ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 6, SOUL P SAY

FIRST RACE

WICKED WHISPER ships up after putting together a solid series of breezes in Kentucky for a top trainer of 2yos; sire Liams Map is off to a bit of a slow start with just 1 winner from his first 20 starters but they paid a lot of money for this filly, who is from a strong female family. STRIKE MAGIC brought $200k as a yearling and has pedigree being by a top sire and from the family of Grade 1-winning 2yo J P’s Gusto; Hennig excellent with first time starters. STOP SHOPPIN TAMMY by Tapit and out of a Grade 1 winning dam in Miss Shop, though she wanted to go long; full-sister to graded stakes-winning turf router Tin Type Gal may want more distance than this.

SECOND RACE

POINT OF HUMOR 0-6 on turf so far though he has run quite well more than once and he is going to be a price in here as he cuts back to sprint; liked his effort up here on opening day when chasing wide behind a front-running winner. READYFORPRIMETIME ran well in his first two starts in Florida then came up to NY with a trainer change to Linda Rice and failed to make an impact while trying gamely from off the pace; better than that last one and puts blinkers on looking to bounce back after having more time in his new barn. AHEAD OF PLAN ran a fast race up here in his only start as a 2yo when settling for 2nd to Endorsed and he returned from the layoff to chase wide over a track that featured a strong rail; dam was a stakes winner sprinting on turf but these horses tend to be overbet.

THIRD RACE

KREWE CHIEF lacks a winning profile but he had an excuse when dropped in class last time as he was stuck very wide throughout over a mile on the inner; gets this far and drops again looking for a win. CAROM has run two of his better races in his pair of attempts going long and he, like KREWE CHIEF, was caught very wide throughout last time; switches to Landeros after being ridden by 7 lb. bugs in his last two starts. CATCHO EN DIE was claimed for $40k last year and went on to win a Grade 3 before finishing a good 4th in the Arlington Million; hasn’t been as good this year while running exclusively in Grade 1-2 races and he has speed.

FOURTH RACE

SOLITARY GEM just 1 for 19 on the way in with that win coming back in February of 2018 but she has run well several times since without finding the winner’s circle and she has been running competitive figures right along; goes turf to dirt and turns back for the first time since being re-claimed by Gyarmati. WISCONSIN NIGHT hasn’t raced since being claimed back in February out of a race where she made a quick pace and was overpowered in the stretch while making her first start for a tag; has speed in a race that may not be run at a fast pace. DOVEY LOVEY had a good winter at Aqueduct while led to her getting a couple of shots in stakes company and she picked up some black-type in the Ruthless over this distance; threat if she can rebound after series of subpar efforts.

FIFTH RACE

ENTHUSIASTIC GAL has so far been most effective at Belmont but she is versatile and underrated, and she ran well over this distance last time when finishing a close 4th from off the pace; needs a little pace. ORIGINATOR got some class relief up here opening weekend and worked out a nice inside run before coming clear and powering to the lead late; tough right back as her connections don’t get too aggressive with her. EYE ON BERLIN has won three of four sprinting on turf since returning from the layoff, with the only loss coming when finishing a good 4th in stakes company; needs a trip from the rail but may go overlooked in the wagering.

SIXTH RACE

SOUL P SAY shipped in with solid dirt form early in the meet and ran a good race to finish a close 4th after taking pressure on a quick pace; goes turf to dirt and drops back to the level of that solid effort on opening weekend. GYPSUM JOHNNY has the back form to be hard on this field and he has finally cycled back to some good races recently after getting some class relief; drops after facing a tougher crew of NY-breds last time. NONEEDTOFLATTERME was off the layoff last time when outrun over a shorter distance at Delaware; can contend here with his good race and he has the speed to keep forward from the start.

SEVENTH RACE

MORE OR LESS by More Than Ready and out of a mare who was an eight-time turf sprint winner in Italy, including the first three starts of her career; Schoenthal capable with first time starters and he has sent out to big-priced debut winners in turf sprints. YELLEN debuted at Churchill and didn’t receive an aggressive ride while content to stalk the pace, before tiring in the stretch; class relief for her second start in a maiden claimer without much to hold on to. DARKEN A DAY has had each of her first two starts rained off; Emcee turning out to be a decent turf sire and this filly is a half to Linda’s Ballet, who broke her maiden sprinting on turf up here earlier in the meet.

EIGHTH RACE

PERFORMER got bet first time out and finished gamely for 3rd in a race that was dominated up close, then returned from the layoff to close down Free Enterprise (returned to run 2nd again with an 89 Beyer) under strong handling; talented colt is bred for turf and is confidently placed off the maiden win. FRONT RUN THE FED ran well in both turf starts last year and has come back a stronger version of that horse as a 3yo to go 2 for 2, including a blowout win over seven furlongs last time with a big 98 Beyer; has to get the mile around two turns but he is the horse to beat. BOURBON WAR was entered for turf first time out but was rained off and persevered on the main track after winning that race with an 84 Beyer, eventually earning his way into the Preakness and Belmont; tries turf after failing to class up with the top 3yo dirt horses and he is bred to be better on this surface.

NINTH RACE

MEET ME IN L A raced greenly and caught trouble at the top of the stretch in his promising debut, then came back to finish an excellent 2nd to Travers-bound Highest Honors, who exited that race to win the Curlin; bred to handle this trip for an excellent stretch-out trainer. EXTRORDINARY JERRY won his first start for Pletcher when rained off the grass, and has since gone on to acquit himself well on turf without winning; distance no problem for him and he can handle the surface switch. TAPIT WISE hasn’t yet lived up to his purchase price but he is improving with racing and earned a new top Beyer when second over this course and distance last time; 2 for 3 with Irad and has enough tactical speed to get a trip from his outside draw.

TENTH RACE

COUNTENANCE was dropped off the layoff last time and ran into trouble over that muddy track before finishing 2nd as the favorite; faces maiden claimers on turf for the first time as she goes off the claim for Asmussen. ART THIEF also off the claim for this after pairing up her top Beyer when 4th last time behind repeat winner Team Win; Weaver doesn’t claim much but is 2 for his last 7, with another close 2nd, with new acquisitions on turf over the past five years ($3.07 ROI). AUGUSTA MOON settled for 3rd behind an odds-on favorite in her turf debut at Monmouth last time; drops in to face maiden claimers for the first time and has some speed to land a trip.