ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 3, SILENT CAUSEWAY

FIRST RACE

EASY ACCESS didn’t show much in three maiden special weight excursions last year, but the daughter of Runhappy is bred to be late bloomer and should fit right in with these $15K maidens. Over the last five years, trainer Kevin Attard had two wins and two seconds with four droppers to maiden claiming company who came off a layoff of at least six months ($3.25 ROI). DELIGHTFUL DREAMER is sprinting on the Tapeta for the first time in her seasonal bow and first start for a trainer with excellent stats with new shooters. ENGLISH BISCUIT, who’s also bred to be a late developer, is shedding the hood for her first run of the year and could be along to garner some of the scraps.

SECOND RACE

After a productive 2yo season, TAKOTA was campaigned sporadically last year while running hot and cold. She went to Arlington in the spring when this meet was delayed, but never started there and could be taking an edge in this $25K NW2 tilt. STORM GAUGE nearly got the job done at this level twice in September before coming up empty during a wide trip in her 2020 finale. LET’S HAVE FUN rode an inside bias to a clear second when descending to this level in a slow-paced event Nov. 14.

THIRD RACE

SILENT CAUSEWAY aired by eight lengths with an 80 Beyer off a similar layoff in her 2020 season opener, before running hot and cold the rest of the year. She’s been working right along and should be prominent while shedding the blinkers and Lasix. STERLING SPEED also won her 2020 comeback last June for a trainer who scored twice on opening weekend. She went five-wide on both turns during her subpar showing going long on the inner turf Oct. 29. LOADED QUESTION darted out to the lead from the one-hole and never looked back to graduate on debut with a 74 Beyer in late October.

FOURTH RACE

SPEEDY LYNN placed in each of her first two starts in October before taking the long way home over an inside-biased track when sixth in the restricted South Ocean Stakes. Her trainer has a 30% strike rate with +180 day comebackers. HIT AND RUN prevailed in a three-way front-end battle before fading to fifth behind two next-out winners in a deceptively good performance at second asking Oct. 3. FOURTEEN DAYS is a debuting full-sister to stakes-winning sprinter Marjorie’s Dream, who graduated third-time out by eight lengths with an 84 Beyer. SOUPER PECAN is a must-use underneath in the exotics.

FIFTH RACE

Horse-for-course SWEET YARE N DIRA is unbeaten in three inner turf starts, all going five-eighths, most recently at this $40K class with an 83 Beyer Oct. 1. Her tactical speed should come in handy after breaking from the outside post under leading rider Wilson. REAL COAL figures to shake loose up front and could take some catching in the manner of her $25K score over this layout Oct. 23. BETWIXTING is dropping to a logical spot off an N1X tally in her 2020 finale. She rarely runs a bad one for the Drex.

SIXTH RACE

SPARKLE SAMMY posted two gate-to-wire scores on the lawn last year after just missing in her season debut in an optional starter on the main course. She could make all the running in this seven-furlong optional starter under regular rider Husbands. BELLA NINA ran quite well in all three of her 2020 excursions in the fall, and is picking up Fukumoto for her return to action. CAPOEIRA could be the sleeper off a fifth behind a next-out winner in her comeback in an optional claimer at Mountaineer. Use her in the tri and super, along with STOP WHO’S THAT.

SEVENTH RACE

The quirky mare SAMURAI QUEEN ran out of her skin to win her first two outings last year, both with an 80 Beyer, and eventually took an N1X before coming up empty against males in a tough N2X. She can obviously fire while fresh, and could lead all the way against the boys in this starter handicap with Stein replacing the sidelined Hernandez. O’KRATOS, like her former stablemate SAMURAI QUEEN, has been working right along and could

be dangerous off a $25K claim by trainer Kevin Attard. HITTERS PARK got a break after a disappointing two-race winter stint at the Fair Grounds and could be rejuvenated. The 121-pound hightweight BEN LOMOND might need one.

EIGHTH RACE

DON’T SMILE LILAH ran two of her best races last June before tailing off, and may finally have found a field that she can topple in this bottom $7.5K maiden sprint. Salles takes over on the 4yo, who’s versatile in terms of running style. BABY DRIVER, another longtime maiden, has been working quickly and could join the fray with Hoyte aboard. SILVER SUNRISE is plunging to the lower ranks and could be viewed as a vulnerable favorite because trainer Sid Attard is traditionally a slow starter at the meet. DONT WAKE THE BEAR debuts with blinkers and Lasix from the dreaded one-hole.