Best Bet – (2) DERZKII – Race 3
Spot Play – (3) BIG GINGER – Race 6
Want to play the Pick 4? Late Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 7-10): 8 / 2, 3, 4, 5 / 1, 4, 6 / 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 = $12.00
*selections done for turf
Race 1 – (6) SWILLING could be all set to win her maiden in today's opener as she ran well in her season debut on the grass in a good field. She has only had one other attempt around two turns on the Woodbine Tapeta and she was second by a head with a 73 Beyer Figure (in 2019). She has the red-hot jock Keveh Nicholls on board. (5) LADY MOONSHINE beat the top pick in the grass race on June 12 and that was the career debut for this gal. She now tackles two turns on Tapeta. (4) BALLYMORE STAR is an Irish bred who has ever tried the Tapeta surface but she has been showing some early speed and may go a long way on the pace. (2) WHO SAYS is the stablemate of the top pick and she makes her career debut at a route distance, sporting a nice pedigree.
Race 2 – The Pick 5 wager begins with a tricky, low level claiming event for non-winners of 2 and maybe (2) DENMARK can keep his good roll going from last fall. He was second in consecutive races and he just needs some pace to run at. (7) RED RETURN plunges in class to the bottom level and he is one for one at the distance.(3) ICE BLUE picked up a few seconds and thirds last year and had a sprint opener June 13 to get limbered up. (8) MAYITO quite likes the Woodbine surface as he showed last season.
Race 3- The 3-year-old (2) DERZKII was in a sprint stakes race to begin his season but that group was too quick. He moves out to 1 1/16 miles and is two for two in route races. Look for him to be a factor against older runners. (3) VELOCE won two nice races on the Tapeta at this route distance last year and looks a lot better if you scratch out his grass races. He drops out of a very fast turf race and can wake up. (5) KING CAUSEWAY was racing on the Pimlico grass recently and landed a couple of shares. He will like returning to the main track at Woodbine. (1) GIANT CRITIC was well prepared by trainer Francine Villeneuve to win his season debut at a sprint distance and he handles longer races.
Race 4– First Pick 4 begins with this large maiden field and (11) ELITE PRINCESS ran so well in her career debut when second that she can be given the slight nod. (10) QUEEN LICIA is a 4-year-old who was favoured for her season debut but that race was hogged by a runaway first-time starter who ran fast and won by 11 1/2 lengths. (3) FOR MY ELBI drops sharply for her return as she was claimed for $40,000 in November and is in for $15,000. She is stakes placed and showed ability last year. (2) OUT ATTHESPEEDWAY gets a bit more distance for her second race of the year and that can help.
Race 5 – All of these 2-year-old fillies are first time starters to let's offer up a handful of gals based on breeding, preps and connections. (6) SUGAR IS GOLDEN is by a good juvenile debut sire (Goldencents) and the mare won at 2 and has had a stakes winning juvenile from six winners. Trainer Barb Minshall won with her first juvenile starter of the meeting. (11) CLASSIC QUEEN has a tough post for 5 furlongs but her sire has already had four debut winning juveniles from his first nine starters and the mare produced the fast Loose on the Town. (3) LOIS LEN has had very good workout times for Mark Casse as has (9) GUILEFUL for trainer Nathan Squires. Also consider (8) MISS NAHA TE, the second foal of the good stakes placed gal Peggy O.
Race 6 – (3) BIG GINGER might be able to scamper away from her rivals in this six furlong maiden race. She was locked in a tough pace battle in her first start of the year and stayed on well to be third. (8) LADY WAR MACHINE had a nice debut outing last fall for trainer Josie Carroll and Patrick Husbands rides, subbing for a suspended Luis Contreras. (7) AMERICAN INDY has not been seen for a year when he stumbled in her debut in Kentucky but this well bred gal has been working in good clockings for Mark Casse. (6) RAKASA is by a very good sire of debut winners and she has had some good workout times.
Race 7 – The second Pick 4 starts here. Breeders' Stakes winner (8) BELICHICK scratched from the Dominion Day Stakes this week to go in this allowance race. He had a super return to action when beaten just inches on the grass at Churchill Downs, and he improving. (9) STEPHEN makes his anxiously-awaited return as he heads to the Queen's Plate. He meets older horses but it is a good starting point for the Coronation Futurity winner. (1) ENGLISH CONQUEROR has never tried the Tapeta surface but he ran a huge race in his return in a fast turf race. He has to avoid regressing off that big run. (2) AWESOME WOK N ROLL went 2 for 2 at Turfway in the winter and is showing progress for the Mark Casse barn.
Race 8 – (3) LITTLE MISS CAT makes her debut in this five furlong maiden claiming race and she is by a high percentage debut sire and is the first foal of a mare who won eight races. (2) SUPER DUPER is also a beginners and she also has a precocious pedigree being by Souper Speedy. (5) LACOUGRA drops to maiden claiming for the first time in this season debut and she has speed, gets Lasix. (4) SWEET EDITION was improving late n 2020 when not far beaten in her third outing of the season.
Race 9 – (4) ART OF ALMOST takes a step out of stakes races for her return to Woodbine and her last win came at the allowance/optional claiming class last June on this turf course. She has been picking up minor shares in tough events since then. (6) ADVOCATING returns for US trainer Mike Stidham and she launched her career here in November and then won two straight including a Delaware dirt win (1) ABOVE ALL NAMES is a super grass runner who won first time out last season and then ended 2020 with another win. She might prefer the inner turf course but is one to consider in exotic bets. (9) PREFERRED GUEST comes off the winter layoff and can rally for a share as she loves the turf.
Race 10 – (6) EASY WEEKEND is one of two Chiefswood Stables' runners in this distance race on Tapeta. He returns from a long layoff but ran well in his final 2020 outing and this son of Curlin has had good workout times getting ready. (10) KNOPFLER makes his Woodbine debut and switches from grass to Tapeta and he may fit in at this level. A pair of sophomores are meeting older guys in this big field including (11) AVOMAN who will wear blinkers in his 1 1/16 mile debut and recent maiden sprint winner (7) H C HOLIDAY. Also consider (8) DANCER'S GHOST in exotic wagers.
*
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 simulcast host for Ajax Downs.
Photo by Mr. Will Wong
More Tips from the Pros