Best Bet – (8) PRIDEOFDISTINCTION – Race 6
Spot Play - (5) CALL HER JOEY – Race 8
Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 4-7) : 6, 7 / all /8 / 1, 3, 7, 9 = $19.20
Race 1 – (1) ROCKET RELOAD made her career debut in a stakes race against open company and was very quick from the inside but she was joined by others and faded. She drops into a maiden race at 5 furlongs on turf, a surface her sire Reload loved. (10) NERO DAVOLA will get blinkers for her third race; this gal was on her way to winning her debut when she hit the railing. Last time she propped before the wire when favoured. Equipment change should help. (6) JILL is from the Barb Minshall barn which has had a number of nice 2-year-olds debut at the meeting this year and she is by good local sire Big Screen. (8) SOX AND SANDALS is one of two beginners in the race for owner Mike Ambler and both are by top sire Silent Name (Jpn).
Race 2 – This 5 1/2 furlong sprint for $5,000 maiden claiming fillies is a toss up so why not (1) MAZIKEEN, who raced twice in 2019 against maiden allowance types and flashed speed second time out in a key race? She is a 4-year-old from the Steve Owens barn. (4) FLAT OUT FABULOUS is the most logical pick in the field but she has been 2
nd and 3
rd a lot as she lacks late punch. (8) D'S MULLIGAN is making her second start of the year and has blinkers on and she came close to winning her maiden last August. (7) SEA OF DIAMONDS has never raced and that gives her better form that her rivals. She is by top 2
nd crop sire Souper Speedy and had a quick gate workout Aug. 15.
Race 3- (5) YASINIA had an improved outing second time out in her career when trying a 2-turn inner turf race and rallying for runner-up spot. She moves to the Tapeta for another route distance test. (2) ADORE ME stretches out from two sprints for this route race and her co-owner and trainer recently had a maiden winner who was moving out in distance. (6) LA BONITA ran out of gas pressing the pace with her stablemate last time and she gets a class drop. (3) SHANGHAI BOUND was claimed from her debut for this $25,000 price and she should enjoy the longer distance.
Race 4 – The Pick 4 starts here and it is tough to go past (6) BLACK SEA (Fr) who plunges from $60,000 claiming to $15,000 claiming for this first race since October. Classy 7-year-old ran well on the inner turf last year and and the Martin Drexler team does well with returning runners. (7) DOT'S VISION is a consistently good fellow who loves the inner turf course as long as he does not make his move too soon. (2) BEN LOMOND had a tough trip Aug. 9 on the main turf at six furlongs and he has won at this distance on the inner turf. (1) TALE OF VIENNA gets class relief (the winner of his latest came back to win a stakes race) and he enjoys a turf jaunt.
Race 5 – Wide open race for maiden 2-year-old fillies for $25,00) and I will focus on a few beginners. (3) THE TWELFTH is an Ontario-bred and first foal of a mare who won a bunch of races and there is a lot of speed in her breeding. (4) WELL YOU STARTEDIT is the 3
rd juvenile to race on this card for owner Mike Ambler and this gal is by Old Forester. (10) CIGARILLO is a full sister to several winners and by top Alberta sire cape Canaveral. (2) VERY SAVVY is a full sister to winner French Charm and from a barn that won a pair of races Saturday.
Race 6 – (8) PRIDEOFDISTINCTION wants to be back on the grass as he is a marathon turf specialist and he should be all set to break through. (1) ENGLISH CLASSIC signalled that he is ready to peak after his latest at 1 3/8 miles on turf against slightly tougher. He will like shortening up a bit to 10 furlongs. (3) DEEP FREEZE has won more races than any of these and he is a tough front runner. The 10 furlong distance is a question but he was game in his season debut victory, (7) BUY ME CANDY is a 3-year-old arriving from Kentucky with good Beyer Figures and the blinkers will be off. His trainer Ignacio Correas has a win and a 2
nd from 2 starts at Woodbine.
Race 7 – (1) CASH DIVIDEND had loads of pace to stalk in his season debut and roared past to a big win with a huge 89 Beyer Figure. He won't get the same set up in this allowance race but that was an impressive performance. (3) MIRACLE SILVER has stalked and won at this 7 furlong distance but mostly he battles on the pace in longer races. He comes off another good try on turf but all 3 of his wins have come on Tapeta. (9) DRINK IN MY HAND won his 9
th career race at the age of 9 last time at this distance and comes in fresh. (7) STORMFUHR was second to a fellow who came back to win a turf stakes race last time.
Race 8 – (5) CALL HER JOEY was favoured Aug. 1 in a similar race for maidens but made an early move to the lead before settling for third. She is improving. (6) NATURAL HABITAT has had two good efforts on the inner turf against maidens and is getting closer to her maiden win. (4) SWEET SHADES has a pair of 4ths to begin the year, landing behind the top 2 picks in those starts. A prompter start from the gate would help. (2) FRIDAY NIGHT MAGIC had some traffic issues in her grass debut and landed in mid-pack but she has an inside post and may have some early speed.
Photo by John Watkins
*
Jennifer Morrison has been a public handicapper for the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail and Daily Racing Form. She is currently a writer for CanadianThoroughbred.com, Blood-Horse and Toronto Star and is the simulcast handicapper for Ajax Downs.
More Tips from the Pros