ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, ETHANOL

FIRST RACE

EXECUTIVE RETREAT showed nothing when debuting in a maiden special weight sprint in the slop at Fort Erie, but deserves a mulligan here for $15K on the Tapeta. The homebred is out of a stakes-winning router, who produced the stakes winner Bear Paw and the hard-knocking sprinter Still Krz. SUMMER RETREAT is descending from $25K to where he could wake up under Kimura. METADATA is shedding the blinkers off a $10K claim, while turning back from a route to a sprint.

SECOND RACE

ETHANOL was competitive against much tougher without finding the mark at the meet. The veteran is taking a noteworthy drop to $10K, and appears to have found a field that he can dominate. FORESTER’S FORUM is also getting some significant class relief, but the three-month layoff after a pretty good race is cause for pause. DIDDLEY is worth a look off the Drexler claim with Da Silva climbing aboard.

THIRD RACE

SOUPER FLY OVER won two in a row going long on the lead, before a fading fifth in a recent secondlevel optional claimer. With the turnback to a long sprint, he could assume an outside/stalking position before going in for the kill in this optional starter. DECORATED SOLDIER has been in a tailspin this year, after notching a G3 stakes here and the Presque Isle Mile in 2018, following a $20K claim at Oaklawn. The sharp drop could turn his form around, but he isn’t worth backing at a chalky price. SLIP KID benefited from an inside bias when a stalking second in a slow-paced sprint at this level in his latest.

FOURTH RACE

MIRIAM’S SKY was a stalking second in a slowpaced $25K NW2 grass route last time in his debut for Chircop, who has a 12% strike-rate secondtime off the claim over the past five years ($2.47 ROI). Longshot Leo retains the mount. ZOOMER MUSIC is shedding the hood off a clam following a flat fourth in a seven-furlong turf tilt. He gradu

ated over a mile in his penultimate start. SCAT BIG

DAD rode an inside bias when a fading sixth most recently on the Tapeta. He wasn’t a factor in three grass outings in maiden special company at Santa Anita and Churchill last year, but deserves another chance on the lawn. BENS LAST CALL is another possibility.

FIFTH RACE

DARREN’S FORTUNE was out-finished for the win last time when moving out from a sprint to a route, while changing surfaces to the Tapeta. He has lots of speed to chase in this lesser event, and should be along in time. TRIGLAV raced in the two-path before closing wide in the stretch to end up third over an inside-favoring track in an identical spot July 28. BOOMBA BRAD benefited from the aforementioned bias when a closing second in that same fast-paced event. WINSROY is going on Lasix.

SIXTH RACE

MONEY TALKS got away slowly before closing from mid-pack to capture a one-mile turf route two back on the main course. Throw out his recent fade job in a challenging optional starter, and give him a chance to rebound at what could be a square price in this inner turf route. Following a $9.5K claim in December, THE OTHER BREEZE won two in a row in June before coming up empty in the first leg of the Woodbine Turf Endurance Series. The closer is plunging to the lower ranks, and has lots of speed to run at. CAPE ROMANCE comes off a front-running second behind the top pick in his best performance since his first appearance at the meet.

SEVENTH RACE

VIVIDARI set fast fractions before tiring when seventh among three next-out winners when going a mile in his latest. The drop from NW2 $40K company to this $25K NW2 sprint should be suitable for the son of Old Forester. STRIKE REVENGE was beaten in double digits in both of his outings in N1X company in the spring before going the bench. The Sam-Son Farm runner is dropping to a logical spot, and note that his trainer has excellent numbers pertaining to this situation. BIG CLASSIC prevailed in a front-end battle drawing clear to beat $25K maidens on the Tapeta three weeks ago. BITETHEBULLETBRO is back in action on short rest after tanking while against the grain of an inside/speed bias.