Best Bet – (3) BRYDOWN LILIBET – Race 1
Spot Play – (7) SHOW ME SOME MAGIC – Race 5
20-Cent Early Pick 5 – Race 1: 3/1,5/1,2,4/2,3/2,7 = $4.80
20-Cent Late Pick 5 – Race 6: 3,4,5/1,3,5/5,7/1,3/5,8 = $14.40
20-Cent Early Pick 4 – Race 3: 1,2,4/2,3/2,7/3,4,5 = $7.20
20-Cent Late Pick 4 – Race 7: 1,3,5/5,7/1,3/5,8 = $4.80
BET WITH HPI
FULL RACE CARD
Race 1 – (3) BRYDOWN LILIBET was used hard to win when claimed by a high percentage barn. She should be the one to beat vs. this group. (4) ROSE RUN VIGILANT has made it into the Exacta in four of her last five starts, and she is always well-positioned early in her miles. She should be a factor again tonight. (1) WHITE MOUNTAIN LEE requalified well for this, but I wonder how hard she will be used considering she was distanced here on 1/21 when coming off a vet scratch. (5) BURLESQUE SEELSTER regularly takes small shares, and she could add some value to the Tri or Super here.
Race 2 – (1) DELIGHTFUL MAGIC fits better in the B track $15K conditioned claimers. He should improve sharply tonight; top call. (5) SAUBLE ATTACK can improve off his 2022 debut, and he is the other one that I’ll use in the early Pick 5. (4) WILLIAM ROSS raced much better last week. Give him a look for the Tri. (2) ALLY FLIGHT has too many red flags for me. I’ll play to beat him in this spot.
Race 3 – (4) THATMOMENTINLIFE’s win last week was easier than it looks like in the program and, while he faces tougher tonight, he might be up to it; top call. (2) CORONAONTHEBEACH was out a long way but it didn’t matter as he still got the job done. He is another that steps up, but is sharp and should be a threat. (1) TUUKKA RASP was 2nd to a decent racehorse when last seen but that was more than a month ago. He is in with a chance, but I’d demand a price. (5) STATE OF TREASURE should close late for another small share.
Race 4 – This is a much easier spot for (3) WOODMERE FENN, and Wray should put him into play leaving the gate; slight nod. (2) HIDDEN POTENTIAL comes off an improved effort, and he is better with his nose on the gate. He could be primed for a big speed try here; using. (1) RISING DRAGON figures to get position early and ride it to a spot in the Tri. (8) SPORTS ICON had a good record last year. She had two starts vs. some decent mares, now she faces the boys. This looks like a spot where she can close for a small share.
Race 5 – (7) SHOW ME SOME MAGIC has been facing much tougher, and she should be able to handle this group even starting from the widest post. (2) TOGETHER WE RUN gets an inside post and a driver change to Kelly tonight which should mean an aggressive try is coming; using. (3) LILYS PENELOPE missed 7 weeks between starts and she still got a slice. She should be an exotics factor tonight. (1) KISS IT BETTER fits better here, but she is more likely to take a slice than a win; using underneath. (4) ONIMPULSE should be good for a small share in this spot.
Race 6 – (5) POPS LEGACY was bet down in his debut, but he tried it first up and that trip didn’t pan out. He could get more aggressive with that race under his belt, and I’ll give him the nod here. (4) SPORTSURGE is worth a price look here getting post relief and a driver switch; using. (3) WARRAWEE XCEED comes off a good try but he loses teamster Macdonald. I wouldn’t take a short price here. (1) OUR TIME IS NOW should improve enough moving to the rail to take a share.
Race 7 – (1) DRY CREEK IMAGE has rail control here, and I could see Fillion trying to send her right down the road; slight nod. (3) KINNDERUNTOUCHABLE can land in the pocket again tonight and that makes her a threat; using. (5) STYLE SNAPSHOT dominated some of these last week, but that was St Louis imposing his will early in the mile. I’m not sure she gets the same type of drive here, and I’ll play to beat her. (2) SEE THE DELIGHT should ride a good following trip to a small share.
Race 8 – (5) EGREMONT OLLIE has improved in every start this year. This isn’t a tough spot, and he should get more aggressive from this post; he gets the nod. (7) SINGINTHESUNSHINE is 0 for 24, but he might not get a better chance to notch that elusive maiden win. He should blast and play catch me if you can. (3) GUS IS BACK flashed speed for the opening 1/2 of his lone qualifier. I could see him taking back and closing for a share here. (2) JAYS N TIGERS is a good one to use on the bottom of the Super.
Race 9 – (1) RIVER DALI looks mighty tough here as he seeks a threepeat. He should be very tough to beat starting from the rail. (3) JOURNALISTIC has been facing tougher, and if there is going to be a challenge to the choice, it will likely come from this gelding. (2) IRVINE JAMES should get another good following trip and land in the Tri or Super. (4) LAND OF ROYALTY is in easier here, but a small share is likely his ceiling in this spot.
Race 10 – (5) THATS A BEACH won two in a row, both as a 1 to 9 favorite. A threepeat is likely vs. these. (8) LIME IN DA COCONUT broke before the start as the 1 to 5 chalk, and he couldn’t recover. He can be a threat here if he behaves. (2) SUNSEEKER should get a good trip racing near the front throughout, and he can get a good share tonight. (6) BEARCATWILLY isn’t likely going to get the same easy trip on the front that he enjoyed last week; using underneath. (1) TAYLORS CREDIT should be part of the High-5 starting from the rail.
Garnet Barnsdale is a veteran handicapper, bettor and racing writer, who has worked as an analyst for DRF Harness for the past six years. He is also a past president of the Canadian Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association.
Photo by Ryan Clements
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