Best Bet – (1) SIRIUS STAR – Race 5
Spot Play – (1) ROSELLA – Race 8
20-Cent Early Pick 5 – Race 1: 1,2,8/5,6/5,7,8/4,5/1 = $7.20
20-Cent Late Pick 5 – Race 6: 1,5,6/2,5/1/4,5/1,2,3,6,7 = $12.00
20-Cent Early Pick 4 – Race 3: 5,7,8/4,5/1/1,5,6 = $3.60
20-Cent Late Pick 4 – Race 7: 2,5/1/4,5/1,2,3,6,7 = $4.00
Race 1 — (2) LOYAL WILL qualified nicely for this in the snow and, off that solid tune up, he gets the nod here. (8) LUX SEELSTER gets Kelly tonight after parking the mile from the 7-hole, and he is in with a decent chance this time; using. (1) ST LADS RYAN improved in his second try, now he gets the rail and Borth; price look.
Race 2 — Tough race here. Maybe (6) ATM TREASURER clears leaving the gate and leads all the way? (5) CLOVERLEAF CUTIE qualified faster than the others have been racing although she did it on the bigger track. She can likely contend here despite facing some elders; using. (1) DADS PRINCESS gets out of the second tier for this and she can take a share.
Race 3 — (8) LEVIS DAY, the class of this race, picks up St. Louis who is sure to have him out and moving early; top call. (5) YOUNG DRUNK PUNK brings some great form back to Ontario, and he is worth a look in this spot. (7) MO BETTOR steps up off a sharp win vs. lesser. A repeat isn’t out of the question here.
Race 4 — (5) PUTYOURBETTDOWN just looks fastest in here, and she should appreciate the easier company tonight; top call. (4) LARJON LADYBUG is the one to fear coming off a dominant win at this level, and these two will likely battle for the win tonight. (2) COMEALONG can take a good share off a following trip here.
Race 5 — (1) SIRIUS STAR drops to a likely spot, especially starting from the rail; top call. (5) WILDCAT DELIGHT never finishes out of the Exacta it seems. She should be right there again tonight, but she could get another long trip if the choice doesn’t relent early. (8) TEMAGAMI SEELSTER can get a good trip following the choice out at the start, and she is an exotics factor in this spot. (3) LADIES FROM HELL is a good one to use on the bottom of the High-5. She can trip out and take a share. (7) STONEBRIDGE DRAMA would be rated higher had she drawn better. From out there, she might sneak into the High-5.
Race 6 — (5) DURHAM TOWN was a sharp winner racing off the fresh claim last week, and he gets the call to repeat off that sharp effort. (1) ROUGH TRADE has missed close to four weeks, but he was on a roll before that and getting the rail here obviously helps; using. (6) SHOOTINFORTHESTARS gets St. Louis in the bike coming off a win, and he is a contender here despite drawing wide.
Race 7 — (2) SO FRISKY gets major post relief tonight and that tips the scales in her favour; top call. (5) BUTTERMILK HANOVER was out a long way but she stayed game last week. She should be the main danger here. (4) RANDOMIROGEO rarely misses the top three. She’s hard to leave out of the Tri.
Race 8 — (1) ROSELLA drops back to the $7K claiming level, and she has the speed to take these coast-to-coast on the engine. (6) LITTLEANNIEOAKLEY is the other quick leaver in here, but she shows only one win in 55 starts in the last two seasons. I’ll try to complete the Exacta with her. (4) MACK THE KNIFE is worth a look for the exotics on the driver change.
Race 9 — (4) AIR STRIKE could get the setup that he craves in this short field, and I’ll give him the nod to sail by late. (5) MANNY will get pounded off his fast times and with St. Louis at the lines, but he has missed more than three weeks so there is some risk here. (6) IDEAL JET wants to blast and last but he may not clear easily this time, so I’ll play to beat him.
Race 10 — (3) ROLLWITHITANNIE draws better than she has since her last win four starts back, and I’ll give her the call to upset here. (6) BLUEWATER BEACH has won three of her last four, and she will be very dangerous if she clears to the front; using. (7) IF YOU KNEW SUSIE likes to blast off the gate, and she has been mired in the second tier in four of her past five starts. The 7-hole might be okay for her tonight, and she is another in with a chance. (1) SCOTTISH MACH is in the mix every week, but she is more likely to take a share than a win, and I’ll use her on the bottom. (2) CAFE SOCIETY is good at getting cheques, and she should take another tonight.
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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 Photos
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