SIXTH RACE

HERO FOR HIRE drops to the lowest unrestricted claiming level ($6,250), shortens from six furlongs to five and a half, and can be long gone as the most probable winner on the Friday card. CIOPPINO PASADINO is an 8-for-26 pro in sharp form with enough speed to keep the top choice in her sights. If the pacesetter falters, ‘PASADINO probably would be one of the first to attack. CIAO LUNA seems to be off form, but she ran well on a wet track here in October, worked a bullet three furlongs last week and could outrun her odds rallying from slightly off the pace.

SEVENTH RACE

An evenly matched group of Cal-bred N1X allowance runners go a mile on dirt, CALIFORNIA JOURNEY gets the call. He finished fourth and third both recent starts under similar conditions, but ran well both times. He was wide throughout two back; he broke slowly and lost his best chance last out. Freshened two months, proven on dirt and at the level, he gets the slight nod. GROUND ATTACK finished in front of the top choice in both recent starts. Perhaps ‘ATTACK is simply a better horse. Lightly raced (four starts), the knock on ‘ATTACK is he seems to have issues at the gate. No doubting his ability however, and the 87 Beyer he earned two back tops this field. ACCLIMATE returns to dirt with a forwardly placed running style that might be more effective on this surface. He did win a maiden-20 on dirt last fall.

EIGHTH RACE

This $25k claiming starter allowance is scheduled for a mile on turf. On either surface (turf or wet dirt), NORTH COUNTY GUY gets the call. He dusted turf sprinters two back, then misfired last out when curiously taken off the pace after breaking on top. He finished fifth as the favorite. Now he stretches out for the first time in his career, he is fast enough to set or press the pace. Come and catch him. He is trained by Richard Baltas, who also entered KRISTI’S COPILOT. The latter drops slightly in class and probably will be positioned directly behind his stablemate. ‘COPILOT is a three-time winner around two turns. TOUGH IT

OUT, 5-for-13 on turf and 1-for-2 on wet dirt, will rally late. CLEAR THE MINE was in tough last time as a 46-1 outsider in a N2X. He fits in this starter allowance.