ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 7, MOONACHIE

FIRST RACE

REPO ROCKS is just about out of chances at this level but he has been competitive vs. some better horses while sprinting on dirt, even while lacking the stamina necessary to hang with those rivals late; one more chance while adding lasix for the first time. HIGHLAND BEACH a firster going out for an excellent debut trainer with a bullet breeze from the gate showing three about weeks ago; stakes-placed dam won sprinting on dirt three times in her career and she is a sister to multiple graded stakes winner and millionaire Vicar’s in Trouble. TOO BOSS debuted over a track that was slanted toward the inside and he rode the rail all the way while never able to threaten a clear-cut, front-running winner; hard to judge off of that one effort but he can easily improve with the experience behind him. KHAFRE a $500k yearling debuting here with some fast works showing and his second dam was the excellent dirt sprinter Spring Meadow; interesting but likely to take money as he tries a tough distance right out of the box.

SECOND RACE

SHE SO NAUGHTY’s faster races have come over turf but she has run well on both surfaces and posted her only win over the main track two starts back when rained off; entered for dirt for the first time since her career debut last May and is back at the right level for Rudy - turf to dirt, sprints, Aqueduct, non-maidens: 8 for his last 34, 24%, $3.77 ROI. BEHIND THE COUCH began with some promise while always having trouble putting races together and wound up in the claiming ranks in Kentucky late last year, where she was defeated twice at short prices; drops back down with the figures to be hard to beat. ADHWAA didn’t run poorly while only second-best after getting the drop in class at Oaklawn early last year, and she was able to build on those races to finally breakthrough in December; drops back down after failing to get involved vs. better two weeks ago.

THIRD RACE

BOURBONIC dropped for his return to dirt last time with blinkers on and carried a long run to victory as the favorite; stays at the mile with lasix going on and can improve again with the leading rider jumping back aboard. RESPECT FOR ALL faced a weak field in his debut nine days ago under a different name and won pretty convincingly over this distance; dam was a good horse, suggesting that he can continue to improve, and he will make his second start off the claim for an excellent trainer. MAKE IT IN NY needed that first run when only getting untracked very late and he improved on the drop last time to just get up in time for a rider who did everything he could to get him there; makes sense right back over the same distance.

FOURTH RACE

NICKY SCISSORS faced claimers for the first time last month following a layoff and was only second-best to a winner who managed to run the best race of her career on the day; hard to trust at what projects to be a short price but will give her another chance in a race that is tough to decipher. LOTTIE’S MIZZION blew away maiden claimers two back in an effort that would likely make her tough in this spot, but she did so while having all the best of it from behind a competitive pace; earned an improve figure last time while no factor in a very fast race (101 Beyer for the winner, who returned to win a Grade 3) and drops back down for this. CHOOSE HAPPINESS stretched out to this distance last time and gained some late ground before coming up just short; needs a setup.

FIFTH RACE

I’M FINE made her return to dirt on a cut back last time and came through with an improved effort to close down maidens with a good late finish; doesn’t land in the toughest N1X as a followup and her trainer has strong numbers in this situation: maiden winner last out, dirt, sprint, NY-bred: 8 for his last 20, 40%, $3.70 ROI. BANKERS DAUGHTER lost without excuse right off her maiden win back in September but she ran a much better race when second again in her next start, and she has managed to hold that form in her last