ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, PENNINGTON BAYOU

FIRST RACE

The card Thursday features a first level allowance for fillies and mares and a mile and a half starter allowance. In the opener, REGAL REIGN gets the nod. He showed more speed than ever before last time and earned what ranks as this field’s best last-race Beyer Figure. He also could be sitting on a peak race in his third start off the layoff. LITTLE BIT IRISH showed improved speed in his last start and for the race he added blinkers. He could get a nice trip off REGAL REIGN. PEDLOW has natural speed and a post that might give Laviolette options.

SECOND RACE

PENNINGTON BAYOU has proven a solid fit at this level and owns competitive Beyer Speed Figures. HAWKSHAW should be sharp for the move back to two turns off the sprint start. PAT’S SHOES brings good two-turn experience to the table and owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Figure.

THIRD RACE

ONE AFLEET STAR moves back to dirt after a series of starts on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate. She also has an age edge on BOOMTIDEROCK. The latter was favored against steeper last time and for this trip will add blinkers. VICKIES DRAMA has seen steeper, draws a useful post, and could be sitting on a peak race in her third start off the layoff.

FOURTH RACE

EUFAULA has been plying her trade against steeper and can make a real impact with a repeat of her effort three back at Parx. She also could be sitting on a peak race in her third start off the layoff. CHERISHABULL has natural speed, and last out faced a quality kind of winner. She, too, is making her third start off the layoff. DIVINE WAY is back at two turns for the first time since April, and note she was a winner at the trip at Charles Town.

FIFTH RACE

DIXIE FLYER fired two solid sprint races to start her career and now moves to two turns. She gets pedigree support for the added distance as her sire was a graded stakes winner at the trip. GLAD YOUR BRASSY moved back to two turns last out for her second start of her form cycle and ran a good second. She is appealing for the age edge she has on some of these. There are aspects of ROCSI HARBOR’S pedigree that suggest she will make good use of the added ground she picks up as both her sire and her dam’s sire were graded stakes winners at two turns.

SIXTH RACE

These go a mile and a half in a fun sort of race. WILD ABOUT YOU was favored over some of these at the same marathon distance last out and finished fourth while spotting some of his rivals quite a bit of weight. He toted 125 pounds, but this time around is in at 116. BOLD SHOT is back on the main track, site of the bulk of his success. There are some nice stamina influences in his pedigree. POINT AFTER set the pace against these last time out.

SEVENTH RACE

SHUT THE GATE was favored against similar last time when third. She is appealing as a 10-time winner facing some less-experienced rivals. TIZSATIONAL cuts back to one turn after showing speed around two, and that can be an effective move with a horse. She also sharpened up for the cutback with a half-mile drill. The concern is that the distance is a tad less than optimum for TIZSATIONAL. Leading contender, nonetheless. CONGRATS HONEY has been a popular claim, which makes her appealing. She also has been consistent through the barn changes as she is going for her fourth straight win. Racehorse.