ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 9, SALTINI

FIRST RACE

TANGO DANCER is stretching out to a distance which she’s bred to handle in her third trip postward off a closing second going six furlongs. RING IN SILENCE was competitive in each of her last three excursions, all going long, and shouldn’t be held off much longer. DANCE THE SKY AWAY placed in each of his last two starts on the Tapeta, and is moving out to what’s probably her favorite distance.

SECOND RACE

CLAIRESSENCE beat two next-out winners when second in her improved second race off the bench on the Tapeta. Her turf form includes a wideclosing third on the inner turf. PLUIE D’AVRIL is another entrant in sharp form who was third on the inner course last year. BIG MAMBA rallied fourwide to beat NW2 rivals in her latest on the Tapeta.

THIRD RACE

WESTLODGE INTRIGUE is hard to go past off backto-back victories over this course at this level, both under Hernandez. Her tactical speed should come in handy with the rail in lane 4. NORTHERN RUBY went unbeaten in two Tapeta races in the lower ranks last fall. The 6yo doesn’t have much turf breeding. AIRY FAIRY figures to move forward in her second start off the sidelines. LUCKY GIRASOL is sent out by a capable layoff trainer.

FOURTH RACE

STARONTHEHORIZON prevailed in a front-end battle before weakening to fourth when coming off the shelf on the main track. Her sire was a graded turf stakes winner, and her dam, a turf winner, produced four turf winners from eight starters. CEFALO doesn’t have much grass breeding, but that runner-up finish in her season opener was encouraging. PARABLE, who’s also experimenting on the lawn, brings improving form to the event.

FIFTH RACE

FOREST DRIFT has been working up a storm for successful first-out trainer Tiller. Her sire has produced just 8% 2yo debut winners, but her dam was a rapid stakes-winning debut winner at 2. CARPE HORSESHOE should be favored off a quick (64 Beyer) second-place finish behind the promising Dreaming of Drew in her opener. Kimura was 14 for 74 at the meet for Casse heading into this week. WAR EMPRESS galloped out strongly after closing for second in her much-improved second start. GOTE GO is by a high-percentage first-out sire.

SIXTH RACE

LOTS TO LIKE bombed as the favorite the only time she raced last fall on the dirt at the Big A. The 4yo daughter of red-hot Speightstown is a half-sister to the G1-winning millionaire grasser Hard Not to Like, and could find her calling on the lawn.

JUMPING JILL FLASH and FEELING FUNNY are two speedy Casse trainees who should have a say in the outcome. The former could sit a good stalking trip nearly the latter before going in for the kill. Use APPELLA in the exotics.

SEVENTH RACE

MORE SAVVY is dropping to OS/$40K company after running hot and cold in maiden special company, most recently behind the promising Dreaming of Drew. Moran replaces Stein, who has landed on another. HATMAKER HOLIDAY was herded in after the break and had to swerve around a fallen rival during her eventful debut. The blinkers go on for this longer sprint. SECRETLY and MITZI both made up ground to finish third at first asking.

REVIVALIST wired OS/$40K maidens convincingly with a 75 Beyer when switching from six furlongs on the main turf to five-eighths on the inner in her second start. She could double up in this sixfurlong N1X with the rail in the occasionally speedfriendly lane 4. ROMAN D’ORO was squeezed at the break and blocked in late stretch when fifth following an extended layoff June 28. FACT CHECKING and BETWIXTING are logical candidates for the bottom of vertical wagers. DOUBLE MEDAL placed in a stakes on this course in the spring of last year.

NINTH RACE

SALTINI won his local debut on the main turf while turning back in distance, and you can throw out his last subpar showing when he took the long way home on the Tapeta. His experience on the infield course at Turf Paradise might serve him well in this two-turn tilt on the inner turf. FLORIDA WON lost a nail-biter after an inside-stalking trip when coming off the shelf in a similar spot. CANMORE comes off a front-running second behind the classy Glenville Gardens. Note that he has a win around these tight turns on his record.

TENTH RACE

MARJORIE’S DREAM attended the pace en route to finishing second in her much-improved second race a month ago. The daughter of leading Ontario sire Old Forester should take some beating on a repeat of that last one. WIDE AWAKE is descending from maiden special company to where she figures to wake up with Kimura taking over. WORDS OF GOLD is adding blinkers for the drop from the maiden special ranks. MRS. DEL was shuffled back heading into the turn in a recent turf experiment that you can draw a line through.