Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
ANALYSIS
FIRST RACE
FORZA DI ORO is a half-brother to Grade 3 dirt winner Silver Dust but Speightstown colt is out of a mare who was a stakes winner on turf and who is herself a sister to Gouldings Green, a multiple graded stakes winner routing on synthetic; solid series of breezes up for Mott. CHIMNEY ROCK was entered for turf first-time out and raced greenly in that spot after showing early speed to chase the pace sprinting; stretches right out from a nice inside draw with blinkers going on. SHAMROCKET a half to two turf winners by Tonalist, who was a top dirt horse but had plenty of grass in his pedigree; Clement excellent with first-time starters but this is a tough post. Thought OUR COUNTRY ran fine when finishing 4th first time out early in the meet; can do better with that experience behind him and he will add lasix for his second start.
SECOND RACE
GRUMPS LITTLE TOTS exits underrated try in the Easy Goer where he was always wide away from that gold rail on Belmont Stakes Day and only outfinished for 2nd late by a rail-runner; forgiving his lone two-turn attempt in a fast-paced and roughly run Wood as he has more positional speed in a fairly run race and had handled more distance fine recently.
THE ROCK SAYS has improved with every start so far and he earned his best Beyer to date over course and distance up here on opening day; was close to an easy pace when finishing a close 3rd in that spot but his tactical abilities are an advantage for him. VERVE’S HUMOR does not possess the tactical speed that some others do and his lack of early speed has compromised him in each of his last two starts; distance no issue but he needs at least a little pace to have a fair chance.
THIRD RACE
DUBAI BOBBY made his first start sprinting on turf at Belmont and he finished a good 3rd behind an impressive winner that day after hitting some traffic at the top of the stretch and then racing greenly after going to the inside to get clear; think he needed that race and he can step forward here as he switches to dirt over a distance that tends to be tough on first time starters. WAYNE O a $750k yearling by top sire Into Mischief and a half to two stakes winners from this dam, including Grade 1-winning 2yo Restless Rider; takes on a tough distance first time out but he appears to be working well for a top juvenile trainer.
EXTREME FORCE made his first start in a short sprint that was run at a modest pace and he was put immediately behind the eight ball in that spot when hopping up at the break to wind up last early; can put that experience to use over this distance as he looks to be the second runner from that heat to flatter the effort after Another Miracle returned to win up here last week with an 83 Beyer.
FOURTH RACE
HAY DAKOTA was claimed by these connections out of a runnerup effort back in May and he returned to post his first win since 2017 while bumped up a bit in class in his first start following a bit of a layoff; has plenty of races in his past to be tough right back and he is versatile enough to get the right trip.
SIDING SPRING is just 1 for 9 since returning from an extended layoff up here last summer but he has been facing tougher right along and is getting the class relief he likely needs in this spot; has tactical speed and he is a real fighter in the stretch. APPLICATOR was a suspicious drop down off the layoff when prevailing for $25k back in April but he has exiting that effort to run well in each of his next two starts, including that dominant front-running score last time; claimed again and facing better here but he doesn’t need the lead to be effective. OUR WAY has to prove that he can still run after missing a lot
of time and then coming up empty in his first start off the long layoff at Tampa; has the back races that would dust this field when he’s right.
FIFTH RACE
LEINSTER is far from the likeliest winner of this race but he has been impressive in winning his first two starts as a turf sprinter, something that is not a bit surprising for his half-brother to two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Stormy Liberal; may be catching some of his much more accomplished rivals at the right timer and there is a chance that heavily-favored WORLD OF TROUBLE gets tested from the start this time, something that has not happened in his last two starts. WORLD OF TROUBLE, of course, doesn’t need a soft trip tp perform at his best and he is way the horse to beat in this spot; lone turf loss to date came when earning a big 118 Beyer in the Breeders’ Cup and he has been thoroughly dominant in his two turf starts so far this year. DISCO PARTNER is likely better going the six and/or seven-furlong sprints offered at Belmont Park but he has won over this course and distance before and he has the races to give WORLD OF TROUBLE a real race when things go his way; needs some pace and he may get it this time.
SIXTH RACE
FREE ENTERPRISE debuted at Belmont in June vs. a talented and experienced rival in Performer and he gave that rival a real fight in the stretch after breaking alertly and showing good speed from the start; 85 Beyer he earned that day suggests that this is no easy spot for the firsters or for his experienced rivals. PICASSO caught a wet track at Churchill first time out and he was out-paced early in that spot before moving out wide to get clear in the stretch and finishing gamely; easy to see him building enough off that effort to take a big step forward here. DINAR raced very greenly in his sprint debut and had to steady a couple of times during the early running, before picking up with late momentum to just miss; cuts back after trying a mile last time and once again kicking in too late to get up.
SEVENTH RACE
SAY THE WORD has been developing through racing for top connections and he had his coming out party in his 3yo finale when working his way through a tight spot in the stretch before coming with a strong finish to close that race down; worked out a similar run two back when angling clear late and flying to the finish and he backed that race up well when a gaining 3rd behind the hard-hitting Synchrony in that Woodbine Grade 2 last time. LUCULLAN appeared to be on his way to a competitive campaign in the graded stakes ranks last year before getting injured and enduring an extended layoff; returned to the races last month looking no worse for wear when stalking wide and powering clear in the stretch with a 98 Beyer; dangerous. TICONDEROGA has been something of an underachiever for top connections but he is what he is and he fits well in races at this level; needs a trip but he is getting the right class drop and there is pace signed on here to set him up.
EIGHTH RACE
BELLAFINA one of the more talented fillies in this crop but happens to be one that doesn’t really want to go route distances; like her turning back to try the premier sprint for 3yo fillies following the shot they had to take in the Oaks, and she may find herself in a perfect spot here behind the likely duel between Serengeti Empress and Covfefe; was a Grade 1 winner at seven furlongs as a 2yo and she ran perhaps the best race of her career over this trip in her 3yo debut. ROYAL CHARLOTTE getting properly tested in this race as she puts her undefeated record on the line following a blowout win in the Grade 3 Victory Ride last month; nd keeps getting better and can get the right trip in this spot, assuming she can deal with a much faster pace. SERENGETI EMPRESS took advantage in the Oaks when having the early lead conceded to her but she ran at least as well last time when rushing from the rail to set a wicked pace in the Acorn and lasting for 2nd; was with a strong rail that day but she ran a very good race considering the pace and think this distance is right or her; dangerous speed but has to deal with COVFEFE, who was razor-sharp two back, before dueling with the older Grade 1 winner Mia Mischief last time.
NINTH RACE
PRESERVATIONIST stepping up to face better in the prestigious Whitney and doing so at the right time following a strong win in the Suburban where he showed rateable speed and then powered home to a dominant score; putting races together now after dealing with issues early on and he is a tactical horse with a strong finish. MCKINZIE the horse to beat as he stretches out following a tough trip chance in the Met Mile when blocked in the stretch and shaking free too late; was impressive two back vs. weaker and his overall talent is hard to argue against, but he may not be quite as good going longer. THUNDER SNOW arrives with credentials as a two-time Dubai World Cup winner, among other big races; he did well in the Met while settling for 3rd-best without any excuses, but he benefits from this added distance more than some others do. VINO ROSSO has come back an improved 4yo and he has shown much more early interest in his races, which is a major benefit to him; exits a career-best effort when becoming a Grade 1 winner in California and he has no distance issues.
TENTH RACE
CAPLA TEMPTRESS dropped in class to get a little confidence boost at Delaware last time and she won that race easily at the end after making a four-wide move into a slow pace; has stacked up well with some better horses since arriving stateside and she is supposed to be tough vs. this field with her good race. GOT STORMY has been away since early May, which is a bit of a concern, but her last two races are both strong efforts vs. some of the top horses in this division; horse to beat, assuming she doesn’t need one off the short layoff. ROCK MY LOVE made her stateside debut over 10 furlongs and she broke outwardly pretty badly in that spot before pulling her way to a clear early lead; was no match for that field late but she may have gotten what she needed out of the run and like her cutting back to this distance; threat if stepping forward.
ELEVENTH RACE
THREE OUTLAWS switched to turf for the first time in his 3yo debut on opening day and he came with a good late run in that spot to just miss 3rd at a big price; draws outside this time but adds lasix and won’t have to improve much to go a couple of places better. VETERANS BEACH was favored in that race with THREE OUTLAWS and he looked like he was going to be tough to down after taking that race over in the stretch, only to get run over late by a closer; was a little disappointing there but he has run the best races in this field and is the horse to beat right back. FLED was going nowhere on the main track while in the low-level claiming ranks but he took to turf last time when powering clear in the stretch to a convincing win; steps up.