ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 7, GOT THE GIST

FIRST RACE

COMMAND POINT is kin to four starters, all of them multiple winners, including Joyful Night, who won four of seven starts, all of them dirt sprints; sports some swift breezes, especially her last couple. THREE QUARTER TIME was on the turf in her first start, where she also had some traffic trouble; pedigree suggests she should have no issue handling the main track and she has lots of room to improve with a clean trip in her second career start. ROLLICK has been working well toward her first start in over a year, and she would be no surprise here, but she’ll be heavily bey despite the respite and she may be using this dirt sprint as a prep off the layoff.

SECOND RACE

MAMBO DANCER turns back from routes and this does appear to be her best game; she has some early zip but she can also rate off the pace, and with confirmed speed to her inside and out she could fall into an ideal stalking trip off the early leaders. SOUTHERN N’ SASSY hit the board in six straight races prior to the layoff, and though she’s been away since January she did win off a similar freshening back in November; overall win rate dampens the enthusiasm some, especially since she figures to be a relatively short price, but there’s no doubt she’s a contender for top trainer Gerald Bennett. TEE UP has speed and the rail and will take them as far as she can on the lead in her first start off the claim and layoff; she was against the race flow in two of her last three starts.

THIRD RACE

VIVAMENTE is out of a dam who posted her lone career win in a dirt sprint and her only sibling to race thus far, Cannon’s Roar, has won three races and earned $120K; works look solid enough for trainer Jonathan Thomas, who has enjoyed a very strong meet. I’MTHEKATSMEOW went down as the 6/5 favorite in her first start off the long break but a slow start cost her her best chance; clearly dangerous today if able to avoid a regression, and given a clean getaway. MY BLONDE MARY is kin to multiple stakes winner Llanarmon, who captured the Grade 2 Natalma and the Grade 3 Carotene at Woodbine; she does have a couple of works that suggest she has some speed and she figures to be prominent from the start under Chuck Lopez.

FOURTH RACE

MIA ANGELINA faded after making a mid-race move in her turf debut in her first start at Tampa last time but she figures to rebound on the move back to the main track; she was off the board in her last two starts at Gulfstream but she meets a softer group of locals and she could have a tactical edge in this paceless field, as she showed improved speed in her latest. WICKED WITCH might be the right value play in this field; she was off the board in her most recent try on the dirt but a slow start was to blame for that sub-par effort, and she was in against much better there. SUDDEN LIGHT adds blinkers and could show more speed, which would come in handy given the expected race flow.

FIFTH RACE

PADDY O’DINI has been facing much better of late, including in her latest at Gulfstream Park, and she looms tough here if she can run back to her best recent figures; she has speed but she weakened after racing on or near the lead in her last couple, and she is at her best when she’s able to stalk the pace and make one run. PROFESSIONAL couldn’t make an impact late when in against richer last time out despite good positioning vs. a short field but she’s a better fit with these; clearly a threat with these on the strength of those solid recent Beyers. BARREL OF STOUT was left with too much to do in that last one, which didn’t feature all that much early speed, but he’s another who stands to improve on the drop from the $25,000 level.

SIXTH RACE

R LOVELY JULZ was off the board in her first start off the Delgado claim, a relative rarity, but that was due in large part to a troubled start, as early speed is a big part of her game; with an alert break she

may be able to shake loose this time around, and given that scenario she’ll be tough to reel in. LONG

STORY SHORT broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park with a late run last time out, earning a Beyer which gives her strong credibility in this field; looms the main stretch threat. ADONAI BLESS has room to improve with blinkers on and coming off consecutive races where she was against the race flow; price should be right.

SEVENTH RACE

GOT THE GIST goes turf-to-dirt for trainer Georgina Baxter, who wins at a high rate with that angle (33%); the turnback in distance should also help the cause, as she projects to be well spotted just off the speeds from her inside post. The fact that ANIMAUXSELLE is one of her main rivals makes her more appealing, as the latter simply struggles to win; she has run some very nice races in defeat, especially since the claim by trainer Mike Dini, and while she’s a contender in here she’s tough to take at a short price given the overall win rate. RISEN CHANGE failed to threaten in her first start at this level following the win against non-winners of three two starts back but that may have been too short for her; extra ground should work to her advantage.

EIGHTH RACE

NOT TELLING had little chance to last when caught up in a pace duel last time, as that sprint set up very well for the closers following that race-long battle up front; a slow start didn’t help her cause in her debut, at an abbreviate distance, but with a quick break today she could well be nicely spotted off expected pacesetter ESOR. The latter is the one to catch and beat, and she could well shake loose in the opening stages; she did stop on a clear lead two back but that was at 6 1/2 furlongs, and she figures to appreciate the cutback in distance. IMPERIAL GREATNESS has fairly steady Beyers and he hit the board in each of his last two, both at this level; could still be on the improve.

NINTH RACE

TOTALLY PERFECT is the first starter from the dam but the sire, Biondetti, wins at a solid 15% with his debut runners, and her work tab is deceptively good; figures to be overlooked some in the wagering but she should be expected to come out running based on those breezes. MISTY EXPRESS was well off the board in her bow but she did show speed, dueling from the start and weakening late; race flow is tough to plot given the presence of several firsters but she may be able to shake loose in her seasonal debut, and given that scenario she’s a live longshot. RECODED will be looking to make the last run under jockey Samy Camacho, and with a clean trip from the rail she is more than capable of doing just that, based on her figures; light price likely.