Best Bet – (7) AMERICAN ARROW – Race 2
Spot Play – (1) COCO BEACH DE VIE – Race 6
20-Cent Early Pick 5 – Race 1: 3,4,7/7/4,6/1,2/1,2,3,5,8 = $12.00
20-Cent Late Pick 5 – Race 6: 1,5,7/1/1,8/2,5/2,4,5 = $7.20
20-Cent Early Pick 4 – Race 3: 4,6/1,2/1,2,3,5,8/1,5,7 = $12.00
20-Cent Late Pick 4 – Race 7: 1/1,8/2,5/2,4,5 = $2.40
Race 1 — (7) SEVERUS HANOVER has the gate speed to overcome this wide draw and he faces much easier here. If he clears by the time they pass the 1/4 pole, he could be gone. (4) DOMINUM DEO is the other likely fast leaver in here and the main danger to the choice; using. (3) SORPRESE fits well here, but she will probably get outsprinted early. I wouldn’t take a short price on her.
Race 2 — (7) AMERICAN ARROW is back in a $7K claimer where she won by the length of a football field two starts back and you know driver St. Louis will be looking for more of the same here; top call. (3) ROSE RUN VIGILANT should improve on the class drop here and she could be riding the choice’s pocket throughout; Exacta factor. (2) SCOTTISH MACH gets major post relief and she could get a nice trip racing near the front; using underneath.
Race 3 — (4) BLUEWATER BEACH should be able to clear to the front tonight, and that makes her a value play as an 8 to 1 morning line chance. (6) DRY CREEK IMAGE is a hard trying mare that can take a lot of air, and she should be a threat here; using. (8) IF YOU KNEW SUSIE is obviously one of the best mares in here but she is up against it lining up in the second tier and likely starting in mid-pack tonight. I’ll play to beat her.
Race 4 — (2) LIME IN DA COCONUT might be the hottest horse at this track currently and Coulter drives him with great confidence; a three-peat looms. (1) FEISTY LIKE FIRE will be the one to catch but he might have trouble fending off the razor-sharp choice; Exacta factor. (4) TRAVEL BAN should be good for another small share in this spot.
Race 5 — (5) LLOYD is obviously risky with his gait issues, but he showed enough speed in his qualifier on 11/12 to handle this group if he stays flat and gets sent forward leaving the gate. (2) POPLAR LUKE dodges Azucar Jack, who won two straight, and he should be one of the main contenders in this spot; using. (1) SAULSBROOK BOOMER should get a good following trip here and land in the Super. (3) HOWIES CHOICE paced decent back halves in his two qualifiers and he can pass a few of these to finish in the High-5. (8) UP JOEYS CREDIT popped and stopped in his debut. I can see him get a good following trip here and taking a slice.
Race 6 — (1) COCO BEACH DE VIE is fast enough to go with these if she stays flat, and this might be a rare case where you will get value betting a horse from the rail that is driven by St. Louis; top call. (5) ROLLWITHITANNIE comes off a sharp win against easier, and she should be in the hunt again racing from close range; using. (7) DALI CAT is another that is in sharp form, and she should get position leaving the gate.
Race 7 — All (1) TITANS DREAM does is win, and from the rail he should be extra tough to beat here. (2) LA MAGIC will likely give the choice a tussle with St. Louis driving but I prefer to use him underneath. (4) SECRETLY FLASHY is always right there at this level, and she should close to make it into the Tri or Exacta.
Race 8 — (8) LADIES FROM HELL raced well in both starts since the claim and she gets a better post here; call to upset. (1) WILDCAT DELIGHT should be the one to catch and beat starting from the rail, and she is hard to leave off late multi-race bets. (2) CASINO CLASSIC should sit another good following trip and rally late for a share.
Race 9 — (2) MASS BALANCE has improving form and good gate speed. He looks good vs. these; top call. (5) MAGICS LUCKY CHARM has an excellent record this year, and her strong late kick should play well here; using. (1) WHAT CAN I SAY can get another pocket trip here and stick around for a share.
Race 10 — (2) CULLEN KEEFE N makes his fourth start back following a break, and my gut tells me that Wray will point him to the front leaving the gate tonight; call to upset. (5) JACK OF CLUBS is obviously one of the best in here but he has missed more than two months action so I would be careful to not take a short price. (4) ETERNAL RULER seems to fit well here but he has only two wins in his past 55 starts; your call. (1) IRVINE JAMES gets out of the second tier and I see him taking a small share tonight. (3) FINE CREDIT should get another slice vs. these.
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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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