ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 3, DARK AGES

FIRST RACE

10-race Thursday card starts at 12:35 ET and with MISS LORETTA looking to see it through after escorting some of these same mdn.claiming fillymare turf sprinters past the eighth pole in their last meeting; outer box can help her soar clear, and then she’ll just have to dig deeper than she’s been willing to do thus far. NERISSA ships over from Tampa as the main danger; surely needed her latest when taking on too much distance; solid fit here given the class drop and turn-back. DANCINGWITHJIMMIEB blew up the verticals in the Jan. 10 key race when a late-running 2nd at 68-1 under the 7-pound bug.

SECOND RACE

Move over to the Delgado barn a possible impetus in getting AUNT IRENE to a career first. Speedy Ky-bred was fairly competitive last fall for slightly higher tags than this $12.5k; nice set of preps ahead of the comeback. DIXIELAND HUMOR has had chances aplenty, with half her 10 starts resulting in a second or third; stalking type stands to close effectively here, given the opposing speed signed on. IMPRESSION GIVEN lands Irad after showing the way at 30-1 in her debut earlier this month.

THIRD RACE

Good times in the Maker barn in the aftermath of Zulu Alpha winning the $1M Pegasus Turf on Saturday, and they can sustain that positive karma here when DARK AGES returns to his preferred surface with Irad coming back aboard; last two mile tries were moved to the main, which at least helped toward keeping him fit; be looking to mow ‘em down late on this turn-back. Right alongside, WHAT’S TO BLAME adds blinks and Paco off some heady tries for Clement; main foe. MR. EDGAR starts for the Drawing Away folks after being claimed off a sizable drop.

FOURTH RACE

No reason to think TIZABET can’t win right back for Mandy and Ralph, given the way the homebred motored home at first asking; clearly has been troubled, having debuted late in his 4yo season, but this dude looks like he’s gonna be just fine. Just to his inside, KORCZAK likely comes a solid fave after earning that 80 BSF when breaking his mdn. first off the Navarro claim; beat very soft ones in that Jan. 3 race, however, so beware. ATTHEPEARLYGATES stands to do OK when going turf-to-dirt and shortening up again.

FIFTH RACE

Moving YOUNG RAYMOND over to the grass probably not a bad idea from Zerpa, whose highpercentage rep precedes him; Gemologist gelding showed early interest when favored in his first start for the trainer in a 12/19 race he likely needed; a couple of interim breezes have him primed for this. DUNMORE TOWN comes unveiled by Plesa, whose first-timing stats belie his capabilities with these types; be no surprise. WORDMAN, a $200k 2yo buy for TAP, surely will draw sizable play when coming realistically spotted for the tag.

SIXTH RACE

Seven furlongs seems a fair compromise when matching speed types SENSATIONAL RIDE and EARLY ENTRY, with the former exiting longer races and the latter having contested the pace in his 12/26 return at six panels. Siding with ‘Ride off his gutsy effort in the Claiming Crown and his proven willingness to win (he’s 19 for 44, after all). MR. JORDAN isn’t what he once was, but maybe he can be as good once as he ever was; lightest spot in a long time.