Expert Selections

7-HELICOPTER seems likely to score his fourth straight victory despite the turn back to a long sprint. He’s been finishing with a ton of run. There should be more than enough speed to set up for him. Always have to worry when a ‘hot’ horse drops off a win but this might truly be his proper level. 1a-WHAT ABOUT IT BRUD might be the only one capable of upsetting top choice. He’s quick from the gate. Finished a couple of lengths behind top choice in last but that race was at a mile. With the turn back to seven furlongs, this gelding might not get caught. 5-SNOWBOARD RIDGE tired badly to finish last in his most recent start but he had a two-race win streak going into that race. Moved to a different trainer since that start and his new barn has been red hot. Adds blinkers for this. Could bounce back at a great price.

1-SHANES GOLD was narrowly beaten in last when dropped to this level for his last start. If the field stays intact, there should be enough speed to set up for him. Could edge by in time. 2-HARBOR WIN is another coming off a good second-place finish. However, that race, as well as most of his others, was a route. He’s likely to come from even farther back with this turn back to a sprint. Not sure that he’ll have quite enough pace, or enough real estate, to fully launch that big late run. 3-RED NATION and 5-OATMAN are both quick from the gate. They seem likely to lock up in a speed duel but, if either scratches or doesn’t get out of the gate alertly, the other could be long gone.

It’s possible that any number of runners in here could beat 2-JILLY FROM PHILLY but he ran so well in both of his starts that he’s hard to pick against. He closed with a rush each time but ran out of real estate. The stretch to a mile and a sixteenth should be just what the doctor ordered. Should graduate today. 3-CORREDOR DELA ISLA finished up the track in his lone race and he hasn’t started since November but this well-bred runner has been training well for his return, although for different connections. His barn is winning at 28% clip. His rider is atop the standings. Expect far more from his this time. 1-CLASSIC EMPIRE has been casting around, trying to find the right spot. This could be it. He hasn’t shown much on dirt or turf but he has been working well locally as though the move to Poly will provide the wake-up call.

6-TURNPIKE TOMMY folded under pressure in a race that was switched to the main track in last but he’s been racing competitively in all of his recent grass races. This speedy runner drops back in for a tag. He finished second the last two times he raced at this distance on the lawn. Might be able to hold off all of his rivals in this one. 8-MOSCOW ADVENTURE will challenge top choice for the lead. He finished third at this level in his local turf debut. Not sure he could win this if he and “Tommy” lock up in a speed duel but he could ruin both of their chances if he goes right for the lead. 7-MORE THAN ABLE just graduated. Makes his turf debut today, though they have tried to run him on it a few times in the past. He’s bred to love the lawn. Handles the distance with ease. He’ll love the pace of this race. Could fly by late to make it two in a row. 5-ARDANWOOD is worth another look. He’s another that never ran on turf but he has pretty good turf breeding, he’s dropping into a non-winners of two, and he’s been in pretty good form. Can surprise.

2-MINIMITE races for the first time since November and starts for a barn that doesn’t have a win this year but this mare is working up a storm toward this race and she drew the services of one of the top riders. Could prove best in a wide-open race. 3-GYPSY SAGE was beaten as the favorite in last, her first start against winners, but she stumbled at the start which probably cost her a couple of lengths. It’s been nearly six weeks since that race and she’s had only two slow drills during that span but her barn does do well with runners coming off similar layoffs. Could make amends. 7-LAGUNA AMIGA drops in class and turns back in distance. Showed little when stretched out for last but she did run competitively in her only other start against winners. With the turn back against easier rivals, she should finish with a ton of run. 5-BELLA BLISS couldn’t hang on in last despite taking an eight-length lead. But, that was still her best race of the year. Keeps the same rider. Might take it all the way.

Can’t yet say that this is the best 2-year-old maiden race that we have had this year but it certainly appears to be. Many of the runners in here can boast successful family tires while most of them come from sires that win with a high percentage of their first time starters. Most of them have been working well. But, for the most part, their trainers usually let their runners have a start of two to sort things out. The Catalano barn, however, sports a 37% win rate with first timers and a 34% average with babies. They have two in here for some of the top owners in the game. Both 1-BEST ACTOR and 1A-CALL SHOT have been working well. Best Actor is a half brother to Summer Doldrums, who earned over $800,000. He might hold the edge. On the other hand, Call Shot’s sire sports an 18% win rate with his first timers. Either of this pair seems like the one to beat. 6-OAK MOTTE is training forwardly. He’s another with a sire that whose progeny win 18% of their first starts. Coming from an extremely sharp barn doesn’t hurt. 5-FAMILY FOUNDATION might ultimately turn out to be the best of them. He sports a number of six-figure winners in his family line. However, his sire only wins with 4% first timers and his barn doesn’t pressure their first timers to win. 2-UBRIACO could be the sleeper. He doesn’t boast that glamorous family but he is a full brother to Paddy Wak Waki who has done so well on this circuit and his barn used to be deadly with babies making their debut. Don’t ignore.

4-ITSAGIMME won her first turf start of the year and narrowly lost her last. She tired in that last race but it was at nine furlongs. Turns back to a mile and a sixteenth. Could get there. 7-LUCKY GAL looks like the one to beat. She finished a neck ahead of top choice in last as part of the favored entry. The turn back in distance doesn’t seem likely to affect her much. Should still finish full of run. 5-KINDRED HEART finished behind top pair in last couple but not by much. She’s the uncoupled stablemate of top choice. Might be able to surprise. 3-LIGHTHOUSE DANCER stole her last on the lead. She was able to just coast on the front end. If not pressured early, she might be able to do the same thing in this one.

2-JILLUKE closed a bit of ground in his first start for this barn but he was knocked around a bit at the start and he might have been in too deep. Drops back to the level from which he was claimed. Should be tough. 3-FRANK’S TIME hasn’t been all that competitive this year but he did finish third in three of his six races. Got claimed by a hotter barn from last. They win with about 27% of their first time claims. He could wake up in a big way. 8-PIMM’S O’CLOCK drops to his lowest level ever. He never won on Poly but did finish in the money in three of his five starts on this surface. At this level he could kick it into another gear.

4-A. J.’S BEAUTY beat only one in last but she was coming off a six-week layoff and she was moved into maiden specials. Narrowly lost the last time she ran at this level and distance. Would expect considerable improvement with the drop in class and recent race under her belt. It could be enough. 8-CLASSIC CHANT finished third in both of her races. She had little change against a glacial pace in her turf debut but should get more to aim at in this one. Could roll by them all. 5-ANN’S APPROVAL owns better speed than most. She narrowly lost her lone local start; a race that got moved to the main track. Comes back from Churchill. Could lead this every step of the way.