ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 4, CARAMEL SWIRL

FIRST RACE

SOUPER BEST BET tracked a hot pace before fading to fifth behind several of these when stretching out to nine furlongs and changing surfaces to the turf second-time out. The son of Tiznow is bred to improve with racing experience. SOUPER ENERGIZER, another Live Oak runner, hit the board in each of his last four starts, all against tougher. BEYOND THE CALL comes off an improved third in his second start off the bench. JEALOUS EYES is also in good form.

SECOND RACE

CHICA BOOM is by the high-percentage debut sire Constitution, the sire of classic winner Tiz the Law, and her dam produced a stakes winner. She’s worked fast at Palm Meadows for a live barn and Jose Ortiz has the mount. MAUREENLOVESFRANK ships in from Chicago and is making her first start for the likely 2020 Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox, who has impressive stats pertaining to this situation. NAVAL WAVE is adding Lasix off a flat third when descending to this level following a layoff a month ago.

THIRD RACE

JOSEFA wasn’t far back in seventh after attending the pace when moving up to this NW3 level in her latest. A red-hot Junior Alvarado takes over for the equally sizzling Sano, and they have combined for three wins at the meet. STAR SWEPT is dropping from $35K conditioned company for her second start off the bench. Saez is 5 for 12 at the meet for the barn. LITTLE BIT GOOD has maintained solid form since the summer and is being reunited with Vasquez, who combined with Spatz to win Thursday’s feature with I Get It. ALL ABOUT KATHERN could be right there with blinkers off.

FOURTH RACE

CARAMEL SWIRL finished second in both of her outings in longer sprints, most recently in a key maiden special at Aqueduct with a big 87 Beyer. Owned and bred by Godolphin, the daughter of classic winner Union Rags is bred to go long, top and bottom. TABOR HALL is adding Lasix off a clear second going a mile behind the promising Curlin’s Catch. Stretching out around two turns might be to her benefit. BOW BOW GIRL closed belatedly in her seven-furlong opener at Churchill. The daughter of Preakness victor Oxbow is the first foal from a router.

FIFTH RACE

LEGENDARY GIFT has worked bullets at Palm Meadows and could be ready right off the hop, even though her trainer rarely clicks at first asking. The Flatter filly is a half-sister to two stakes-placed runners, including debut winner Siding Spring.

PHAROAH’S BELLE, by American Pharoah, worked quickly on occasion at Palm Beach Downs for leading trainer Pletcher. Her stakes-winning dam has been a poor producer. TEMPER MINT TWIST blew the break in her opener at Aqueduct and was never in the hunt at 6-1. She’s been working fast at Payson Park for an esteemed trainer with good stats with maiden second-timers.

SIXTH RACE

DILIGENT led until late stretch before weakening to sixth Dec. 20 in his first try at this level—the top two finishers both came back to run big including Bee Catcher, who beat $35K NW2 rivals as the favorite on Thursday. SHARETHEBLAME brings

the best recent Beyers to the race, and is coming off a close second in a longer route at this class.

MAVERICK KITTEN, who also chased Bee Catcher home Dec. 20, could be the sleeper in the third start of her form cycle. RED SORRELL is a firsttime gelding.

SEVENTH RACE

DEXTER ROAD is switching from turf to the main track for his second race after a break, and could end a long drought if things go his way. POWERFUL ALLY wired similar going 1 1/16 miles around two turns three weeks ago. A one-turn mile is also suitable for the need-the-lead type. DOCTOR D J comes off a distant third behind the latter and is a must-use underneath in the exotics while being reunited with Vasquez, who was up for his last score in September.

EIGHTH RACE

NO ORDINARY TIME led most of the way when fourth behind the future stakes winner Lovestruck while debuting around two turns on the Saratoga sod. She’s been freshened since ending up third in the slop at Belmont behind next-out maiden special winner Traffic Lane (66 Beyer). RICHEBOURG, an $800K yearling purchase by top sire Curlin, is a half-sister to G1-winning sprinter Denman’s Call and G3-placed grasser Torosay. SALIT, who’s been working quickly on the dirt, is by the excellent turf sire American Pharoah and out of a stakes winner.

NINTH RACE

ROYAL MEGHAN got an eye-popping 88 Beyer when dusting state-bred optional claimers in front-running style after setting soft fractions Dec. 10. She would take some beating on a repeat in this open N1X/optional claimer. BRAMBLE BERRY checked in second behind the top pick that day before clearing the same condition in a romp Jan. 8. BARGAINAIRE is turning back to the more suitable distance of six furlongs off a fade job in a one-mile Claiming Crown event that contained two next out winners, including Descente. Use her in the lower rungs of the exotics, along with ADDILYN.

TENTH RACE

OUR LITTLE DEVIL put it all together in her last two outings, wiring $12.5K maidens and $20K NW2 opposition. She shouldn’t be out of her league in this first-level optional claimer if she continues to improve. RICHIES GREAT GIRL is also putting a two-race win streak on the line, most recently against state-bred optional claimers. Irad is sticking with the stretch-runner, who has some speed to chase. AWSUM ROAR came from far back to beat $16K claimers and to finish second in a starter allowance in her last two excursions.

ELEVENTH RACE

ALASTOR has changed trainers since a frontrunning fourth in a nine-furlong route at this $20K NW2 class Dec. 6, going from Joseph to Crichton. Shortening up to a mile could enable him to make all the running here with accomplished speed rider Saez aboard. ZIPALONG is descending from $35K NW2 company to a winning situation in his second local start. TGaff is 1 for 5 at the meet for Cox. THENORTHREMEMBERS is another dropper in good form who should have a say in the outcome. MITZRAYIM has had a break since a subpar showing in a key $30K NW2 route over soft ground at Belmont Nov. 1.