ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 9, DAILY BREW

FIRST RACE

THALIAS FIRE is back with the trainer who did well with her in 2015 following a narrow loss in a lesser conditioned contest. VIVA NEVADA never challenged in a recent grass experiment, but is dropping to a logical spot with Hernandez taking over. LEIGHLIN ROAD is worth a look with blinkers on in her second try off the claim.

SECOND RACE

NO DRINKING RULES rallied on his left lead in the lane to finish a close third in his improved second start going three-quarters. The son of Alternation is bred to run on, and shouldn’t mind moving out to the back of the chute. LIKE WHAT I SEE outran the top pick for second after a stalking trip in the above-mentioned July 30 maiden special. He might not welcome the stretchout. WESTMORELAND has worked decently and is by the top sire Tiznow, who’s gotten just 7% 2yo debut winners.

THIRD RACE

PISTON BROKE won three in a row on the Tapeta in the spring before coming up empty in a turf experiment, and you can also ignore his last dull effort on the dirt at Fort Erie. MIND MAGIC is descending from $16K to an inviting spot in this $10K seller, with Boulanger back in the saddle. ANOTHER BID landed on the edges behind several of his current rivals the last time he ran long on the Tapeta June 7.

FOURTH RACE

SAN NICOLA STORM lacked room in the lane before coming up a neck short of the victorious longshot Reverse in her first try on open N1X company July 23. The closer breezed has a bullet on the training track in the interim, and should be dangerous with lots of room to maneuver with the entire course in use. LUCKFROMABOVE came from a stalking position to beat maidens by daylight in her belated season opener July 29. MADISON WAY is also exiting a victory in a turf sprint, in which she competed with a $40K tag. She’s lost Contreras to SWEET ROSE, who was disqualified from third to fourth in her latest.

FIFTH RACE

MISS G NOTE was a minor player in three OS maiden special outings, and is dropping to where she should do some damage in this $25K claimer. She breezed a half-mile in :49 the other day, and Ryan retains the mount. ESSENTIAL chased the top pick home during a four-wide trip when fourth last out. She’s also tagged for the first time, and should be a factor under regular rider Wilson. MISS HONEYPOTTS checked in second two back in a slow five-furlong dash at this price.

SIXTH RACE

DRAGON BAY set soft fractions last time en route to a daylight score in the G2 Nijinsky traveling 10 furlongs. That was his initial venture beyond nine furlongs, and the hard knocker would be tough on a repeat in this 11-furlong G2 fixture. CAN’THELPBELIEVING was blocked early in the stretch before finishing third as the favorite in the Nijinsky. The win-shy shipper picks up journeyman Bravo, who’s also riding in the featured Breeders’ Stakes. PUMPKIN RUMBLE weakened to third after pressing the pace in the Nijinsky. He placed in all four of his outings for trainer Kevin Attard, who believes an improved performance is forthcoming. The Attard-trained filly STARSHIP JUBILEE might not be out of her league with these, as she preps for the G2 Canadian.

SEVENTH RACE

PUNTROOSKIE chased the likes of Pink Lloyd and Commute in the spring before going to the side-

lines, and could be dangerous off the bench in this N2X/optional claimer. Note that he won the G3 Bold Venture with a 100 Beyer the last time Husbands rode in July of 2016. RIKER, Canada’s champion male 2yo in 2015, is tagged for the first time off a non-threatening fifth behind Pink Lloyd in the G3 Vigil. He worked well the other day, but has other speed to contend with if he employs an aggressive approach. SOMETHING AWESOME is shortening up off a dull grass race. He was a hanging second in an identical spot July 2.

EIGHTH RACE

SEEKING ALBERT beat a modest group of older N1X types going about 12 furlongs on the lawn July 14. The son of Einstein has worked nicely since, and his positive experience over this unique layout could give him an edge in this third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. CHANNEL MAKER didn’t have the best of trips when fourth behind Holy Helena, Tiz a Slam and Inflexibility in the Queen’s Plate. The Bill Mott charge has worked regularly at Saratoga leading up to this $400K event, and should hit the ticket as an underlay. MAJOR ECLIPSE has trained forwardly since graduating over a mile and a sixteenth July 16, and could be the sleeper. FINAL COPY had an ideal inside stalking trip when taking the nine-furlong Toronto Cup a month ago.

NINTH RACE

DAILY BREW nearly won an open N1X in his penultimate outing. He rallied for second when back at this NW2 OS allowance/$40K class most recently, and has since worked a quick five-eighths. SPLIT MY PANTS awaited room in the stretch before closing belatedly in a recent seven-furlong sprint. He’s going long for the first time, and is bred for the task at hand. SYNTHESIZE is dropping from N1X company to compete with a tag for the first time.

TENTH RACE

CRUSHIN IT and BATTLEOFBURLINGTON are both dropping off a victory vs. $20K NW2 opposition to this $10K NW3 tilt, maybe because there are no $20K NW3 races in the current book. The former gets the nod off a game effort where he put away two rivals on the lead. The latter is shortening up while changing surfaces to the Tapeta, on which he graduated. JIMMIES TRUCK and BLUTARSKY are logical candidates for the lower rungs of the exotics.