Best Bet – (9) HOLLOW POINT – Race 9
Spot Play – (6) CASH DIVIDEND – Race 6
Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 4-7) – 3, 5, 7 / 3, 5, 6, 7 / 2, 8 / 1, 4, 5, 9 = $19.10
Late Pick 4 (.20 cents, races 7-10) – 1, 4, 5, 9 / 1, 3, 6, 10 /3, 4, 5, 7 /9 = $12.80
Race 1 – (5) HIDDEN APPEAL switches from a grass sprint to a main track route race and she has done most of her best stuff at the 1 1/16 mile distance on Tapeta. There is not a lot of pace in this race and she should be prominent all the way. (6) CLASSY VISION was the pick when she stretched out to this distance on June 2 but she was sluggish early and not a threat. She drops in claiming price again. (4) BLEZNIATKA has made her way down from $40,000 claiming to $7,500 after she faded in a recent run for $15,000 last time.
Race 2 – (6) CARLOS SIXES defeated much better on the grass in March in Florida so the drop to $25,000 claiming for his Woodbine return is a bit of a head scratcher. He has been working steadily since he came back to Canada. (1) EPILOGUE ran his best Beyer Speed Figure on the grass when he tried it for the first time last fall. He won his latest in a sprint on Tapeta but didn't keep a straight course in the stretch and he was disqualified.(2) SEATTLE TREASURE gets back to the grass and that is his best surface.
Race 3 – It was a tough journey for (4) CONGENIALITY on June 7 when she was this corner's pick to win her second straight race. She was steadied in traffic on the rail late on the turn and then lacked some room before charging for third. She gets a bit more distance in this 6 1/2 furlong dash against a small field. (2) AFLEET CONNECTION drops in claiming price and switches back to Tapeta and her trainer Vito Armata has a 25% win rate in last two years with that surface switch. (3) VICTORIAN LASS has not raced since June 8, 2018 but she won off the long layoff in the spring of that year.
Race 4- The Pick 4 starts here and this is a field loaded with nice prospects for this 1 1/16 mile turf maiden race. (7) ROARING FORTIES had a super debut outing in one of the fastest races of the year at Woodbine, a race that produced four next-out winners. He is by a high percentage grass sire and his mum has produced three grass winning siblings. (5) STRIKE A BEAT is a 4-year-old meeting mostly younger guys and he makes his Woodbine debut. His lone turf try was in Florida behind a winner who came back to romp again in a grass race at Belmont with an 85 Beyer Figure. (3) FLAME ZAPPER is a half brother to graded stakes winning turfer Tiz a Slam and he rates a look with the surface switch. Others to consider in wagers include (1) LION KINGDOM and (8) NOBLE HOPE.
Race 5- (6) CASH DIVIDEND had traffic trouble in the late stages of his most recent start at this distance when adding blinkers. He has speed up front to stalk and could get this barn on a roll. (3) TEQUILA STATE was visually impressive when he won his maiden off the winter vacation on May 25 but the pace scenario will be sterner. (5) ARI GOLD SPEEDWAGON experiments with a route distance after closing fast in a 5 1/2 furlong dash off his big maiden win. He is bred to sprint for the most part as a half brother to Pink Lloyd.
Race 6 – (2) LYRICAL NOTE turns back to 7 furlongs from 1 1/16 miles, drops from the Grade 3 Marine Stakes to $75,000 claiming and boasts a bullet five-furlong workout. He should have some power in the late stages in this competitive event. (8) SOUPER STONEHENGE comes out of a very fast sprint when he returned to Woodbine and he worked hard to be second. (7) MAXIMUM PERFECTION was impressive in his debut win three weeks ago.
Race 7 – Most of these maidens are making their first starts on the grass in this 6 1/2 furlong dash and I will try (2) WILEY O'RIELLY once more. He is by a sire who was unbeaten on grass and two siblings have won on turf. This guy has been getting closer to his maiden win. (5) SURE WOULD FOREST is by a very good grass sire in Old Forester and his mum was second in her only turf try. He will have blinkers on for this third race and he had trouble in traffic last time. (9) ENGLISH CLASSIC is the best bred fellow for turf and he has placed on the surface twice. He makes his first start of the season and can pick up some pieces.
Race 8 – (1) WESTERN TROUBLE has been second in his last three starts and he switches from turf to a six-furlong Tapeta event with plenty of speed types to track. (3) TOWN CRUISE won his career debut last fall in impressive fashion and his workout times this spring have been strong. (6) FAST NEGOTIATIONS will have the blinkers removed and he has been a bit too speedy this year. He makes his third start of the season and may be sitting just off the pace waiting to pounce.
Race 9 – Hard to go past (7) DYNAMIC FORCE in this maiden race as he was a clear second in his latest at this level and distance. (5) STASH THE CASH came close to winning his maiden at this distance last year as a 2-year-old and you can ignore his season debut when he had trouble at the start. (4) THEREGOESJOJO was up for second place in his latest at this level and distance.
Race 10 – (9) HOLLOW POINT has been hinting at a win for some time and he is an ace in turf sprints and ran super in his season debut on the Tapeta. He makes his first start since being claimed by owners with the Norm McKnight stable. (1) SPEIGHT SWIFTLY took both of his career wins on the grass and he drops in class for trainer Mark Casse. He will likely try to utilize his big speed from this rail post. (8) MY SLENCER is a 3-year-old meeting older horses but he just missed winning the Queenston Stakes in his latest and he is bred for grass (ignore his lone turf try in Florida at a route distance).
Photo by John Watkins.
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Jennifer Morrison has been a public handicapper for the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail and Daily Racing Form. She is currently a writer for Canadian Thoroughbred magazine, Blood-Horse and Toronto Star and is the simulcast handicapper for Ajax Downs.
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