Best Bet – (6) COURT RETURN – Race 1
Spot Play – (6) SEA LILY – Race 5
Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 4-7) - 1, 7 /3, 5, 6 / 2, 3, 6 / 2, 3, 5 = $10.80
Race 1 – (6) COURT RETURN, a half sister to two Grade 1 winners on turf (Channel Maker and Johnny Bear) should be all set to win her maiden. She was in the Wonder Where Stakes last time and was not far from a third-place finish. She has improving Beyer Figures on grass and just needs to get going quicker at this 1 1/16 mile distance. (3) SHE'S PROUD gets a big class drop to maiden claiming and she returns from a two month break in which she had plenty of workouts. Her lone turf start was in Florida and was okay. (4) POST TO POST finished second for the eighth time in her career in her latest on the inner turf.
RACE 2 – (3) TAKE IT EASY is one of a couple of class droppers in this $10,000 maiden claiming dash at 5 furlongs on turf. She has not held her speed well in her last two starts but could stay on better at this distance. (6) ADABEL is also quick and drops several class levels. This is her second turf attempt. (5) D'S SOUL is a 4-year-old just getting her first career start and she has speed and turf in her breeding plus a fast workout from the gate on Aug. 24
RACE 3- (1) MONASTERY LANE has had two nice efforts to begin her career. Both second-place finishes came on the grass and she tries the Tapeta for the first-time and her trainer has had 15 top three finishes with 25 starters. (6) ROYAL MANDATE cost $825,000 at a yearling sale last fall and is by a sire who is above average at 15% with debut winners from starters. The mare was a stakes winner who has produced two Grade 3 winners. (3) IT'S VENGEANCE led for a long time in her latest at a slightly longer sprint distance and she is showing the signs of getting close to her maiden win.
RACE 4 – (7) ENCIERRO was an impressive maiden winner on the main turf course and he has since been a minor player in two stakes races including the Breeders' Stakes. He drops to an allowance race and moves to the inner turf and will be heavily bet. (1) RISING STAR was also in the Breeders' Stakes after his maiden win on turf but he elected a pace style that saw him lead for about three-quarters of the race. (6) THEREGOESJOJO has been on a roll since he won his maiden with two subsequent wins on the main turf and he moves up in class.
Race 5 – (6) SEA LILY was purchased at the June Two-Year-Old sale in Ocala and she worked one furlong in :10 1/5 and showed a long, smooth stride. She is a full sister to a 2-year-old winner and her last workout before this debut outing was quick and from the gate. (5) ONEZYS DREAM is back in 11 days after another second-place finish as the favourite. (3) ELITE SONG is a Florida-bred beginner with speed breeding and some good workout times.
Race 6 – This is the split of race 5, a $25,000 claiming maiden race for juvenile fillies. (2) GELATO AMORE began her career in two stakes races and chased two rockets – Keep On Truckin, an undefeated colt and Blessed Truly, a hotshot filly. (3) CEDAR VALLEY was the pick in her career debut and at 4 to 1 she raced evenly and landed fourth. She can go forward. (6) VICTORIAN MOON stayed on to be second after setting the pace in her second career race and she is very logical.
Race 7 – (2) BEE KEEPER shortens up in distance for the fourth straight race and he stays on the turf. He goes for the hot stable of Colebrook Farms. (5) GIDEON'S SWORD drops in class and has placed in one of his two turf sprints. (3) DANCING DEREK gets another chance on the grass after he had trouble at the start of his only other attempt on the surface.
Race 8 – (4) BEAR AT LAST has some speed to run at and he is fresh and in good form for trainer Tino Attard. (6) ARTHUR'S PASS is down to a new, low class level as he seeks an end to a lengthy winless streak. (2) PUGSLEY just won his latest when leading all the way, his preferred style. He has to avoid a front end battle with Love That Lute.
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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