Daily Handicapping

6-COPE WITH HONOR went off at over 100-1 in last and he didn’t beat a rival but he was taking on far better on the turf while making his first start of the year. Drops sharply, moves back to the main track, and races with the benefit of a prep. Ran well in previous Polytrack races. He could be tough in this one. 8-ITSATRYST tired in both of his races this year but his last was a far better effort than his first. He graduated on this track last year and he had a sharp drill, here, in preparation for this race. Could lead every step of the way. 3-RICK’S WONDERBOY meets his easiest field in quite a while. He’s another blessed with good early foot. Didn’t handle the Polytrack in the past but he could be effective at this level. 2-PRICELESS FACT finished up the track in three of his four starts this spring but he did finish second, at over 80-1, in another. He had some very strong efforts at this level here last year. Shouldn’t be ignored in this one.

1-KANSKAT drops out of allowance company. She had been in pretty good form prior to her last start. Tends to act up but can run very well if they get her to settle down. The top jock should be able to do just that. The pace of this race will set up very well for her. Should run by late. 6-DOTTIE BOOTH should be the main competition. She hasn’t been in the best of form this year but was often facing better. Finished a close-up fourth in last when dropped in class. Drops once more for this. Had three very strong efforts in her three races here last year, winning one of them. At this level and back on this track, she is probably the one to beat. 5-MANDA’S ALASKAN didn’t seem to fire in her first start after getting claimed by this barn but she worked well since, she has a synthetic-track victory, though not here, and like top choice, she’ll have dead aim on the early leaders.

4-BAD BET scored two of his three career victories here last year. He hasn’t shown a thing since August but he’s been taking on far better ever since. Drops sharply. Returns to the venue where he achieved most of his success. Should find plenty of pace ahead of him. Can wake up with a bang. 5-STORMY FELLOW could be hard to beat. He ran well against better here last year. Had only one start since July, taking on similar company in last at Hawthorne, but he finished second as the favorite. He just might be the best of the speed in this one. 8-TERRY’S ROSE drops to what appears to be the lowest level of his career. He hasn’t done much better than split any field since his last victory in November and he never raced on Polytrack but, at this level, he could be a serious contender.

This race is absolutely wide open. What makes things especially tough is that most of these runners are likely to exhibit similar running styles. 3-TOUR D’AURA is the choice simply because she has been victorious in three of her five Polytrack races and had better-than-average efforts in her other two. But, she’s making her first start since November and she’s likely to be meeting many on the front end. Slim pick. 1-MS MANIPULATOR is another with good success on this track. She won two of her three races here last year. She has been primarily a sprinter but she did score at a mile and a sixteenth the last time they stretched her out. She has been running well since the winter break. Could be tough in this one. 5-BOUDOIR is a stakes-placed runner that could very well be the only one not fighting for the lead. She is racing for the first time in almost six months but she did win her debut race, suggesting that the layoff isn’t too high of an obstacle to overcome. She also won a pair of races here last year. Figures prominently. 6-BIG LOU could be the best of the speed. She had a two-race win streak snapped in a stakes race last time out but she can start another streak right here. Stretches out for the first time but her pedigree indicates that it shouldn’t be a problem. Both 2-MONGOOSE GOLD and 4-FIRST OF JUNE have done very well on Polytrack. First of June scored in two of her last three races and narrowly lost the other. Mongoose Gold starts for the first time since October but she’s been training well coming into this affair.

3-TWOTHIRTY timer badly in both of her races but she was in against better each time. Drops a few levels. She’s been working well, locally, for her local debut. Her pedigree should lend itself to Polytrack racing. Can graduate today. 5-ALPHA TAMMY showed little at Turfway in her lone local start but she was in against maiden specials. Has been more competitive since dropping into maiden claimers. Could easily be a top contender with the additional drop. 6-NASA SLEW owns pretty good speed. Drops from state-bred maiden specials to open maiden claimers. She’s the only one with the benefit of a race over this track. Could reap the rewards from that trip in this one. 7-BRICKYARD GAL meets her easiest field ever. She hasn’t shown much so far but she could be far tougher at this level

6-KING A. J. never finished off the board and did finish in the money in four of his six races. Makes his local and Polytrack debut but he does race for sharp connections, he’s had two good works over the track, he’s bred to handle any surface, and he gets the top rider in the irons. 2-AGASTACHE got away a bit slowly in his first start against winners but he made up plenty of ground to get up for third. He’s another with the pedigree that should handle this surface, though you never know until they try. His barn is one of the tops in the nation. They should have this one at the top of his game. 4-FUNMAKER scored in last, making him the only one in the race with a Polytrack victory. This Irish bred would seem to want more distance and will probably stretch back out eventually but he did win at this distance in last and he could easily do it again. 1-PROGNOSIS NEGATIVE should be the best of the speed. He hasn’t been as effective since getting claimed by this barn but this beaten favorite of last two is more than eligible to bounce back.

Obviously the conditions fit everybody in this race but you look a little deeper to see which one benefits the most. All but one are seeking their first turf victory but 6-CLEVER STRIKE exits graded stakes company. She’s been running against the best fillies and mares at Oaklawn. Was favored in her lone turf start, the Wooden Star Stakes at Hawthorne, but only managed to finish fourth. However, she made up nine lengths during the stretch run of that five-furlong race. She’s bred to be far better at this distance. Guessing her second grass race will result in a victory for her. 4-ALIYSA is another with interesting credentials. She races for one of the top barns in the U S. She’s not really bred for turf but this stakes-winning mare does appear to be the best of the speed and she did get the top jock in her local debut. Will have to be caught. 3-MODJADJI hasn’t been especially effective on turf but she did finish in the money in three of her five grass races, usually taking on legitimate turf runners. Doesn’t seem to be meeting that type in this one. Might be the best of these.

9-BELLICOSE makes her local debut but eight of her nine races have been on Polytrack. Beat good allowance company at Keeneland in her last start. This versatile runner might be meeting easier here. Could make it two in a row. 5-PENNY DREAM hasn’t been in the best of form but she’s been running on dirt of turf since November. She did score in three of her seven Polytrack races, at least one of those wins coming here. Returns from a brief freshening. Gets the top rider in the irons. Just might surprise. 3-CARTS ITALIAN ROSE finished second in all three of her races this spring and missed by a narrow nose in last. She’s done pretty well on Polytrack but she had to move to the dirt to earn her victories. Faced primarily state breds in her career but is in against open company in this one. Could be a contender but could also come up a little bit short. 1-HIGHNESS has been in competitive form for months. Should never be too far back. Could make the winning move late.

It seems that the most competitive fillies in this race are stuck in the also eligibles. 14-CANDY CANE EXPRESS tired in her lone race but she was in against better. Drops in class, races with the benefit of a trip over the track, gets in light with the switch to a sharp apprentice rider. If she gets in, she might not get caught. 13-SWEET BRITTANI finished second to slightly better in her last two starts. Her speed figures increased with each passing start. With the slight drop in class she could be in the right spot if she draws into the race. 7-CHAR’S VALENTINE ran well in her debut but finished up the track in her next three starts. But, she’s coming back from a six-month layoff for a barn that excels with fresh runners. Drops into maiden claimers for the first time. Had a sharp six-furlong bullet drill here two weeks ago. Could be ready for these. 1-ELLIE’S GOLD has speed and the rail. If she can handle the Polytrack, and top choice doesn’t get in, this filly could be long gone. 4-AUNT BELLE has the pedigree to handle Polytrack and her recent bullet drill, the fastest of 67 workers at the distance, should have enhanced those credentials. She could be ready to roll at first asking.