ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 7, WATCHIN THE WHEELS

FIRST RACE

SYMBOL AZTECA is stuck at the bottom of the Also Eligible list but he will be a handful if he gets to run, coming off a deceptively strong effort for the show in his turf debut; only figures to improve off that try, especially given a better set up. SWIFT KID was off the board in his latest but a premature move cost him there, and he sputtered through the late stages of the stretch; can make the last run given a better-timed run if he is able to escape the AE list. POWER BOSS has ha his chances but few spots have been as soft as this; most recent turf Beyers plenty good enough to win this.

SECOND RACE

RUSSIAN ROULETTE failed her turf test last time out and she was overmatched in her first start of the summer but this drop in class could well provide a needed wake up call, as she does have back figures that make her a threat with these; has speed but can also rate off the pace and make one run. FOXY MISCHIEF was a game winner against a step lesser in her latest, a solid effort which came on the heels of a narrow loss in her first start off the Alberto Plaza claim; the one to beat on the strength of those two running lines. SUZ is the one to catch; she benefited from a loose lead in her latest but was an upgrade candidate in that sprint after she was against the race flow in her prior try.

THIRD RACE

MOON UNIT ZAPPER was behind Dreamer’s Getaway last time but may have been moving better than that rival in the late stages of that race despite being saddled with a wide post and then racing well off the slow early pace; she didn’t break all that well in her turf debut two back but she has license to take a big step forward with a clean trip and an improved pace scenario. TALE LIGHTS failed as the favorite in each of her last two but the Beyers she posted in those losses do make her a threat in this spot; tactical speed and inside post add to the appeal. DREAMER’S GETAWAY makes her 21st start in search of the diploma but she does come off a good try for the place under similar conditions; Beyers steady, if a little light.

FOURTH RACE

LIL MISS MOPPET eyes her third straight win, and she couldn’t have been much more impressive in victory in her first two local starts; she exits the statebred ranks, which is no small consideration, but she certainly seems good enough to handle this class hike in her current form. MY ROXY GIRL ships in from Saratoga in her first start off the claim, and trainer Charlton Baker scored here this past weekend with a runner shipping in from New York (Paynter’s Prize); likes to run 2nd but she is more than capable of winning this if she’s able to run to her best Beyers. BRAMBLE BERRY has proven speed and will be a factor from the start; may be best served sitting off the top pick and making a run on the turn, as she did in that easy score two back.

FIFTH RACE

VOLADOR should be well spotted off a lively pace, a much different pace scenario than she got in her latest, when she was stuck behind slow early fractions yet was able to close for the place; the resulting 69 Beyer, and the figure she posted in her win over this course back in July, put her on the short list of contenders. LIFE ON THE EDGE is back in with claimers and she’s clearly tough at this level; latest was not a good effort but she was overmatched there, and she can be expected to run to her best recent figures on this class drop. MISS BOB doesn’t win often but she does get checks; should be considered when looking for exotics contenders.

SIXTH RACE

SPIN CYCLE may well be able to shake loose in the

opening stages today, as there is just not all that much early pace signed on; he was off the pace last time and weakened after making a mid-race run at the leaders and he was in against better two back, when also against a race flow that favored the closers. COBH is the main threat to the top pick, in terms of pace as well as in terms of winning the race; slow start cost him position in that last one but with a clean getaway he’ll be an immediate factor given the expected pace scenario. SHOELESS gets back on the dirt for the first time this year and this could be his preferred surface; has proven speed and that will be an edge if the pace is in fact controlled.

SEVENTH RACE

WATCHIN THE WHEELS has more speed than she was able to show in her first start off the layoff, as a slow start left her with too much to do, but she rallied with interest in a promising return; with a clean getaway she figure to be involved from the start under Joe Bravo, especially considering her inside post, and that should enable her to get the jump on the stone closers. UNABRIDGED has competitive Beyers and exits races against better; obviously a threat today if she’s able to run back to that last figure. ANIMAUXSELLE doesn’t win often but she has run some solid races in defeat this year, even going back to the winter at Tampa; latest was subpar but she was caught too far off a tepid pace in that one.

EIGHTH RACE

GOTHAM GALA meets a deep field in this Lady’s Secret Stakes but she could hold a pace edge, and she’ll need every advantage she can get if she is going to win this, with some imposing runners to her outside; she may be at her best when coming from just off the pace but she figures to use her speed to get position from the start, and if jockey Hector Diaz Jr. can back down the fractions on an uncontested lead she is good enough to steal this. ROYAL FLAG is the one to beat on the strength of some solid and consistent figures; she has never run a bad race and she in fact comes off a strong effort for the place in the Grade 3 Shuvee. ANOTHER BROAD also comes out of the Shuvee, and while she was off the board she wasn’t badly beaten; now adds blinkers for her 2nd start off the short freshening and she did show improvement the last two times she made her 2nd start off a break.

NINTH RACE

UHTRED hasn’t been out since July but he returns in a good spot, as his Beyers fit nicely and the race flow should be in his favor, with several speedtypes signed on and likely to help set him up for a late run; posted his best career Beyer last November when he made his first start after a break over the summer. BAYTOWN JIMBO was on the lead last time but he was a sharp winner two back when he was able to settle and make one run; these are better, as he was beating non-winners of two there, but the resulting Beyer makes him a threat in his first start over this course. SADLER BAY takes a class drop after shipping to Delaware to face richer last time and he did run well in defeat in all three starts at Monmouth this summer, running 2nd each time; that, of course, also makes him a tough take on the win end, but he does merit a long look in the bottom slot of exactas.

TENTH RACE

DIXIELAND DARLING is kin to three prior starters, all of them winners and all of them at their best in dirt sprints, and her dam was a stakeswinning sprinter who won her own career debut; doesn’t seem to meet an especially deep field. TWIN BRIDGES has established speed but she also showed that she can rate and make one run two back, in what proved to be her best try to date; that versatility should enable her to work out a favorable trip. ATLANTIC PRINCESS is the first starter out of an unraced dam, but while she lacks pedigree power the presence of jockey Paco Lopez gives her immediate credibility; board tells more.