Best Bet – (6) ALWAYS N THE MONEY – Race 8
Spot Play – (1) DERBY DYLAN – Race 1
20-Cent Early Pick 5 – Race 1: 1,3/1,3/1,3/3,5,6/3,6 = $9.60
20-Cent Late Pick 5 – Race 6: 1,3,6/1,3,5/3,6,7/2,5/2,5 = $21.60
20-Cent Early Pick 4 – Race 4: 3,5,6/3,6/1,3,6/1,3,5 = $10.80
20-Cent Late Pick 4 – Race 9: 2,5/2,5/3,4/4,7,8 = $4.80
Race 1 — (1) DERBY DYLAN was facing tougher at Flamboro Downs and he wasn’t beaten far when starting from bad posts. Haughan should fire this gelding right to the front tonight and send him down the road. (3) RAIN MAN BLUE CHIP is still seeking his first win, but his last race wasn’t bad. He gets a driver upgrade tonight; price look. (4) GROOGRUX KING will likely take action here, but I prefer to use him underneath in this spot. (2) DRAGON WAVE should sit a nice trip and land in the Tri or Super.
Race 2 — (3) NORA D will get hammered at the windows off her most recent good mile at Mohawk Park. She is the one to beat here. (1) PLAY LIKE KIRARA, the only winner in this field, should be riding in the choice’s pocket, and that makes her a threat. She is the other one that I’ll use in the $7,500 Guaranteed Early Pick 5. (4) LADY JASMINE finishes 3rd a lot so she can complete the Tri here. (5) STYLISH N SPORTY is another one that frequently lands in the Super. Give her a look for use underneath.
Race 3 — (1) ANCHOR SO REEL has had bad posts and some excuses recently. I like her chances starting from the rail tonight; top call. (3) LETS ROAR beat the choice easily last week, but the dynamics change tonight with that rival starting inside of her. She is the one to beat, but no lock. (8) A BLACK DIAMOND would be rated higher from a better post. She will likely need to take the overland route here; small share predicted. (2) CHERIE AMOUR is another that gets post relief that should be heard from here. I see her taking a share this week.
Race 4 — (6) SAM MCKEE HANOVER faces much easier and he adds Lasix for this. If he clears to the front this race might be over. (3) BET THE LIMIT is sure to get a better trip here, and he is the main danger; using. (5) VICTORY MOVE can improve in this spot, but from what I have seen watching his Mohawk Park races, he seems best used underneath. (2) CAPTAIN RAY should get a nice following trip here and land in the Super.
Race 5 — (6) P C FREE WHEELING looks clearly best in here and she gets a driver upgrade to Young. Those are the positives. She has missed more than a month now though, gets a tough post and she might be overbet. With those negatives in play she is no lock, but if she is sharp enough she can win here. (3) ENJOY THE MOMENT was a decent 4th in a Grassroots race in her debut then she had some gait issues. She will be dangerous if she stays flat tonight. (1) JANDALS qualified okay and she can take a share starting from the best post on debut. (2) CITY LADY should get decent position early and ride it to a spot in the Tri. (7) JULA MARIANETTE is worth a look for a share on debut.
Race 6 — (3) FERN HILL BREEZE had a troubled trip last week and he still came on late to take a share. He should improve here making his second start off the Shepherd claim; top call. (6) MISTER X will be gunning to the front again and he should be the one to catch; using. (1) LARJON LESTER gets the rail and Cullen tonight. He has upset potential in this spot. (4) SIMON SAID got a perfect trip, but he had trouble keeping up to the leader late in the mile. I’ll use him underneath tonight.
Race 7 — (5) SHOOTINFORTHESTARS prospers with Sorrie in the bike and he returns here. He gets the nod to get back to his winning ways. (1) SAUBLE PLAY chased a strong winner home last week, and he figures to be a player tonight racing closer to the leaders; using. (3) SHIPPEN OUT is on a roll and you know he will be closing late. He’s not out of this. (2) WESTRIDGE WARRIOR never misses the top four. Use him in the bottom of the Super.
Race 8 — (6) ALWAYS N THE MONEY was a convincing winner in this Seniors Pace class last week and that victory came from post 7. He gets the call to repeat here. (7) OAKROCK ELDORADO was wildly overbet when claimed and beaten by the choice. He could improve in the Tierney barn here. I’ll use him on late multi-race tickets. (3) TWILITE ZONE has post advantage on the top two choices and he isn’t impossible in this spot. (4) ETERNAL RULER raced okay in this class last week, and he should be good enough to take a share here.
Race 9 — (2) WEST COAST KID is obviously better than he showed at Leamington last time. Maybe getting back into a claimer will wake him up; top call. (5) LYONS DRINKINGABUD gets Henry for a return drive, and I expect him to be more aggressive here; using. (7) U R DRIVINGME NUTZ should be the speed again and cutting back to the standard mile distance should help him this week. He is capable of leading all the way. (4) TJ SILVERADO can come on late again for a slice.
Race 10 — (2) GOOD AND SWEET gets his nose back on the gate tonight, and Coulter should be looking to send him right down the road vs. these; top call. (5) CHAMPAGNE PHIL is hard to leave out considering the class drop he is making. (6) HOMEY JOE is sharp, the proof being that he totally changed racing styles the past two starts, and he has been blasting off the gate. Stepping up and drawing wide here, I prefer to use him underneath, however. (1) MAKE IT COME TRUE is probably good for a small share starting from the rail here.
Race 11 — (3) BRODYS SCRAPPER had an impossible trip in his most recent race and he still finished a strong 2nd. He looks good vs. these. (4) PAT MCGARRY A was an impressive victor in his second local start, and he should be the main danger here; using. (1) MR MACH JIMMY was a predictable winner last week but these are much tougher; using underneath. (8) OUTLAWGRABBINGEARS should be good for a spot in the Tri or Super.
Race 12 — (4) ACROBAT HANOVER gave the chalk bettors a scare when he broke briefly in deep stretch last week; a break that is noted as being due to an equipment issue in his chart. He has a good chance to repeat in here. (8) HIGH FLYIN JAMIE also had an equipment issue last week. He is capable vs. these and should offer a square price. (7) DOVER SEELSTER steps up here, but he paced a big third 1/4 when winning last week. He is sharp and capable. (1) HOKIE DOKIE can get a good trip here and land a spot in the High-5. (9) DRIVELIKEUSTOLEIT might get overbet here in a spot where I see him as a fringe player.
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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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