Daily Handicapping

5-PASSADE could make full use of the extra sixteenth mile of this race. She ran well in both of her Poly starts and closed well in each of them but her first was a sprint and her last was on the one-turn mile. The mile and a sixteenth distance should be just what the doctor ordered. 3-CALLALOO finished a neck behind top choice in last but she was another making up ground and she had to overcome traffic problems to do it. The distance of this race would seem to benefit her also. Could provide a mile surprise. 2-SEATTLE PSALM finished seventh in both of her races but her last was a far superior effort. She lost by only a couple of lengths after making a move on the lead late in the stretch. Gets first Lasix today. Might be relatively ignored in the wagering but could prove to be best. 6-TE COUP beat only one in her debut, while facing most of this group, but she just might be the only speed in this race. If Perez sends her, she might not get caught.

4-LUCKYWOMAN drops off the claim, a frequent winning move for her owner. She’s been tiring late in her races but she’s turning back slightly for this. Still figures to be racing close to the early lead but, at this distance, she could finish with plenty left. 7-CHEYENNE SPIRIT was in too tough in last but she did beat top choice in her prior race while taking on better company. Doesn’t sport the high win percentage of top choice but she’s never been in this easy. It could be a whole new game. 2-SHEZADOUBLEAGENT ran well in both of her starts this meet. She faced better in each of them. Fleet mare drops to the lowest level of her career. She’s another that never showed a lot at this distance but her other tries were against far better. Could be right there from start to finish at this level. 3-SULTRY VENTURE finished up the track in her first four races of the year but she woke up dramatically with Randy Meier in the irons in last and finished second in a valiant effort. She lost by only a head despite considerable traffic problems. She’s not likely to go off at 26-1 after last but she could still be a square price. Might be able to earn her first Polytrack win.

3-WIND ON THE HILL could be the best of these. He’s shipping in from Churchill where he has been meeting similar company. He does seem to be better on dirt but did win two of his nine Poly races. He’s a quick runner in a field full of closers. Might not be tested. 2-SOCART’SMYNAME scored in two of his last three races. Stalker had a hard time getting things together last year but it’s been a different story so far in 2009. He might be the only one in here capable of catching top choice if that rival does get the projected easy lead. 5-KUNA only split the field when stretched out and moved to the turf for last but he had been in great form prior to that race. He should awaken with the move back to the main track and the cut back in distance. However, he does come from pretty far back and he could have a tough time catching the lone speed.

3-SAINT CONGA races for a barn that doesn’t pressure their first timers to win and her sire might not sport the highest win percentage with first timers but this runner has been training quite well and her siblings, on the dam’s side, all seem to win at two. We’ll see. 4-CAT BELLS is the one to beat. She finished second, at this level, in her career debut. Popped a bullet drill since that race. Could be ready for these. 8-AMEN HALLELUJAH didn’t beat a rival in her debut but she was taking on maiden specials. Drops into maiden claimers, a 24% winning move for her barn. Plus, they win with approximately 26% of their runners racing for the second time. This filly had three drills since her start; the last two were pretty good. Guessing she’ll be a top contender this time around. 7-CROSSWISE bled in her debut and finished toward the rear but she improved dramatically in last, when racing with Lasix for the first time. Has an experience edge over her rivals. Had a strong five-furlong drill since her last start. She could be ready to graduate.

1-SMOKNDRINKNGAMBLN took nine races to graduate but he did that in his local debut. Came right back with a good effort versus better. Drops a notch. Drew the rail. Looks like the best of the speed. Might not get caught. You can be fairly certain that 3-THE FOUNDRY will be coming late. He has had far more starts than any other member of this field but he has also finished in the money more times that most of these rivals have raced. Don’t know if he can catch what is likely to be the lone speed but he’ll surely be trying. 4-PURPLE PRIZE is another that ran very well in his local races, closing strongly in each of them. But, he used to own far better speed. If he gets sent, he might be able to give top choice a run for the money.

3-LOSE NONE never ran on turf and she’s coming off a layoff but she is bred to love the lawn, she looks like the best of the speed, and she ran well against stakes rivals four different times. Think that there’s a good chance that she’ll be on the lead from start to finish. 7-BOUGAINVILLE would seem to be the one they have to beat. This late-running filly was pegged as the 7-5 morning-line favorite. She graduated in her turf debut and ran very well in two of her three turf races since. Will have to catch the lone speed but that’s far easier on turf than it is on the main track. However, don’t like the fact that it’s been six weeks since her last start and she’s had only two dull drills during that time. Could be vulnerable. It’s always fun watching 5-DAISEY MCMAISEY. She races far back early, starts picking up steam on the far turn, and really seems to accelerate in the stretch. She finished second in last while making her turf debut. With experience on the surface, she could be far tougher in this one.

4-NAPOLEON’S RETREAT sports a terrific pedigree and should love the distance of this race but, so far, her best races have been at six furlongs. However, one of her route races was against good open company and her last was in a stakes race. Meets somewhat easier here. Could show far more. 3-LIL CARMELITA was ignored in a recent stakes race but she almost succeeded in stealing the top prize. Went off at over 28-1 in that start. She led most of the way but couldn’t hold off the late runs of more highly-regarded rivals in that mile and a sixteenth contest. But, she’s taking on easier here while cutting back to the one-turn mile. Might be able to put the rest of the speed away and still have something left to hold off the late runners. 2-PEYOTE PATTY won her last two starts and simply dominated in last, her first start on this surface. However, it’s been six weeks since that last race, she hasn’t been working much, and she’s stretching out for the first time. Those could be too many negatives to overcome, especially if she winds up fighting for the lead.

3-HOLD ‘EM SLEW hasn’t shown a lot in these turf sprints but she has plenty of experience in them. Fleet filly makes her first start for this barn and her first outside of Florida. Her works haven’t been especially quick but we already know that she owns good speed. Might not get caught. You don’t see trainer Christine Janks claim many but she took 2-GILDED TREASURE from her last race. This filly finished second in both of her races against maiden claimers but didn’t show nearly enough in her lone start versus maiden specials. But, she has shown the capacity to both go for the lead and to come from out of it. Beaten favorite of last two could make amends in her first start for this barn and her first race on the turf. 4-OPEN AND CLOSED steps up in class. She finished third in her first two starts, on the main track, but she’s bred to simply love turf sprints. It could be a big mistake to ignore her.