ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 4, GONE DREAMING

FIRST RACE

TALE LIGHTS comes off a sprint prep in her first start off the layoff but she actually ran quite well there, saving the place after setting a pressured pace in the opening stages; figures to show speed here despite the outside post and the lack of obvious pace in this race should mean a forward trip will give her the edge on the stone closers. MOON UNIT ZAPPER also exits a dirt sprint prep and now returns to her preferred surface, and distance; inside post should help her stay close from the start, and she does have enough early foot to be a factor from the bell. ASK AROUND adds blinkers and has the rail; off the board in her lone turf try to date but the resulting Beyer is among the best grass figures in the field.

SECOND RACE

COACH ADAMS was behind a pair of these same runners in that last sprint but he was moving well enough late in that sprint, which featured little early pace and resulted in a two-speed exacta; better race flow would help the cause here, and the extra sixteenth of a mile also figures to work to his advantage today. HIGH FIVE COTTON exits the same race, and he’s also eligible to improve given a better set up; beaten favorite in that sprint should appreciate the added distance as well, and he does seem better on a dry strip. BAZOO won that race in game fashion but he and SOUR KICKS happened to earn career-best figures in that race, making it a bit of a suspicious Beyer and calling into question their ability to run back to those numbers; doesn’t necessarily need the lead, which gives him options and adds to his appeal.

THIRD RACE

MUSETTA is on the Also Eligible list but she’s going to be very tough if she’s able to scratch into this race, which will mark her first start for Jose Delgado, a trainer who wins at 27% with new faces; last couple of Beyers very much make her a threat with these, and though she’ll be looking to make the last run there should be enough speed to set her up. REAL WILD SOLUTION is also on the AE list but merits strong consideration if she’s

allowed to run, based on her best recent figures; does tend to settle for lesser awards but she’s an exacta threat, at least, if she goes. MISMEYET was off the board in her most recent try on the grass, two back, but she was moving well late and that was a race that didn’t feature all that much speed; she didn’t run badly in an off-the-turf race last time but her figures clearly suggest she’s best on the green.

FOURTH RACE

Thought that last race for GONE DREAMING came up quick and that theory has already been somewhat verified by the next-out win by show horse Cookies and Cream, who posted a 47 Beyer in an easy four-length score against similar in her return; this filly was second in that race after setting a nice trip behind the speeds but her tactical speed should mean she’s well spotted from the start once again. CHISPITA gets back on the main track after a couple of turf tries at Gulfstream and she now makes her first start for trainer Wayne Potts, who is off to a quick start at the meet; draws inside and enough speed to get involved immediately, assuming a clean getaway in her first start from the rail. DONTLOSETHATNUMBER, however, looks like the one to catch; she does tend to stop but she has never raced this cheaply and she may get brave if able to shake loose and control the tempo.

FIFTH RACE

CARAVEL won the The Very One Stakes at Pimlico last time, another solid Beyer in a string of same, and she did it despite having to overcome a troubled trip, winning an improbable three-way photo after a late surge once clear near the wire; clearly dangerous in the Goldwood Stakes if she’s able to run back to that effort. GOTTA GO MO nearly overcame post 12 in that loss to the top pick in her latest, a game effort which produced the best figure of her career; moves inside and figures to use her tactical speed to work out a favorable trip just off expected pacesetter TRACY ANN’S LEGACY. The latter has high speed and will look to steal this under jockey Nik Juarez; she scored two back at this distance and while her Beyers are a little light she has always proven to be tough to catch when able to get clear in the opening stages.

SIXTH RACE

CASH KID was well behind a couple of these same runners in that seasonal debut last time but he was moving very well though the back of the field in the lane, while down inside, and he galloped out nicely through the wire; hoping for improvement with that race under his belt, and a dry strip could also help his cause. POGI is the one to catch and beat, coming off a narrow loss in his first start of 2021; clearly dangerous but there are some reasons to take a stand against, including a possible regression in his second try off the bench following a taxing effort and the fact that he’s settled for 2nd or 3rd in all five of his starts to date. HIT ME I’M LUCKY is clearly a threat after running 3rd in that bow, especially considering trainer Rory Huston’s excellent recent record (three-for-seven) with runners making their second career starts.