ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, SHACKFORLOVE

FIRST RACE

WONDER CITY boasts a nice speed over stamina and class pedigree as a daughter of the very consistent debut sire City Zip out of a dam that won the Remington Park Oaks at 1 1/16 miles. The third dam was third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks Trainer Cathal Lynch is 3 for her last 8 (38%, $6.42 ROI) with juvenile debut runners in Laurel maiden special weight dirt sprints. FASHION RULES is by red-hot first-crop sire Constitution (has graded winners on both coasts). Note the turf in the pedigree (dam a multiple stakes-winner on the surface) and she has already foaled Grade 1 American Oaks winner Decked Out. Shug often will give them a race. MORAVIAN PRAYER only went for $30K as a yearling, but is bred to be a runner as a half-brother to the multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter The Factor. BERNADETTE THE JET looms the horse to beat off even turf try. Three-quarter brother to Social Inclusion may be better-suited to this surface.

SECOND RACE

SHACKFORLOVE set a three-ply pace while in between horses at Pimlico before faltering in the lane. Freshened up for this, she drops in class and can work out a nice trip tracking the early speed of Weltha to her inside. Although an 11-time maiden, SILVER SIDES has never been this cheap and she squared off against next-out winner Merry Maid (59 Beyer) most recently on the turf. Dirt figs put her squarely in the mix. SUGAR B BABSNBOOTS gets extra credit for running well off a 581-day layoff at Parx and she was forced to rally five wide into the stretch to boot.

THIRD RACE

As a deep closer, NANA’S SHOES needs some pace help, but she rallied solidly in the lane last time after racing three and four wide on the final turn. CAROLINA ICE is capable of getting a comfortable pace-tracking trip at a square price. Received a similar journey in her last turf appearance and failed to change leads in the stretch. Seems like a nice fit from a Beyer perspective. LIBERALE ships up from Gulfstream after a troubled-trip fifth back in May. Pocket trip didn’t work out that day and she faced heavy traffic while attempting to alter course to the outside in the stretch. FIRTH may very well be the horse to catch and beat. Rated three wide last time out off a hot pace, but can make an easier lead here.

FOURTH RACE

SWEET SANIBEL did not have a good trip in her debut at Delaware. She hopped right up at the start and broke two lengths slow, then attempted to mid-move along the rail on the backstretch, She split horses on the far turn, altered course back to the inside in the stretch and had some late pace in a race that was dominated on the front end. Addition of Lasix and blinkers might put her over the top. It’s taken forever for SOUTHERN PIPER to make it to the races, but she’s a half to a turf winner out of a turf-winning dam. Most recent workout looks solid and she’ll offer nice odds in a hungry race. STILL PROCESSING battled on a fast pace at Pimlico, but swapped leads in the stretch while wandering out into a foe. Might get an easier pace scenario this time around.

FIFTH RACE

Want to give OLIVE’S BUMPA one chance at this level after failing to do much in two starts against $40K maiden sellers. After bobbling at the start last time, she ended up outrun while four wide on the backstretch and failed to factor in the outcome. That was a very fast race for that level with the winner scoring a 71 Beyer, and Olive’s Bumpa can improve with the class relief. LANDING ZONE finished ahead of the top pick on July 5, then might have gone a hair too fast when setting the pace last time out. Barring a quick first-time starter, she might be the one to catch once again. TRULY RED adds Lasix after chasing odds-on winner Hufflepuff at Delaware. She failed to change leads in the stretch that day, but goes out for top connections and can’t be ignored.

QUEEN OF SCHMOOZE needs to prove it again versus allowance foes, but she looked good beating down claimers most recently at this distance. Sat a nice three-wide stalking trip, took over turning into the stretch and always had more to give late. There doesn’t appear to be a ton of speed in this race and she can be right there when the real racing begins. INTRODUCED is simply the horse to beat after a stakes-placing as the beaten favorite for connections that historically do very well with turf sprinters. Received a nice trip in the Stormy Blues, but couldn’t reel in the very quick Karama. Don’t be surprised it she tries to take them all the way here. EBULLIENT has faced the excellent turf fillies Varenka and Dogtag in her last two grass appearances. Throw those races out and you’re left with a game runner-up effort at Keeneland on April 15. Not sure about the steep cutback in distance as she might be left with too much to do late.

SEVENTH RACE

Think there’s enough pedigree for GOLDEN GARY to handle the turf as Goldencents is an acceptable grass sire while the second dam was stakesplaced on the sod. Well-meant in both starts on the dirt, he had some trouble last time out and may show good speed with the addition of blinkers. MUCHMORETHANTHIS is bred both sides for speed and precocity. City Zip colt is a half to two blacktype sprinters and the second dam was a graded stakes-winner at two. A IS FOR ARTIST should benefit from career debut on dirt and has turf blood on the bottom of her pedigree as the second dam won the Virginia Oaks.

EIGHTH RACE

JUNCTION went fast early to secure the lead, but just couldn’t fend off favored Elusive Hero in the lane. Although not the most dependable sort with thirteen runner-up finishes in his career, he can get a more favorable trip on or near a slower pace this time around. SPARTIATIS obviously wins this with his best as he took the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct back in 2017. Has only won once since that race, however, was listed as a vet scratch on April 22, drops to $5,000 off the claim and returns as a 9-year-old off a 180-day layoff. The horse to beat, but there are red flags flying. CASH EXCHANGE had things his way when prompting moderate fractions last time out, but there’s no denying his sharp form and he was flattered when the runner-up returned to win with a 73 Beyer.

NINTH RACE

DIXIE DRAWL plunges in class and draws a nice inside post position for his return to the lawn. Simply overmatched at Delaware in his lone turf appearance to date, but fits much better with these and there should be enough pace for him to attack in the stretch. MAKES MO CENTS another taking a steep drop down the ladder and he exits a live race on July 26 (the runner-up came back to win with a 78 Beyer while the ninth-finisher came back to score with a 75). Like the new speed showed most recently. Will TO BE OR NOT TO BE run in this race. That is the question as he is also cross-entered on Friday at Penn National. Exits a good group of conditioned claimers with the second and thirdplace finishers coming back to run one-two at Colonial with stereo 67 Beyers.