Best Bet – (6) AUSSIE LOVER – Race 7
Spot Play – (4) C L SPORTACTION – Race 4
20-Cent Pick 5 – Race 1: 1,2,4/3,7/1,2/1,4/1,2,4 = $14.40
20-Cent Early Pick 4 - Race 3: 1,2/1,4/1,2,4/1,5,9 = $7.20
20-Cent Late Pick 4 - Race 8: 2,4/3,4,7/3,5,7/2,5 = $7.20
Race 1 – (4) MADAM DOLCE gets needed post improvement here and this seems like a good spot for her tonight; top call. (2) SHARK IDEA will likely be the one to catch again and she can last longer in this spot; using. (1) EATAAMSACTIVEPANIC could get a golden pocket trip here and I’ll use her in the Pick 5 as a possible value play.
Race 2 – (7) D J ROY HALL was over his head racing at Mohawk Park last time. He fits much better here and he gets the nod. (3) HOMETOWN BOYZ found the competition much easier here last week and he easily converted for the win. He should be one of the main contenders. (6) INCREDIBLE HALLY comes off a sharp effort but she seems more likely to take a smaller share; using underneath.
Race 3 – Second time in a claimer and making her second start in a new barn was the charm for (1) GODROTOUCHTHEMOON and she gets the call to repeat starting from the rail. (2) BUTTERFLY KISSES is in peak form and the obvious threat to the choice and she is the other one that I’ll use in the Pick 5. (3) PACIFIC DELIGHT takes frequent small shares and she figures to round out the Tri or Super in this spot.
Race 4 – (4) C L SPORTACTION is in solid form for trainer Johnson and he should be blasting early tonight getting his nose back on the gate. (1) J J MYSTIC STORM is perfectly slotted to get another golden trip and he’s hard to leave off multi-race tickets. (6) EAS IDEAL comes in off a sharp win but he loses post position advantage and is more likely to take a smaller share tonight.
Race 5 – (4) SUNSHINEINMYPOCKET comes off a sharp first-over winning effort and she has a good chance to repeat in this short field. (1) BIG DIAMOND was no match for the choice last week but starting from the rail she is likely to be the one to catch again; using. (2) IN THE NEWS can improve sharply dropping into a conditioned claimer. She has upset possibilities in this spot.
Race 6 – (9) AWORLDLY GOODTIMES produced a strong effort to break his maiden last time and he should get a decent start here from the 9-hole following (1) CRAZY FUN who comes off a solid parked out effort and should be blasting for the front this week. (5) HOORAY FRANCKE was no match for a sharp winner last week, but he rates highly here and merits a close look for the early Pick 4. (8) WONMYHEART HANOVER qualified nicely for this but the prime goal could be to get a clean line in only this second start. I’ll use her underneath. (7) STORMONT ECLIPSE qualified decently enough for this to suggest that he can land a spot in the High-5.
Race 7 – (6) AUSSIE LOVER has somehow gone postward as a crazy overlay the past two starts here and won them both. He’ll get bet tonight but he has a good shot at notching the threepeat. (5) MAGICS WIZARD appears to be the main threat shipping in from Mohawk Park and facing easier and he should be an Exacta factor. (4) MISSYS MAGIC MAN hasn’t missed the top three in eight starts and in this short field he should extend that streak.
Race 8 – (4) LADYLIKE should be able to clear to the front early in this field and when she does, she will be tough to catch. (2) MOCODRA shows some miles that make her a contender here and her December 12th qualifier over an off track was quite good; using. (3) TOPSILL BEACH should be good for a small share starting from an inside post tonight.
Race 9 – (4) SOMETHING ROYAL goes for Leblonc who appears to have acquired her recently via a private sale and he might send her on a speed mission as she seeks only her second win. I’ll take a swing with her on the barn/ownership change angle. (3) SCOTTISH MACH comes off a solid try and she has built up a solid record this year; using. (7) NATURES DREAM is worth a look making her second start out of the Eftimiadis barn. I’ll include her in the late Pick 4.
Race 10 – (5) TEN FOUR WE GONE is in terrific form and getting his nose back on the gate here should facilitate an aggressive try; top call. (7) OH LINA is an obvious contender on the class drop but notice she was beaten here twice at odds on a few starts back. I wouldn’t take a short price from the 7-hole. (3) ETERNAL JEWEL is hard to leave off late Pick 4 tickets coming off a sharp win here last week.
Race 11 – (5) SPORTJET RAY exploded to a huge win last time when MacKenzie took over the driving duties and with that teamster taking the return drive, she gets the nod to repeat. (2) RETICENT HANOVER is the other mare coming in off an impressive win and she should be the choice’s main rival. (1) SADIEMAESONHERWAY can trip out here and take a good piece of this purse. (6) CANTSTOPTHEFEELIN, coming off an improved effort, should be part of this High-5. (8) MACHLIKEANEGYPTIAN would be rated higher from a better post. From out there I can only use her on the bottom against these.
Photo by John Watkins
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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 five years. He is also the current President of the Canadian Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association.
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