ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 4, SCOOP THE CASH

FIRST RACE

TALE LIGHTS stretches out and could be the one to catch in this opener, which is a little light on pace and thus should favor those with forward trips; dam was a multiple stakes winner going long, albeit on dirt. DREAMER’S GETAWAY has had her chances but she can be expected to improve off her most recent, as that was a seemingly better field, and she didn’t break all that well; figures to be closer to the pace today, assuming a clean getaway. SHERRY ORIENTAL has some of the better Beyers in the field and enough tactical speed to stay close from the start; threat based on those figures but the main knock is she had no obvious excuses in either of those last two losses.

SECOND RACE

UNCAPTURED RUBY has speed and the rail and will be tough to catch if she can break alertly from the fence and shake loose without much pressure, as there is not a whole lot of pace in this field; benefited from the race flow in her last two dirt tries but she may be in another favorable spot in terms of the pace scenario. BRIDGE TO BROOKLYN has been on the wrong end of the race flow in each of her last two starts but she was visually impressive in the maiden win three back, and she could prove a late threat here given at least some help up front this time around. TRUE PROSPERITY has lots of trouble getting away with the field but if she can break cleanly here perhaps she can stay close enough to make an impact in the lane.

THIRD RACE

Lots of speed in this one, which should work to the advantage of ROMAN CITY, who is a proven closer in turf sprints; she was outrun in her first start off the short layoff last time out but perhaps she needed the race, and will take a step forward today, especially given a favorable set up. ALWAYS ALRIGHT has speed and the rail, returning to the turf in her first start off the claim; she was well off the board in her first try on the grass but a slow start and wide post didn’t help her cause. CRAFTY LASS tries grass for the first time but trainer Jane Cibelli wins at a solid rate with turf sprinters; kin to a grass winner in Handy Candy.

FOURTH RACE

SCOOP THE CASH makes his first start for a tag and seems to land in a good spot, as W W ARCHIE is the main danger, and he’s lost three straight as a heavy favorite; there’s plenty of speed in this field, so he will likely need to stalk the pacesetters and make one run. W W ARCHIE is once again the one to catch and beat, and he does have the best Beyers in the field; backers will have to take another short price, however, and he’s lost as a heavy favorite in each of his last three starts.

JUSTINSPEIGHTOFIT has a decent late kick and could be set up to make some noise in the lane; he’s had his chances (20, and the connections have struggled to find the winner’s circle but he could be in an ideal spot off the turn.

FIFTH RACE

DIAMOND PLAY didn’t break all that well in the Jersey Girl and that cost her position last time, no small consideration in that her tactical early speed is a big part of her game; with a clean start today she should be a factor from the start, and that’s a big plus given the relative lack of speed in this

field. BRAMBLE BAY was very impressive in that Jersey Girl win, overcoming a controlled pace to score with a nice late rally between horses; clearly the one to beat as she looks to win her third race in her last four starts. BOOMERANG MISS might be the one to catch; she set the early pace while down inside in the Jersey Girl and weakened only late, but she can go much farther here if she’s able to shake loose in the opening stages.

SIXTH RACE

BEAU BRIDGE is an obvious threat today, coming out of the Tyro Stakes and having run 2nd in his first two starts under these conditions; he has to contend with the rail for the first time in his short career but given a clean start he igures tough to reel in. BASSO, the first starter out of an unraced dam, has a couple of breezes that hint at some ability; trainer Greg Sacco usually patient with his young runners but more than capable with firsters. SUBSIDIZE is kin to two starters, who combined to post a record of one-for-19, and the dam was winless in 14 starts; the allure lies in the connections, however, though the connections also will ensure an underlaid price.

SEVENTH RACE

QUID had little chance to close in that slow-paced starter allowance race at Saratoga last time out but he should get a much-improved race flow in this local debut, as this is a race featuring a good amount of pace; Beyers need a boost but if he does in fact get faster splits he should be expected to take a big step forward. SHINING THROUGH has been in search of that elusive 2nd career win for some time, and he failed in that last one despite a very good set up, but he may have finally found the right spot, as he has some of the best Beyers in the field; could be overbet but he’d be no surprise. GRAVITAS has speed and the rail and will be a factor from the start; hard to knock his first three efforts.

EIGHTH RACE

BAZOO went to the sidelines after he was claimed by these connections back in January but he looms tough today at this reduced level, as he has some of the best Beyers in the field; he draws wide but he has the tactical speed to get position but he can also rate and make one run, as he did in the win two back. IMPETUOUS adds blinkers for Jeffrey Englehart, who does well with that angle; he’s widest but his early speed and the equipment change should ensure he’s part of the mix from the break. MAN WITH A PLAN hasn’t been out since that disastrous start last time, when a slow start and a premature move caused him to finish off the board as the odds-on favorite; seems to need the lead but if he’s able to get clear he’ll be a handful under Lopez.

NINTH RACE

COMPLETED PASS was a game winner when last seen, at Laurel, and he could be sharp enough to handle this move into stakes company for trainer Claudio Gonzalez; back-classy gelding has proven speed in a race that’s surprisingly light on pace but he can also take back and make one run if need be.

SATELLITE STORM is the other prime pace candidate, and he looms formidable off that easy score at Colonial Downs last time; especially dangerous if able to shake loose and set his own pace once again. ARCHIDUST comes off a win in the Wolf Hill, beating a fairly deep field, and he would likely be the main beneficiary of a duel between the top two picks; main threat in the lane regardless.

TENTH RACE

PRIZED WARRIOR could be ideally spotted off expected pacesetter JAMES CIRO and that should enable him to get first run on the stone closers, as the relative lack of pace in this field should work to the advantage of those with the tactical speed to stay close; he faded to finish off the board in his first start against winners but he did make a midrace run there before flattening out. VIPER trailed the field down the backstretch before making his run on the turn and he drew off nicely through the lane, posting his second straight win; meets similar here as he makes his local debut and switches to the barn of Jorge Delgado, and he should be expected to be closer to the pace given his inside draw and the expected race flow. WENDIGO didn’t run badly in his first start vs. winners; Beyers put him in the middle of this, though he is clearly reliant on the pace.

ELEVENTH RACE

SKOL CHANT was off the board in her local debut but that was a very deep group of Maiden Special Weight runners, and she seems to fit nicely at this reduced level; she showed improved speed in that first start off the layoff and that could be an important factor today, as this is not a field with a great deal of early zip signed on. TONED UP was a beaten favorite at odds on in her local bow but the unfavorable race flow provides her with a clear excuse, as the lack of pace in the field gave an extreme edge to the speeds (note the inverted “S” in DRF pp’s), and she was trying to come from off the pace; improvement expected today.

WICKED MERCURY benefited from a favorable race flow in that last one, as the back part of a twospeed exacta in a paceless race, but she has to be respected on the strength of her Beyers.

TWELFTH RACE

TRAPPED N MY MIND couldn’t catch up with the speed in a paceless sprint in her local bow but she seems primed to break through to grab the diploma in her 12th start, as she has some of the best Beyers in this field; flattered when fellow closer Bridge to Brooklyn came out of that last race to break her maiden in impressive fashion in her return. MISS PHILLY DILLY has been away for nearly two years but she could not have found a much better spot for her return, as she has some speed in a race lacking same; needs a quick start and a loose lead but given that she could get brave on the front end. AWESOMENEWYEAR just missed in her latest and she also ran a solid race in defeat two bac, when against the race flow; should be a factor late.