ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 7, ROAD TO DAMASCUS

FIRST RACE

TRAPPE ME LATER was overmatched and against the race flow when last seen, in against $20,000 claimers and chasing the eventual top two finishers around the track from the start, but she’s a much better fit with these both of terms of class and the expected pace scenario; should be well spotted behind a contested pace. PRINCESS JULES moves into open company after beating restricted foes in each of her last two, the last victory with the aid of a perfect trip; goes longer and meets better but has to be respected given her tactical speed, inside post and competitive Beyers. DRINKS ON MAGGIE turned in a nice work for this last week; cuts back slightly but will be a factor from the start.

SECOND RACE

SUNDRENCHED was behind a sharp odds-on winner in that last one and the Beyer she posted in that race stands out here, as this field doesn’t seem to have the same quality as that last one despite the identical price tag; the one to fear in the lane, and the one to beat on the strength of her figures. LADY BREXIT rises off the claim but she has been running well in defeat of late, including a second-place finish at this level two back; new barn solid with ew faces. GLOVANNA was game in defeat in that last one; up in class, and her Beyers are a little light compared with the top pick, but she does have the versatility to work out a favorable trip regardless of race flow.

THIRD RACE

R TRUE SENSATION is wide but speedy and she could well be the primary speed in this sprint, which is a little light on same; short break since the claim is a little concern but she has been working, and that last breeze suggests she will come back running for underrated trainer Keith Nations. COOL IRIS starts for a tag for the first time in her short career and she should very much appreciate this drop in class, as she has been in over head in her last couple; would benefit greatly from a contested pace up front. FAT N BITTER took advantage of a lack of pace in the race to win her latest via a forward trip, which led to an inflated Beyer, but while she could have trouble running back to that one she has to be respected off it.

FOURTH RACE

CANDY KINGDOM is clearly a little dicey at a short price, at least on the win end, since he has run 2nd in each of his last three starts, and he didn’t have much excuse in any of them; that said, those races were on the dirt, and his only turf try to date was a key race which has produced four next-out winners, suggesting that he’s better than that 9th-place finish would suggest. ROCK THE CAUSEWAY is a threat by default, even if his pedigree offers few clues (neither dam nor or lone starter tried turf); barn wins at a solid rate with firsters and this is not a deep field overall. MYSUREWINWILLIAMS is the first starter out of an unraced dam but he did have pace excuses in his last two tries on the main track; dangerous at a price if he takes to the green.

FIFTH RACE

MEMORABLE ANGEL was a game 2nd in her latest after she lost her best chance at the start of her debut; figures to be the one to catch and beat in this seemingly paceless sprint, assuming she gets away alertly from the rail. LEGACY TO GOLD is the main danger on the class drop; she wasn’t far off the top pick two back, and she ran a deceptively strong race in her latest, when she closed for the show in a race light on speed. PIGEON CREEK was moving well enough in the back of the field in that bow, when in against the top pair, and she figures to benefit from the experience; extra half furlong

also figures to help her cause.

SIXTH RACE

AQUEMINI ran yet another strong race in defeat in her latest, the third solid try in as many chances at this meet, and she will be tough in the lane today if she gets some pace help; extra distance is to her advantage. HANIEL will take them as far as she can on the front end, and if she is able to shake loose and control the tempo from the start she figures tough to reel in; with little obvious speed in this field that may well be the pace scenario for this one. IMAGINABLE was an impressive winner against $16,000 claimers when last seen, her 2nd straight score; meets better today but may be good enough in her current form given the right trip and set up.

SEVENTH RACE

ROAD TO DAMASCUS is going to be a handful in this spot, exiting races against much better than what he meets here; that last one was not only against better but the winner’s final time came up much faster than par for the class and distance. EL MAYITO is tough to take on the win end given his overall record but he merits respect for the exotics based on his best Beyers; does seem to prefer this seven furlong distance. LORD ANTHONY has the potential to get a part of this at a price — he was in against a faster field at this level two back and he was against the race flow last time.

EIGHTH RACE

WARRIOR’S WAY wasn’t badly beaten under similar conditions in her first start off the layoff but she may well have needed that race, and she could take a step forward today at a price given a favorable pace scenario and a clean trip; has worked well enough since that run, with a couple of sharp breezes. MOON DASH ships from Fair Grounds for only her 2nd start since the 2017 Breeders’ Cup; clearly has to be considered given her class edge but she could be an underlay in the win pool under the circumstances. LEMON PRINCESS adds blinkers for a barn which shows positive stats with that angle; she was closing well while no threat to the top finishers in that last one, despite her off-theboard finish.

NINTH RACE

MARKSMAN finished behind three of these same runners in their last meeting but he caught the eye with a nice stretch run despite racing behind mild early splits; there’s some speed to his outside, and that set him up nicely to make the last run, with the extra distance expected to be an edge for him. WHISKEY TRAIN was a solid third in that same race, behind NIGEL’S DESTINY and WAGON BOSS, but he did well to get the show behind those two speeds; better race flow can make all the difference today. THE CURT FOX gets back on the turf, and he does have a pair of wins on this surface; last couple, on the dirt, were decent enough to suggest he’s a better horse now than when he was last on the green.

TENTH RACE

Going with the firsters in this finale, as the experienced runners don’t entice much. J’S THREESTEP HALO is kin to five winners, including Raging Halo, a multiple stakes winner overseas, as well as ninetime winner J’s Sundance Halo; barn exceptional with debut maiden claimers (44%, $6.69 ROI). DON’T SPIN ME lures Gallardo, who clicks at 29% with trainer Monte Thomas; kin to Awesome Anywhere, who won six races, all dirt sprints, and was third in a minor stakes race. FEETS OF FEATHER is the first starter from the dam Jade’s Rainbow, who won four career races, on both turf and dirt, but trainer Joseph Cheeks did score with the only debuting maiden claimer he saddled in 2018 (Bellas Eyes, at Presque Isle Downs back in September); board tells more.