BEST BET: RACE 8, APACHE BRAVE

FIRST RACE

LUCKY STIFF shows above average works leading up to her debut, and is encouragingly raced for a tag of $35,000 - nearly double her $18,000 purchase price. Such placement above a purchase price is usually a positive sign the barn likes what it sees. HELEN ROSE has a fourth and a third in two starts, though she only received a 20 Beyer for her latest when beaten 10 lengths when third for maiden $25,000 July 7. AWESOME OMI is by a top sire in Awesome Again, but doesn’t even get a crack in the straight maiden ranks - meaning this one likely hasn’t impressed her trainer in the mornings. That noted, this seems on a whole to be a rather mediocre maiden group for $35,000.

SECOND RACE

VIVA BERTHA is speedy and consistent. A winner of over $260,000, she seems a few steps slower than she used to be, but can probably still get the W at the $10,000 claiming level. LAPANTALONES FANCE rallied to finish second, beaten a nose, against a similar group July 23 and now makes her third start off a layoff; just 1 win in 15 races in 2016-2017, however. BREAK AWAY, starting for winning connections, is moved into the open $10,000 claiming ranks after a neck victory against N3L rivals July 4.

THIRD RACE

QUEEN JILL was too aggressive with first-blinkers in her latest on turf, running off to a big lead and tiring late to barely hold second, well behind the winner. Her style looks better suited to racing one turf on dirt, a surface on which she has hit the board in 3 of 5 specifically at Gulf. SWISS ALPS sold for $210,000 at auction a couple years ago and has recorded several solid drills leading up to her first start for a barn that is 3 for its last 15 with such types. MOST PRIVILEGED was a $100,000 2-year-old purchase that goes for a barn hits a 19% rate with first timers. Breezes have slowed somewhat after a quick five-furlong gate move in the mud June 9.

FOURTH RACE

WALTERJEEP has shown speed and faded to be second and fourth in a pair of turf routes, and now could benefit from being cut back to five furlongs; acts quick enough to go the shorter distance. Late-running DOMENIC regularly plays a role in maiden claimers on the grass but one of two always seems to be a little faster; does own the highest figures in turf sprints of any in this field. JOURNEY’S END enters this race with respectable form, but hasn’t posted better than a 53 Beyer in her six-race career; needs to make up 2 1/4 lengths on DOMENIC, who finished in front of him in their last matchup.

FIFTH RACE

8-1 morning-line chance G Q GIRL is an interesting first timer in this maiden $20,000 race, coming off mostly quick works, including a few bullets. Last breeze, a half mile in 51 2/5 seconds July 29, was slow but likely just maintenance to come into this race. LADY ALONDRA, another debuting runner, has also worked smartly and is by a fine sire in Tapizar; commands respect. RIOMAR has experience with eight starts but has never been particularly flashy; tends to run midpack before passing a couple tired foes.

SIXTH RACE

Difficult to get excited about anyone in this maiden $12,500 race on the lawn...the edge goes to GONE TO DIXIE, who ran fourth last time after a troubled start; had previously been second in three straight races before that; 0 for 20, though. MISS AMERICAIN is lightly raced and eligible to improve in just her third start; flashed improved speed on the

stretch out to a route last time before tiring to be seventh of 10 for maiden $20,000. SEARCH FOR SAMMY just ran an even fourth at this class level in her best performance in four starts; just as she did last out, draws the fence and can likely save ground early.

SEVENTH RACE

SHES GOT THE LOOK won first out by 16 lengths before a couple of dustings in the allowance ranks. Now gets class relief against $30,000 claimers and might deserve a little bit of slack for poor performances lately. One race was a comeback and the other came in the slop. E Z’S MISTRESS ran fourth against a similar field June 15 and was claimed by a barn that is 1 for 7 this year; out of action for a month and a half but worked three times in July. WHITE AS COTTON makes her second start after a long layoff and is returned to dirt after finishing seventh in a turf sprint last out; lacked the speed to keep up going five furlongs, but her kick might be more effective going three quarters on dirt.

EIGHTH RACE

APACHE BRAVE faced far better last out in stakes company against the likes of Pay and Price and Partly Mocha and ran respectable to be sixth after chasing the pace; only beaten a nose the last time he raced against first-level allowance company. MACH MY DAY is more experienced on dirt than turf, but is a winner on the grass and just finished third against optional claimers on the lawn here. FAST FLYING RUMOR is a stakes winner with 12 exacta finishes from 24 career starts, but hasn’t raced since January and may need a race before regaining peak fitness.

NINTH RACE

MISS CONTESSA failed to challenge last out when racing in the slop, the second time from three starts on such kind of slick dirt that she has struggled; look past that race and she was beaten a head on a fast track June 29, and now is dropped in class. CATCH THAT CAT also gets class relief after flopping in the slop; was a fast maiden winner two back, though it took her 10 starts to get that elusive victory. FLYING DUDE just ran second at this class level but in a slow race in which she only received a 50 Beyer; lone victory came on the grass.

TENTH RACE

I’M A CURIOUS LADY looks as good as any in a wide-open nightcap, and is a 6-1 shoot on the morning line; although unplaced in four starts in turf sprints, she has at least been competitive; overall form clouded a bit by some failures on dirt. SIERRA LOVE is returned to a turf sprint after contesting the pace in a 7 1/2-furlong race and finishing a close fifth; had run well in earlier turf dashes, always against richer maiden claimers. SURELY TEMPLE adds blinkers and gets in with softer after a pair of rear-half finishes in turf routes; did have a troubled trip in her latest when carried wide into the first turn after starting from post 8 of 9 in a 7 1/2-furlong race.