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RACE 4:

MOONLIT MISSION figures to be the one to beat, eyeing her fourth straight and coming off a 67 Beyer, a figure which stands out with these fillies. NIKKI MY ANGEL stretches out for the first time but she’s bred to handle the extra distance. EDGE OF NIGHT was 1st or 2nd in all five of her starts to date.

RACE 5:

LIBERATE was off the board as the favorite in the Sapling at Monmouth but that was no easy trip, as he was pressing the pace in a race loaded with speed, and the race set up well for the closers. WICKED WARRIOR saw his modest two-race win streak snapped in his latest but he hardly ran a poor race, making a move for the lead down the backstretch before weakening late.

RACE 6:

The Best of Ohio Sprint clearly goes through ALTISSIMO, who has a huge edge in Beyers thanks to some solid recent efforts against some decent fields. That includes his latest, the DeFrancis, where he was a game 2nd after pressing the pace from the start. He’s proven over the track, he is versatile enough to lead or rate, and he handles wet or dry strips.

Looks too tough to try to beat, the short price notwithstanding.

RACE 7:

DISTINCTIVE FLOWER will take them as far as she can on the lead, and she’s certainly capable of stealing this Best of Ohio Distaff if she’s able to get away on an unpressured lead. MISSAP turned in a deceptively good effort in her latest, when she came from just off the pace to get the show. She would be one of the main beneficiaries of a contested pace up front. CALI DREAM has speed but can also rate, and that versatility should enable her to work out a favorable trip despite the wide post.

RACE 8:

FOREWARNED is the horse to beat in the Best of Ohio Endurance based on his Beyers, but while his figures give him an edge he is a bit of a question mark at 1 1/14 miles. That leaves room for a horse like MO DONT NO, who was an easy 12-length winner in this race last year. Also worth consideration is INDIAN FEVER, who could prove to be the one to catch.