLY OVER is halving in value off a non-threatening performance, while moving out to a suitable distance.

THIRD RACE

WATCH ME STRUT mounted a powerful rally from fifth to topple $16K rivals five weeks ago. He’s worked twice in the interim, and could repeat in this $20K claimer. CITO also defeated $16K opposition from off the pace in his last race, on Aug. 4. There’s ample speed drawn towards the inside here. AULT dropped a head decision to the latter Aug. 4. Use him underneath in the exotics, along with REMEMBERMIS.

FOURTH RACE

UNRIVALED SOUL blew away $8K maidens on the drop from $16K earlier this month, when the top bug Kimura rode her for the first time. She’s nicely spotted in this $6.25K NW2 tilt, going the same seven-furlong distance of her graduation. ROXHAM is plunging from a $20K NW2 route to where she could get back on the competitive track. RASPBERRY WILD is descending to a new low for her second race after a summer vacation. Toss SLOVENIA in the super.

FIFTH RACE

CELTIC SINGER dominated $20K maidens as the chalk when halving in value Sept. 8. Her only other turf race was also good, and she can double up in this $20K NW2 tilt on the lawn. GLIB MARYLIN is back on the surface over which she hit the board twice earlier in the summer at this level. The 1 for 27 mare is obviously a must-use underneath in the gimmicks. PEACE SEEKER rallied wide from sixth to beat $32K maidens when Campbell rode her for the first time Aug. 19. ABBY GRACE is another possibility with Kimura aboard.

SIXTH RACE

NO CHILL lacked room along the rail on the turn before fading over a track that favored outside/ closers when cutting back from a route to seveneighths in her latest. With blinkers on, she deserves a mulligan in this six-furlong sprint. MAISIE benefited from the bias when finishing a clear second in the aforementioned event, which was her first race with a tag. DANCE READY figures to be a speed threat with Da Silva back aboard after a one-race absence. WORLD RIOT is a longshot possibility.

SEVENTH RACE

KING AND HIS COURT comes off a distant third in the restricted Halton Stakes behind Johnny Bear and English Illusion, who subsequently ran one-three in the G1 Northern Dancer Turf. He seems made-to-order for this 10-furlong optional claimer. ETHICAL FUNDS finished a well-beaten fifth after dueling for the lead in 12-furlong Halton. He’s another win-shy type who should have a say in the outcome. BLACK SEA stalked a slow pace in third last time before backing up to fourth in the five-horse Sky Classic, a G2 stakes going about 11 furlongs. Use LOOKIN FOR EIGHT in the tri and super.

EIGHTH RACE

Over a track that aided closers on the outside, PREFERRED GUEST altered course in the stretch while rallying inside for second in the rich Muskoka Stakes, for graduates of local yearling sales. With some improvement, the second-time starter should be dangerous in this Ontario-sired stakes. NOTICE ME blew away OS maidens traveling seven-eighths in her second race Aug. 31, earning just a 49 Beyer in the process. She was favored in both of her outings, and should be prominent as an underlay. ISHIYAYA won a five-furlong maiden dash with relative ease in her second race Aug. 24. Like NOTICE ME, she’s by Court Vision, the sire of the last two winners of this six-furlong event. SILENT MISTAKE faded to third after a three-wide stalking trip when debuting in the six and a halffurlong Muskoka.

NINTH RACE

CAROLINA GRACE was blocked behind rivals on the turn before closing belatedly when more was expected from her in an identical spot on good turf Aug. 29. She took the long way home when fifth in a tougher N1X the time before on firm ground. MARCH OF DREAMS rallied three-wide to finish a lapped-on second in her first start outside the maiden ranks in that same contest. The lightlyraced 4yo appears to have some upside. SPLIT THE SEA is a Sam-Son Farm dropper from N1X company. She’s returning from a break, and the first race of her form cycle has been her best. MONSOON RAIN is another comebacker who’s somewhat hard to gauge.

TENTH RACE

HOLD’EMFORRANSOM got a shoe repair in the paddock prior to finishing a close third when returning from a three-month layoff Sept. 8. The handsome chestnut is changing surfaces from turf to the Tapeta, on which he earned a career 86 Beyer in a neck loss at this N1X class in November. The remarkably consistent CHILL hasn’t finished worse than second in his last seven outings, on both surfaces. FRONT NINE had a tardy start before stalking a slow pace en route to a daylight score in a recent NW3 OS allowance/$40K claimer.

ELEVENTH RACE

IT’S GRACE gave the others about a five-length head-start last time before making up about 10 lengths to finish fourth in a seven-furlong event. That was her first try under Kimura, who retains the mount for a live barn. JOSEPHINE rallied wide from off tepid fractions to finish second for the third time this year. Da Silva knows her better now. EASY BID is another longtime maiden who should have a say in the outcome. Following a two-race slump, POTRA LIZA got back on track last time when a hanging third behind JOSEPHINE.