ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 11, CURLIN’S APPROVAL

FIRST RACE

The multiple Grade 2 winner Curlin’s Approval makes her first start since the Princess Rooney later on the card in the $75K Sugarloaf Key Handicap. In the opener, WAR BEAUTY picks up more ground with the move to a mile and a sixteenth and the added distance might suit runner who closed from last for second in her most recent start. She also gets in light under apprentice Gutierrez. TROPICAL GOLD must overcome the wide post, but she’s shown speed in her races and has the look of a runner on the improve. ASHLEY’S ROSE might benefit if her race stays on the turf this time around as she’s done her best work to date on the green.

SECOND RACE

PURE STYLE has natural speed and owns some competitive Beyer Figures. GIANT DILEMMA was favored last out when racing on the grass. He moves back to the main track and in his lone start on dirt, note the race went quite quick. EL ZEUS shortens up some in distance and for the move looking for him to be making his bid in the later stages.

THIRD RACE

EKHLAAS exits a quick race and the start was his first in about six weeks. He has reason to move forward in his second race back and is further appealing on class as one who has seen steeper. PLAYERS LUCK exits same quick race as top choice, finishing in front of that one. The start was the first since April for PLAYERS LUCK, who owns a strong collection of Beyer Figures. NOBLE VENEZUELA is back on the main track and back racing at six furlongs - conditions of his maiden win.

FOURTH RACE

ONE WILD CHIC has been favored in both of her starts to date and she’s shown good speed in those races, setting the pace last time over a laboring kind of track. GRAN DIAMOND is by a stallion who is getting 14 percent juvenile debut winners from a limited sample. This one is a February foal and her dam was a stakes winner of $73K. The bullet half- mile move in 46.60 seconds jumps off the page with OLIVIA’S DREAM, who is from a mare who won a stakes at 2. Overall, the dam of OLIVIA’S DREAM was a multiple stakes winner of $304K. This one’s sire, meanwhile, is getting 8 percent juvenile debut winners. NACHO MAMA is a halfsister to multiple stakes winner Bernie the Maestro ($694K). TONG SHU is out of a multiple stakes winner of $221K.

FIFTH RACE

RAZORBACK LADY ran a big race off the bench last time, when she set a quick pace and was just edged in what was her first out since December. For the effort she earned what ranks as this field’s best career Beyer Figure. A concern is that RAZORBACK LADY could have company on the front end, in a race being run over a demanding six and a half furlongs. AWESOME MASS has speed and a post that might give Sanchez options. This one is a full sister to Nacho Mama, who was to make her career debut one race earlier, in the fourth at Gulfstream. HELPING LISA D cuts back to a distance closer to her maiden score in May.