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Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Saturday, July 24, 2021

Bet Now > Tips from the Pros > Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Saturday, July 24, 2021

Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Saturday, July 24, 2021

July 24, 2021
By Jennifer Morrison
Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Saturday, July 24, 2021
Best Bet –  (4) JACOBS CALL – Race 5
Spot Play – (5) ABSCOND – Race 6
Today's Play, Pick 4 (.20 cents, races 4-7):  2,4,6,7 / 4 / 1,2,3,5, 10 / 2, 6, 7 = $12.00
 
*selections done for turf

 
Race 1 – (6) BELLASPINA is worth a look in her career debut based on her breeding, works and connections. She is getting a late start to her career at age 4 but is bred to be very fast like her three-quarter brother Royal Fuerst, who won for this owner and trainer. This gal had worked fast last summer and is doing the same this summer. (2) LITTLE MISS CAT was well bet first time out for more than twice this claiming price but she was outrun. She has worked from the gate since then and can improve. (1) THE TWELFTH also drops sharply in class and she had troubles in her season debut. She has since changed trainers once again. (4) SEA FRET sizzled in a recent workout following a fade-job against slightly better maidens.
 
Race 2 – (8) SILENT FIRE put in a big run in his 3-year-old and grass debut to finish a clear second  around the inner turf. He goes one turn, seven furlongs on the main grass course and his 67 Beyer Figure stands out over most of his rivals. The impeccably bred (3) WAR BOMBER, a half brother to Group 1 millionaire Excelebration among others, had speed in his local debut but went too fast on the pace and he is offered for claiming for the first time. (1) ABSTEMIOUS is well bred for the grass as his mum was a Group 3 winner overseas and has strong turf leanings. He showed some ability in his career debut on Tapeta last year. (7) FUNICULI had a fast turf workout on June and is by one of the country's top sires on any surface.
 
Race 3- (1) SEAMIALAUGH has had 16 chances to win her maiden with nine top three placings but today could be her day. She was in short turf sprints all winter until she moved to dirt at Gulfstream in June and missed by a neck and it was more than nine lengths back to the third place finisher in that fast race. (7) SUPER DUPER was just that first time out at this class level as she was second to a fast beginner and well clear of the third-place finisher, putting up a 71 Beyer Figure. She has to go a bit longer in this sprint. (2) DIVINE GENESIS has Lasix and will race without blinkers for her first race as a sophomore. She didn't show much last year but her workout times this summer have been strong. (5) HIT AND RUN has been going fast on the pace in her two starts this year and the blinkers will come off, perhaps in an effort to slow her down a bit early.
 
Race 4– The Pick 4 begins with this E.P. Taylor turf route and (4) MEYER, who was second in the Breeders' Stakes last year is a nice fit. He had a solid return outing in a Tapeta sprint. (2) ARTIE'S STORM was just second in the quick Queenston Stakes on Tapeta. His sire We Miss Artie has had 12 turf winners already from his first 55 turf starters and the mare has produced two turf winners. (6) DANCER'S GHOST put up an 80 Beyer Figure on the grass last year and beat Meyer that day. (7) TYCOON drops in class for his Woodbine, and turf, debut and he is by a high percentage grass sire.
 
Race 5 –  (4) JACOBS CALL looks set for a speed try with blinkers back on. He was last away from the gate in a recent turf sprint off the long layoff. (7) HAVE A SOUPER DAY gets back to the Tapeta surface, site of his lone win (and he was switching from turf-to-Tapeta that day). He is making his third start off the layoff and can post a Beyer Figure in the low 70s.(5) MR NARCISSISTIC just missed in his season debut at 5 to 1 and then won his maiden last time at 9 to 1. He could be this good. (2) SECRET RESERVE won his debut smartly last year and returns to the main track after beginning the year in a fast turf sprint.
 
Race 6 – This is the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes and a nice field has been assembled. The Brazilian Group 1 winner (5) ABSCOND won the biggest race of her career at 1 mile on the Woodbine turf, the Natalma Stakes (G1) in 2019. She has not won since, however although put up a 94 Beyer Figure in a close placing in a Grade 2 at Churchill Downs in May. (10) JOLIE OLIMPICA has come to Canada to race on Lasix and she's had a well-spaced career in North America and she is one of the top turf mares, especially in sprints. This fast mare has not raced since March and has been training with Josie Carroll at Woodbine for her Canadian debut. She might like the one-turn, one-mile trip. (2) ANOTHER TIME led all the way and just got zapped on the finish in this race last year. She was impressive in her winning 2021 opener. (9) HONEY CAKE won three of her last four in France in2020 and has been entered and scratched in a couple of recent stakes races in the U.S. Her trainer Jonathan Thomas has a 33% win rate this season.
 
Race 7 – The late Pick 4 starts with an inner turf optional event and (6) SOUPER WATSON is a two-time turf winner around two turns in Florida. His Woodbine return came in a very fast, key race on grass. (2) THERE'S NO JOE loves grass and has won two straight races in sprints and now he will stretch out for his first two-turn attempt. He is bred to handle the distance.  (9) MAMBOINTHEFOREST is on the also eligible list but is worth considering if he draws in for the grass. (5) TRICKY MAGICIAN can be counted on for an honest try in a grass race at this level and distance.
 
Race 8 – (5) MONEY PRINTER, a grey son of top sire Tapit, was a bit green in his second career race coming off the layoff. He had his head turned when rallying in the stretch and was lugging in a bit but he finished steadily. (1) HIT THE POINT was following along with Money Printer in his Woodbine debut and was just off that guy at the finish, The blinkers go on and that should sharpen his focus. (4) OPUS NORTH is a 5-year-old who has placed three times on turf and he should  be putting in a late bid.(6) SPIKE can wake up here as he moves out in distance and gets a chance to put two races close together.
 
Race 9 – (1) ART OF ALMOST does not win very often and adds blinkers to tackle nine furlongs, a distance that is likely too far for her, but she is a top mare in this optional claiming event. (6) AFLEET KATHERINE should enjoy moving out in distance for her second race of the season. She showed plenty of promise last season in stakes races. (5) GUN SOCIETY is getting her first start of the season and she blossomed into a stakes calibre grass filly last season. ((7) OCEANS OF LOVE likes to set the pace in her races and she is one for nine on turf.
 
Race 10 – I am not sure what was happening with (5) DR. GREEN in his season debut but this guy, who won his maiden last July on turf but was disqualified, was in a mess of trouble for much of the race. He was hard held far off the pace, checked hard on the final turn and really had no chance after that. Will give him another chance. (2l) JELGO shows all kinds of nifty workout times preparing for his debut. He is by an average debut and turf sire but the mare was quite a tough sprinter and the turf breeding is solid.  (10) BEYOND MY DREAMS is one of a pair of Mark Casse guys who are offered for maiden claiming for the first time and while he has only been a fringe player to this point, he is eligible to improve with the class drop.  (1) TOURIST'S DREAM also drops in for a claiming price for the first time and moves to turf, a surface his sire loved. This guy figures to hit the trifecta. Also consider turf loving (3) BENLION in the superfecta and High 5.

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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 John Watkins

 
 

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