Daily Handicapping

5-FLURTINI did only modestly better in her second race but she both reared and hopped at the start and she still made a couple of different moves. Has the advantage of a race over the track. Could pull it all together in this one. 4-DEBUTANTE DANCE displayed speed in all of her races. She tired late in each but she has shown consistently better zip and stamina with each passing start. Might have to fight for the lead in this one but might be able to outlast the rest. 7-INDIAN BLOSSOM is a well-bred first timer. Has a long series of solid, if not spectacular, drills coming into this race. Could be ready at first asking. 1-WOULD BE TENURED is another with good early foot. She’s been in against some pretty tough company. She also tends to tire late but she did hold for second in her second career start. Is bred to like Polytrack. She could be the best of these. 6-SALTY RACHEL is another first-time-starter with a promising future. Those recent five-furlong drills should have her dead fit. Figures prominently with these.

4-OUR LAST TRY drops into maiden claimers for the first time. He only ran well in his career debut and wasn’t too effective since, including making his first turf start, but he is bred to excel on the lawn and he races for one of the top barns in the country. Should be tough to beat in this spot. 7-MARBLETON displayed only modest speed in his two races but those contests took place on Polytrack. This runner is bred to love the turf. Can show far more in his turf, and maiden claiming, debut. 8-BEAT THE FREEZE moves up in class for his turf debut but he did show marked improvement in last, his first race for a tag, his first with Lasix, and his first since July. His barn is off to an uncharacteristically cold start but could start to thaw with this one.

7-PRIMELAKE should be tough. He never raced on Polytrack but his good turf races might imply that he’ll handle this surface too. Owns good tactical speed. His chances were compromised in last couple because of trouble in the stretch. If he gets a clean trip in his local debut he might be able to graduate. 1-ALACHUA will have to be caught. He showed pretty good speed in all of his races but it was in last, his two-turn and Polytrack debut, that he looked especially sharp. Finished second to a winner that came right back to score again. This one might not get caught. The highly-touted 4-LAUD ran a terrific race, on turf, in his debut but at five and a half furlongs, he wasn’t able to make the best use of his strong stretch kick. Stretches out and moves to the main track. He’s bred to handle any surface but the distance of this race should be far more beneficial. Seems likely to be a top contender today.

7-IT’S A BIRD would seem to be better on the main track but he did run gamely in his previous turf races and he was in against better in most of them. It’s possible that he could get caught in a front-end speed duel but would expect the top rider to keep him well within himself and save something for the stretch run. 6-TELLING has been sharp since the start of his career and is currently riding a three-race win streak. Tries turf for the first time but this royally-bred runner has the pedigree to handle anything. Could extend his streak to four. 3-SLEWEY ARMSTRONG jumps in class but he does appear to be back at the top of his game. He’s been at his best on dirt but he does own three turf scores and eight in-the-money finishes from only 10 grass starts. Could be the sleeper.

4-MY CHICAGO ROSE could finally be in the right spot. She’s in a wide-open race and dropping back to the lowest level of her career. The last time she raced against similar she sprinted but she’s bred to be much better at this distance. 9-HALO AND GOODBYE meets winners for the first time but she did radically improve in last, her first Polytrack start, and she’s meeting many that aren’t in the best of form. Might win right back. 8-HOUR CLASSIC seems like the quickest of these. She does tend to tire but she’s dropping to her lowest level ever. Races with the benefit of a trip over the track. Could lead all the way.

This is a pretty wide-open field with a strong proportion of legitimate contenders. 4-SALT SYN gets the nod. She’s making her first start of the year but she’s always been good off of layoffs, she excels at the distance, and she won five of her seven races on this course. 9-MEGAWATTIE finished up the track in her final start of 2007 but she won her previous three races. She has faced better on turf than most of her rivals. Owned speed in the past but has been coming from out of it since moving to this barn. Would expect her to be ready in her first start since November. 5-BETTERN BISCUITS won two of her three grass races, both at five and a half. Have to wonder if this distance is a bit too short for her but she has to be given the benefit of the doubt. 8-TATUM GIRL won only one of her six turf races and she’s moving up in class in her second start for this barn but she finished second in last and the winner of that race came back to beat better in her next. Top rider up is a confidence booster.

1-WILD HOUSE could score at a square price. She’s only been splitting lesser fields but she is one of only a couple in here with a proven affinity for Polytrack. Might awaken without any warning. 7-LYNN O drops and turns back in distance. Didn’t beat a rival in her most recent race but she did win her prior two starts. At this level, and at the shorter distance, she could get back on the winning track. 3-TOP COUNTESS has been taking on better all year. She ran well in her first start of 2008 but not quite as well since. But, she’s dropping to an easier level. Can get things turned around in a hurry. 10-TIZ ELFIN MAGIC could be the best of the speed. She did come from out of it to finish second in last but she wired the field in her previous race. Moves back up in class but this field didn’t come up much tougher than those she’s been facing. Should be a player.

1-DYNAREIGN is a slim pick in a highly competitive race. He starts for the first time since November but he’s dropping to what appears to be the lowest level of his career, he gets the top rider, and he races for a barn that is off to a red-hot start. On the other hand, this 8-year-old hasn’t been all that sharp off recent layoffs. He’s the pick but definitely vulnerable. 6-WAGON ROAD is strictly the one to beat. He won two of his last three races and six of his 15 career turf starts. Has speed to spare but is just as good when coming from off the pace. Could easily be the best of these. Old-timer 5-LACER tuned up with a modest effort in last. He finished behind some of these runners. But, that was his first race in five months. Should be far fitter for this one. With a probable fast pace ahead of him, you can expect to see him flying late down the lane. 11-MUST TRUST is entered for the main track only but there is some possibility of rain and this race could come off the turf. This runner won his last two, on dirt, easily. Could make it three in a row if the race gets switched.

8-RUMARI should have things her own way. This dominating winner of last at Oaklawn is at the top of her game. She ran pretty well in her previous Polytrack races but she’s much sharper now than she was then. The stretch to seven furlongs should suit her perfectly. 1-CHORAGUS was arguably the most impressive maiden winner at Hawthorne this spring. She started near the back of the pack but exploded when asked coming out of the turn and never really broke a sweat on the way to her seven-length victory. Meets winners for the first time but, with the exception of top choice, this field didn’t come up too tough. However, she will also be trying a synthetic surface for the first time and you never know. 5-KID SOUP can’t be ignored. She doesn’t race well on dirt but she has been extremely sharp in her Polytrack starts. Split a very good group, including future graded stakes winner Dreaming of Liz, in her debut despite bleeding. That was also a “key” race. She graduated at Keeneland in her next start. Throw out her two dirt starts at Hawthorne and this filly had a terrific third-place finish, to another repeat winner, against strong Keeneland allowance types in last. Gets the top rider today. They could be ignored in the wagering. Don’t make that mistake.

Some runners like dirt, some like turf. 2-ROCKET RUDD seems to love Polytrack. He crushed the field, here, in his career debut, but hasn’t shown that kind of ability since leaving. However, he’s back and he had two strong drills on this surface in preparation for this race. He’ll be meeting others with speed but he just might run away from them. 8-GLORIOUSVICTORIOUS is another whose best race came on this track. He hasn’t been able to carry his speed as far since. However, he’s also been in some very tough company and the winners of his last two races both came back to score again in their next starts. They’re taking blinkers off to help him to relax a bit. If that works, with his return to this track, he could be tough to beat. 7-LIGHTNING STORMY might need more distance and he’s making his first start since October but he should be a strong closer in a sprint and he gets the right pilot to guide him home. His chances improve if top pair lock up in a speed duel.