$335,940 Mandatory Payout Hi-5 Analysis

Saturday, December 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park

Derick Giwner Analysis

Track officials have again put together a bulky 11-horse field in the 11th and final race on the Saturday card at Mohawk for this mandatory payout of the Jackpot Hi-5. For anyone with a wagering budget, it is always best to key in on one horse in these sequences since this is a high-risk, high-reward wager.

(7) SAMS A CHAMP A looks like the most likely winner in the race. When last seen at this level in late October he flashed good speed at both ends of the mile and picked up a win. In a field that seems to lack many early speedsters, I expect Roy to be sending hard off the gate and end up sitting no worse than second, perhaps behind fellow class-dropper (8) DREAMFAIR MOXY. This 4-year-old has displayed early zip on many occasions, has a driver that can fire them off the gate and a trainer who wins at a high rate.

Others near the top of my ticket will be:

(3) ROOTIN TOOTIN, is a former New York Sire Stakes winner who hasn’t been quite as bad as his lines indicate. It is also interesting that McClure chose him over my top pick. (5) ROCKIN IN HEAVEN is a classy foe who seemed to wake up a bit on the class drop last week. (6) TIGERS WAY has a couple of recent seconds in this condition.

.20 Ticket:

7 / 5,8 / 3,5,6,8 / 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,11 / ALL = $50.40

Garnet Barnsdale Analysis

This typical lower-level conditioned race is quite the Hi-5 puzzle. Interestingly, there are seven horses in this field that have notched only two wins or less in 2020. I’ll concentrate on a more frequent winner in the top spot of the ticket, (7) SAMS A CHAMP A, who drops to a good spot here. This 8-year-old gelding was driven aggressively last time he raced this low and he took a win. Roy should have him rolling early.

(8) DREAMFAIR MOXY is another classdropper who figures to be aggressive early here and he should have a say in the outcome. (5) ROCKIN IN HEAVEN steps up off a sharp effort where he grinded out what appeared to be a tough first-up win until he was nailed right on the wire. He’s in the mix here. (6) TIGERS WAY is capable of a sharp late rally at this level and he should be used in the bottom rungs of the ticket. (1) DREAMY FELLA is in the mix every week since switching to the Auciello barn and he is another good one to use on the bottom.

.20 Ticket:

7 / 5,6,8 / 1,5,6,8 / 1,2,3,4,5,6,8 / ALL = $63