ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 6, TURNSTYLE

FIRST RACE

ZEFIRO was up in class off the claim for solid connections and finished gamely to get a piece late in a pace-dominated race after being held up briefly on the turn; has enough speed to get forward here in race without much pace. HERECOMESYOURMAN has morphed into a closer with some success in four starts so far this year, and he ran well last time despite falling to a muchimproved second-time starter late; may have to keep closer early this time. FACT CHECK returned from a long layoff to win for a hot trainer two starts back then had to check on the turn before racing on for 3rd in what has turned out to be a good race last time; stretching out for third start back, but he has had some success going longer in the past.

SECOND RACE

NEON was close to what turned out to be a good pace for the level three starts back in the mud then dropped to this level and lost her best chance at the start as the favorite in her next start; turf to dirt with blinkers on after failing to take to the grass last time. MONEY PURSE also moving turf to dirt after finishing a few lengths ahead of NEON on grass last time; hasn’t been on a fast track since last November, but she ran well enough while settling for second-best to a repeat winner two back. ABEJA NEGRA turning back after settling for second-best in a slow race over a mile most recently, and she raced greenly in a fast-paced race in her only other dirt start, which came at the MSW level.

THIRD RACE

TIMELINE hasn’t panned out after a highly-promising start as a 3yo but he fits well in a race like this and he may just be a better one-turn horse when all is said and done; game effort to close that field down last time in a race that was a bit slow to develop early. SUNNY RIDGE looking to step up third off the layoff after coming up short in first two starts off the layoff without apparent excuse; finished ahead of TIMELINE when they made their respective 2018 debuts back in April, but he was more disappointing last time when unable to get by stretch-out sprinter Sharf of Light in Monmouth Grade 3. GIUSEPPE THE GREAT a closer with only two wins to his credit so far, but he has run some good races and this is the right class drop for him; closer may not have much of a setup in this spot.

FOURTH RACE

KINTRA one of seven firsters in field of ten 2yo fillies entered to sprint of turf. She has some pedigree as the first foal from this Galileo dam who is herself out of the very good turf horse Sophisticat (a Group 1-quality horse in Europe who is a daughter of the great Serena’s Song), and this trainer has excelled with turf horses since starting out on his own, especially with sprinters, and is 4 for 12 with his 2yo first-time starters on grass ($2.66 ROI, 3 for 4 in sprints). ANDREA’S PRIDE one with experience in the field and thought she ran better than it may appear in her debut while doing some chasing while wide and staying gamely for 2nd in the stretch. ISABELLE’S JOY a Kitten’s Joy filly out of a dam who won both turf starts in her career; Gleaves has sent out two 2yos to debut sprinting on turf at the meet and both of them won at big prices (24:1 and 36:1).

FIFTH RACE

Class drop with ALRIGHT ALRIGHT a concern as he makes his third start back from a long layoff for barn that has struggled mightily at the meet, but he has the back races to be very competitive in this field at a price and his first two starts back aren’t complete disasters (chased and tired over a speed-favoring track first time back and had no chance with class-dropping Hey Jabber Jaw last time); has some speed from a good post. SARATOGA HEATER cutting in half for Rudy but he was claimed for $10k early in the year and did improve his form in his first two starts for these connections, one on dirt and one on turf. Too many questions surrounding HEY JABBER JAW to take him at

a short price, as he blew out ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, among others, when dropped in for $40k two starts back with a 95 Beyer, then was cut in half off the claim and didn’t run nearly as well in his first start for Jacobson; too good here with his good race as he drops again, and his entrymate DATA DRIVEN can also win here. TURNSTYLE didn’t run fast in a pair of 2yo starts but those efforts weren’t back while doing the chasing both times, and he is bred for grass as an Exchange Rate half to three turf winners including the good turf sprinter Came Back, who also races for these connections. CAROM worked out a nice trip and raced on gamely in the stretch to just miss 2nd/3rd in a solid race first time out for connections who don’t win with many first-time starters; Lasix on for his second start in a race where he faces several firsters and a couple of layoffs. END OF SPIRITS also adds Lasix with recency and he appears to be a horse who can really benefit from this cut back in distance; has speed from the inside.

SEVENTH RACE

PAYNE was last seen blowing a clear stretch lead at Churchill in November but he ran well in that race while attending a fast pace from a wide position, before taking that race over early and he may be set to improve as he makes his 3yo debut off a trainer change to Chad Brown. CANDIRITA may be meant for turf down the line considering the way he is bred on the dam-side, but he has plenty of class in his pedigree as is by an excellent sire of dirt horses; appears to be training strongly for a very good firstout trainer. POINT TO REMEMBER ran quite well while showing speed before settling for 2nd to Vino Rosso in his career debut last November, but he did not show up with anything close to that effort when catching a wet track off the layoff; can rebound back on fast dirt with Lasix on.

EIGHTH RACE

MASKED was impressive winning his first two turf starts down the hill at Santa Anita and he has since held his won in a pair of tough stakes races while making difficult distance transitions both times; has the speed to be involved from the start as he makes his first start for Brad Cox. ENGLISH

MINISTER a closer who will be looking for a setup as he returns to the distance and level of his win over this course last year, though he was turning back in that spot. END PLAY wound up with a 1-7 record when all was said and done last year, but he ran well right along while improving his form and he has more positional speed than a horse like ENGLISH MINISTER.

NINTH RACE

ULTIMATE CAUSE dropping back in class second off the claim and trying to sprint, which may work for consistent mare who often comes up short at the end of her route races; good effort into a slow pace at Monmouth last time, and should have a better setup here. HOPONTHEBUSGUS was impressive winning her first start back with a new top figure, and she was compromised as the favorite last time in a race that was dominated wire-to-wire; better sprinting. ORECCHIETTE dropped for the first time and was narrowly best over the in-form SAMARA after a stretch duel; nd steps back up, as does SAMARA, who is off the claim for Maker.

Main track: One and one-half Mile, oval. Widener turf: One and 5/16 Miles, 27 Feet. Inner turf: One and 3/16 Miles, 103 Feet. Distance from last turn to finish line: 1,097 Feet.

TAKEOUT INFORMATION ■ Win, place, and show: 16% ■ Daily Double, Quinella, and Exacta wagering: 18.5% ■ Trifecta, Pick Three, Pick Four, Superfecta and Grand Slam wagering: 24% ■ Pick 5: 15% ■ Pick 6 wagering: 24% (15% on non-carryover days)