ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 8, GOING FOR BROKE

FIRST RACE

SAND SHARK broke slowly, went wide and was no factor when 6th vs. $25K N2L foes sprinting here Nov. 12. Rodriguez saw fit to claim her (30% off a claim), has freshened her and bring her back won in price while moving to a new distance. It may all add up to a big run. THREE EIGHTY EIGHT comes off a solid 2nd vs. $40K N2L foes at this trip here Dec. 14. She’s winless in seven tries at this trip but four 2nds and two 3rds show she handles it. The big concern is the hefty price slash - they don’t give anything away out here. GIANT ENDING set the pace before tiring to 4th in a race just like this here Dec. 21. That speed can have her involved from the start and she’s reunited with Gomez for whom she’s run well.

SECOND RACE

SILBERADO may be primed to break through. He ran 2nd sprinting at this level here Nov. 5 and was claimed by Handal. He was brought back doubled in price here Dec. 22, stalked the pace and ran on decently for 3rd. The drop back to his claimed level can do the trick. Remember, somebody once held him in very high regard (he cost $575K at auction). ALPHA TEAM has been knocking on the door most of his career. That said, while he’s got seven topthree finishes in his nine starts, he hasn’t really been a factor in the lane in any of those as the closest he’s been to the winner was 3 lengths. MICOZZI pressed the pace sprinting at this level here Dec. 15 as the 6-5 favorite before fading to 4th. Rice saw fit to claim him (30% off a claim). She brings him back at the same level and the move to this longer game may help as he’s by a G1 SW/multiple G1 SP router.

THIRD RACE

JAYE JAYE has looked super in his first two starts, winning each easily. And while his debut win came on turf, he looked even better when start No. 2 here Nov. 23 was washed off the grass onto this main track. He’s shown speed and versatility and usually once Mr. Mott gets ‘em on the right track they tend to stay there a while. EMPIRE LINE whipped maidens in his debut here Dec. 1, not only earning a smart Beyer (85) but was flattered as two he beat that day came right back to win. A bullet work Jan. 9 bodes well, though it’s a big step up in class today. EVALUATOR is the proven commodity coming off a big rallying win in the Sleepy Hollow in his first dirt try at BEL Oct. 21. He hasn’t run since so there’s a layoff to ponder, and his lack of speed could leave him with a lot to do turning for home.

FOURTH RACE

TRINNI JUICE was gone seven months and came back dull for $50K here Nov. 4. However, he then stepped up to face straight maidens here Dec. 8 with that run under his belt, showed more speed and ran 2nd to a runaway winner. He looks headed the right way and today’s drop may be key. But geez, could he have worked much slower here Jan. 8? INFIELD IS IN has yet to be a factor in the lane in eight starts but all that came vs. tougher. He’s been freshened, drops and moves to dirt. JAMES CIRO shoed speed routing vs. straight maidens here Dec. 15 before hitting the brakes. Today’s class drop and distance cut-back help.

FIFTH RACE

VICKI’S DANCER comes here sharp, and yes, that has come on turf, but note some good dirt form prior. Nevin saw fit to claim her for $25K at BEL Oct. 19 and she then dueled and ran 3rd vs. some toughies on turf here Dec. 7. She moves to dirt, which she handles, but most importantly drops back to her claimed level. DECORATOR JENN looked like a new horse blasting NY-breds N1X foes here Dec. 7. She’s done her best work here (all three wins have come here, and in just four starts) and usually once trainer Rice gets ‘em on the right track they tend to stay there. SLAM CHOWDER stalked the pace before finishing 4th for $16K here Dec. 6. Not only did Levine see fit to claim her, but he moves her up multiple levels despite the fact she’s out of ‘jail’.

TILT, a $240K son of G1 SW Twirling Candy, debuts with plenty of works (so he’s fit) including some brisk ones (so he has ability) for a trainer who is well known for having his runners ready to go first time out. His two sibs are 0 for 3 and 0 for 4, respectively, however. MORNING HUNT, a $240K son of G1 SW and sharp young sire Morning Line, has worked smartly for his debut for a trainer who does well first time out, while HOME RUN MAKER, a $205K son of G1 SW Into Mischief, showed talent sprinting here Nov. 11 before fading in a route here Dec. 15. It’s nice to see no layoff since and returning to sprinting may be key. His two sibs are winners including Fun (1 win, $128K, G1/G3 SP). THROW THE FADE debuts and is bred well as he’s a son of multiple G1 SW Shackleford and eight of his 11 sibs to race are winners including Whywhywhy (3 wins, $315K, won a G1, G2 and G3, also G3 SP) and Spellbinder (6 wins, $499K, won a G2 and G3, also had 5 SPs including 2 G2s and a G3).

SEVENTH RACE

Race is a redraw from the canceled Jan. 11 program. JEWEL CAN DISCO hasn’t run in a while (3 1/2 months) but his two wins came off the bench. He has loads of speed and some good recent works say he’s ready. Of course, he’d better be as this spot came up tough. GIANTINTHEMOONLITE has been knocking on the door at this level and may be ready to break through. He has speed and versatility, while MIGHTY ZEALOUS continues to fire bullets at age 7. He looked super whipping $25K foes here Dec. 22. Contessa not only saw fit to claim him back (had lost him via a claim the prior race) but brings him back in a spot where he can’t lose him again via another claim.

EIGHTH RACE

GOING FOR BROKE ran the best race of her life (Beyerwise) at this trip when a sharp 2nd in the Shine Again at SAR Aug. 2. She then went longer and in two of her next three faced tougher graded stakes gals. She cuts back in distance and drops and that may be the remedy to getting back to the winner’s circle. COME DANCING won her debut smartly here in Nov. 2016. She was then gone over 13 months but came back with an electric win here Dec. 14. It’s great to see there’s not another layoff and that she’s moved up to face this caliber. The Beyer she earned in that big Dec. 14 win (96) stacks up well here. DIVINE MISS GREY comes off a big optional claiming win here Dec. 10, a race in which she not only won easily but earned the best Beyer (97) in this field. HEAVENLY SCORE looked like a new horse romping over optional claimers here Dec. 22. Could be she’s a new filly on this track.

NINTH RACE

DELTA OUTLAW and GUICK just ran 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in a race like this here Dec. 3. ‘OUTLAW dueled and stayed on gamely to be a sharp 2nd (beaten just a head) that day and Jacobson saw fit to claim him and he’s strong off the claim. GUICK finished 2 lengths behind the top pick that day but was also claimed by a trainer who does very well off a claim (Rice). He has the speed to keep the top pick honest from the bell. SALLISAW was no threat in his last two but both came vs. tougher. He drops and gets blinkers back on. His last win came with blinkers on.