ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 8, CROATIAN

FIRST RACE

COUNTERFEIT CURENCY is clearly going to be tough in this opener after he beat several of these same runners when 2nd in his debut, behind a runaway heavy favorite; adds blinkers and figures to improve with a race under his belt for trainer Derek Ryan. POGI was 3rd, behind the top pick, in their last meeting, but he had a more difficult trip than that rival, dueling for the lead from the start; adds Lasix today. POMTINI is kin to four winners, including Mello Groove, who earned over $253K, and Groovy Surprise, who won her own career debut and was stakes placed as a 2-year-old; sports a couple of works that hint at some speed.

SECOND RACE

SPIKES SHIRL has been turfing but it does seem he’s at his best on this surface, and he also figures to appreciate this class drop; obviously going to be tough at this level if he runs to his best recent dirt figures. POINTER also goes turf-to-dirt, and it’s pretty clear he is better on the main track; has speed but can also rate off the pace and make one run if need be. COROT makes his first start off the claim by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer as he seems his third straight score; won on the lead two back and from off the pace last time, albeit on the grass.

THIRD RACE

The most recent win for DIZZY SIGHT came in his last try on the dirt, at Giulfstream back in July, and the resulting Beyer gives him strong credibility as he makes his first start on the main track at Monmouth; tactical speed and inside post should ensure a favorable trip. RICARDITO could be the main danger, as his Beyers also fit nicely with these; main question is distance, as he may be better sprinting, and he’s been winless since 2018, but he is certainly a strong candidate for the exact a. BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE finally got that 2nd career win last time out and he merits respect off that effort and Beyer, even if it seems he’ll have a tough time repeating that figure.

FOURTH RACE

RIGHT NOTION didn’t break well in that local debut last time yet she was able to recover enough to post a decent Beyer, a figure that puts her on the short list of contenders; needs pace but there is some speed to her inside. MIDNIGHT BANKER has tactical speed and competitive figures; last two efforts were solid, and though they were at a sixteenth of a mile shorter than this the Beyers she posted at this distance earlier this year make her a big threat today. MS. GENUINE isn’t easy to take as a win candidate given her overall record but she merits respect when considering exotics contenders on the strength of her best figures.

FIFTH RACE

DIAL ME UP didn’t have the best of experiences on the turf last time, as a slow start cost her position and she didn’t do much running thereafter, but she’s back on the main track today and she can be expected to rebound; the Beyer she posted two back was solid, and it was earned despite her having to run against the race flow, as she was in a race-long duel and closers held the edge. GOOD SHABBOS makes her first start since April, shipping in from Oaklawn, and runners from that track excelled nationwide this summer; makes her first start for Monmouth Park leading trainer Kelly Breen, who wins at 26% with private acquisitions. UNBRIDLED MISCHIEF makes her 2nd career start and her first start off an intermediate layoff, a pair of solid angles for trainer Jonathan Thomas; also switches from turf to dirt and she did run well in that debut.

SIXTH RACE

DOMAIN has been mostly racing on the turf this year, and while he has run well enough in defeat and earned decent enough figures it may well be that he’s at his best on the main track; most recent try on the dirt yielded an 80 Beyer, and he’ll be tough here if he can run back to that figure. CALL ME DADDY makes his first start off the claim for trainer Rory Huston, and that may well be the best angle for this barn; game in defeat when last seen. CALCULATED RISKER hasn’t won in over a year but he’s been putting up steady Beyers on the dirt since he returned from a short layoff back in May; could prove dangerous late if he gets some help from the pacesetters.

SEVENTH RACE

FLUENT IN SARCASM ships in from New York and gets back on the main track for trainer Derek Ryan and he lands in a seemingly good spot for his local debut, as he should be able to use his early speed to his best advantage in this relatively paceless sprint; presence of aggressive jockey Jose Ferrer and his inside draw should help him make the lead from the start. BIG PERM comes out of routes but he’s quick enough to get immediate position given the expected race flow; should work out a forward trip, and if the pace is in fact controlled that will give him the edge on the closers. MOJAC KAT obviously has to be respected off that 62 Beyer he posted last time even if he’s not likely to run back to it, as his usual figures are much lighter; supporters could point to that being his first dirt try with blinkers added again, however, and perhaps he is in fact a new horse with that equipment change.

EIGHTH RACE

CROATIAN rallied nicely up the rail to just miss in a solid effort last time out when in against several of these same rivals; he benefited from a favorable pace scenario there but should get a similar set up today, and he may be able to make the last run this time with a clean, outside trip. FAMISHED was an easy winner in his first start over this oval last time out, and though he took full advantage of an ideal trip behind the speeds he is another who figures to benefit from today’s expected set up; Beyers light compared to the top pick but he could take a step forward today with the right race flow. UNIVERSAL PAYDAY failed to threaten when caught too far off the early pace last time out but he should be expected to be closer to the early lead this time around.

NINTH RACE

VISIONARY RULER settled for the place but ran a solid race in defeat when last seen, against better, and the Beyer he posted obviously makes him a big threat in this spot; tactical speed should enable him to overcome this wide post. EIGHTS AND ACES didn’t run to the 71 Beyer he put up two back in his latest but the abbreviated distance provides a convenient excuse; he’s back at six panels today and he may well be the main threat in the lane. OGEECHEE was sharp in victory at Parx in his latest and he figures to be a forward factor from the start.

TENTH RACE

EYE LUV LULU exits strong races in New York and matches up very well with the locals in his first try at Monmouth this year; he scored the last time he shipped here and he is clearly the one to beat at this level for high-percentage trainer Rob Atras. EARNED SUCCESS has won two of three, and through he’s up in class for this he has license to steal it if he can shake loose from his inside post; seeking his fifth win in seven tries over this strip. HIGH FIVE COTTON — from the same barn as EARNED SUCCESS — was a game winner in that last one, a race from which he was claimed; has speed but can also rate and make one run if need be.