ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 5, R PRIVATE JET

FIRST RACE

Another 4-day week at the Gulf spring-summer meet gets under way with the familiar possibility of thundershowers and a high temperature of 90 (all selections here made for turf racing ON). Siding with MIRANDA SOFIA in the noon ET opener for a barn (Avila) that’s shown itself to be very adept this year, including with the Ky. Derby prospect King Guillermo; looks like they’ve been trying to get her on the grass for quite a while now; fits with these lower-level maidens. MORE DIAMONDS clearly has the speed to make her presence felt; shorter turf race probably not a bad idea for this NY-bred. R WILD CHILD debuts for an ownertrainer team that spots ‘em realistically.

SECOND RACE

Blinkers and a tag the possible solutions to getting ACTING LUCKY much closer to a career first; Pita ‘house horse’ exits a couple of fairly salty 2yo MSW dashes after simply failing to keep up; experience can help in a spot like this, too. STORMY JESS comes unveiled by Saffie, who continues to succeed in most any kind of local spot; open-air outer box can help with the quick getaway. WORLD GONE WILD flashed her speed vs. state-bred maidens and can now fare better for the tag and with that one behind her.

THIRD RACE

Even on the requisite raise off the claim, INTEREST seems the one to beat for this open $18k when well-drawn toward the hedge; filly who cost a pretty penny has shown herself capable at this type of level and stands to trip out well from midpack. MISS MY MACHO has gone 1-2-3 in 3 of her last 4; Reeves homebred is tactically sound when properly spotted, as she is today. The rail-drawn PERT takes the nominal raise off a $12.5k score and clearly is maintaining form.

FOURTH RACE

The Beyer didn’t come back very high (39) for FRANKLY MY DEAR from her wicked-beat debut last month, but she can erase all that negativity with moderate improvement in what looks like a fairly salty group of straight 2yo state-bred maiden fillies; gray gal can scoot, we do know that. A first-timer from a top barn could be the one to pose the most serious challenge, namely GULF COAST GAL for Mr. Campbell; nice set of a.m. drills there, Ralphie. WHISTLER DIXIE comes welldrawn in the open-air outer box when exiting an open MSW heat.

FIFTH RACE

Seems a much more demanding spot could’ve been realized for the first-timing R PRIVATE JET, but nope, savvy owner Averill and his partners sure will take it; 3yo half-brother to the incredibly swift (and still active) 10yo Pay Any Price liable to come out firing after long and careful prep from Ms. Baxter; call him the day’s best. Just to his inside, AMERICAN PHENOM resurfaces following four-plus months of regrouping off the Crichton claim; the March debut for the Pletcher powerhouse had its good points. GETTHE MUNY BERNIE obviously has to be forgiven for his latest to merit consideration here for Saffie.

SIXTH RACE

Quite the dominant effort by CHANNELED’S ANGEL across the peninsula last month as the Tampa meet wound down; up a rung on the ‘beaten’ ladder today, she finds a spot that’s not all that demanding, assuming she runs another good one right back for the ‘77 St. X grad, Ocala Art. CITIBIKE clearly had problems and then some when making her Fla. bow last month; was probably overmatched anyway at that lofty level and now stands to contend for the restricted $8k. MIZ

CHAPLIN has struggled mightily since leaving the Saffie fold but does have the kind of speed to take her deeper here.

SEVENTH RACE

Chummy sort of optional-allowance turf route with an absolute multitude of overlapping running lines could get its winner from most anywhere, but we’ll give OVER THE CHANNEL a shot to improve just enough out of the key June 5 race to turn some tables; rail-drawn gray dude tends to hang in long and strong. Just to his outside, SOUPER COURAGE is full of confidence after defeating ‘beaten’ turf routers at a $19 mutuel in his latest; also can persist down the lane following a ground-saving journey. MOZO BELLO actually edged the top pick in their latest and obviously is liable to repeat when coming shrewdly spotted by De La Cerda for the optional $20k.

EIGHTH RACE

Turf-to-dirt angle very much in play for THE BIG JOKER, who’s yet another live wire on a busy afternoon for the Baxter barn; the two-back maintrack score plus the last-out speed show strongly suggest he’ll be setting sail at once from the cozy outer post. JUST US stands to benefit big-time from his June 13 start for a higher tag for Leo, whose acumen isn’t reflected in his modest stats; one to respect. MOON PISTOL was a decent 2nd at this same level in his latest; doesn’t seem to want to win but is useful in the verticals nonetheless.

NINTH RACE

The sporadic nature of her racing schedule as manifested by the layoff lines of LORILOUPIES are somewhat troubling, and yet this swift gray gal is clearly the one to beat in this allowance feature of a filly-dominated Wednesday card; open-lengths romp on the original Ky. Derby date clearly points her out. CAJUN DELIGHT comes the wild card of the group once you take a close look at the way she romped last September when unveiled by Hess; essentially starts out all over again here when coming nicely drawn in the load-n-go outside box. JEANA’S GEM, a 5yo mostly facing younger, shows 5 creditable efforts from 6 career tries and seems a must-use in the tricks.

TENTH RACE

DRAMATIC KITTEN drew clear like a good thing in midstretch of his most recent, only to give it away in the frantic final yards; gimme 3 1/2 lengths at the eighth pole every time and I’ll take my chances; c’mon man, time to follow on through. STARSHIP MUFASA turned in a solid effort off the lengthy layoff for the Marlins Man and Dwoskin in that 6/26 return; eligible to benefit substantially with that one under his belt. TIME FOR TROUBLE plunges off a class cliff for Maker, who has assumed his care after being culled by TAP.