ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 5, DELAWARE DESTROYER

FIRST RACE

BETWEENHEREANDCOOL will need every advantage if he’s to steal this opener but he does seem capable of shaking loose and controlling the pace on a loose lead, and under those circumstances he could pull off the upset; he lost each of his last five starts but he was in against better in all of them and he was against the race flow in a couple of those sprints. OX TROT is the one to beat, and the main danger late; most likely winner in the race based on his Beyers and the class drop but he figures to be a short price. PREFERRED OUTCOME has the speed to stay close and may be able to last for a part of this if the pace is in fact controlled.

SECOND RACE

DOMINATOR overcame a relative lack of speed in the field to break his maiden last time, coming from just off the pace and drawing off in the lane; looms tough right back in his first start vs. winners if he can run back to that figure. DOHKO is the main danger as he has steady Beyers and he’s been knocking at the door at this level; overall win percentage dampens the enthusiasm but perhaps he has found the right field. GOT FASHION has proven speed and may be the one they have to catch; blew a clear lead in his latest but he shortens up a big here, which should work to his advantage.

THIRD RACE

HEATHER HILLS has settled for the place in each of her last three, which could very well be considered a knock considering the expected light price today, but she was game in defeat in that last one and she could be the main speed in this sprint; very dangerous if able to get clear easily enough in the opening stages. MI TIA CHRISTINA makes her third start off the layoff and lands in a seemingly good spot, as she has the speed to stay close and the fractions figure to be controlled; Beyers steady, if a little light. I’LLMAKEYOUSMILE goes a little longer and gets the rail, which should mean she’s closer to the pace today than she was in her first two starts of 2021.

FOURTH RACE

DARESCA makes her seasonal debut and will be tough here if she’s ready off the layoff, as she has some of the better figures in the race; she’s run well enough over this track in the past and she doesn’t meet an especially tough field of maiden claimers. MONAD adds blinkers for her second career start, but the most compelling angle is her moving from turf-to-dirt, as trainer Jose Sanchez excels with this move; improvement expected. HIGHRHYTHMDIXIE ha had 17 chances but she does come off one of her better efforts, when she closed some ground in the lane in a race that was very short on pace; this is another race lacking speed, however, and she could be too late again at another short price.

FIFTH RACE

DELAWARE DESTROYER did well to close for the place yet in another in a string of solid efforts. This one was his best effort to date, as he closed with interest to get the place behind only the pacesetter, who was loose on the lead from the start; he was flattered when that rival returned to win the Sophomore Turf Stakes in his return, against a very good group. GIRL DAD has steady figures and enough speed to stay close from the start; may sit a perfect trip just off expected pacesetter HIGHLY NOTED. HEAT OF THE NIGHT gets Lasix for the first time and he sports a nice recent work for this; likely to move forward in his second start off the long break.

SIXTH RACE

KISSMELIPS rushed up to contest the pace after a slow start in her debut, and though she was beaten nine lengths she earned a representative Beyer; given a clean break she can be expected to be a factor from the start from her outside post. DIAMOND SLEW was also bumped at the start in her latest and she was unable to sustain her midrace mid; that was the best figure of her short

career and she should be considered a threat today if she can continue to move forward. MAGIC

SOLUTION rallied for the show in her latest and she looms the main threat in the lane today; she has had her chances, however, and she looms a relatively short price.

SEVENTH RACE

PROPER MANNERS meets better after topping claiming non-winners of two in that last one but the Beyers she has been posting at Gulfstream very much put her on the short list of contenders for this allowance sprint; tactical speed should mean she’s well positioned regardless of race flow, and trainer Baltazar Galvan specializes with turf sprinters. U KNOW I B LION has the rail and she’s also quick enough to establish position from the start; only beaten two lengths in her last turf/ sprint try, two back. SILVER TUNES is widest but she also may be quickest of them all from the gate; very game in a narrow loss under these conditions two back and she figures to get an easier trip than that today, as she was under pressure from the start there.

EIGHTH RACE

ASTRONAUT OSCAR has won two straight and he continues to climb the ladder for trainer David Van Winkle but this looks like a favorable spot for him in terms of the pace scenario; he can steal another if he’s able to break alertly from the rail and get away unpressured. HIDE THE DEMON has some of the best Beyers in the field, and enough speed to get the jump on the stone closers; may be quick enough to get first run on the top pick. ARCADIA CALLS has been away since mid-January but he’s been working purposefully toward this return for top trainer Gerald Bennett; he has more speed than he showed in his last couple before the break and should be close-up to the top pick from the start.

NINTH RACE

PURE FASHION will need a scratch from the body of the race to get a chance to run here but if she’s able to get into the race she merits a look, as though she was well off the board in her turf debut she faced much better in that Gulfstream turf route, and the resulting Beyer fits very well; note trainer Tom Albertani’s record with horses making this class move. V K STAR has established speed and some of the better Beyers in the field, making her an obvious threat in this field; settled for the place as the favorite nd in her latest but she did make a mid-race run into a fast tempo there, and she held well late. TABLE ONE adds blinkers and moves to the rail, coming off a decent try in her latest, when she showed improved early zip; could prove to be the one to catch if she shows even more speed with the equipment change.