Best Bet – (3) CLASSY N' SILENT – Race 1
Spot Play - (8) COURTLY MANNER – Race 3
Today's Play: Pick 4 (races 4-7): 2,4, 6, 8 / 1, 2, 10 / 4 / 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10 = $14.40
Race 1 — With all the rain heading into today's races, this five furlong dash scheduled for turf could be moved to the main track. (3) CLASSY N' SILENT is the main speed in this race and she handles Tapeta and turf equally and the slight class drop helps her. Woodbine Mile winning jockey Daisuke Fukumoto is on board. (8) WAR EMPRESS has some back class and can finish with a good run behind the speed as she shortens up. (5) ELITE PRINCESS was claimed from her maiden win which resulted in a career best Beyer Figure of 54. She had a fast recent workout for her new interests. (6) ORBALINE might enjoy the cut back in distance as she could have a late bid at the speed.
Race 2 — (5) LACOUGRA chased a fast filly in her season debut and stayed on for third. She has been away since July 3 and shows a few workouts but she might be the best speed in this short maiden race. (8) HOPING FOR A RING might be quick based on her fast workout times getting ready for this career debut. (6) SEA FRET is also quick but ran better when she tracked the early pace two starts ago. (7) AVIE'S SKY shortens up in distance for a new owner/trainer, Paul Buttigieg and she can pick up some pieces.
Race 3 — This race is scheduled for one-mile on the inner turf but could be moved to the main track. (8) COURTLY MANNER handles both surfaces and while he moves up in class, he has some natural early speed and this race is filled with closing types. He could end a long winless streak. (9) GORGEOUS KITTEN has a win on the inner turf this year and a good effort on Tapeta in his latest with a solid 79 Beyer Figure. (5) EPILOGUE has not won in a while but is fairly steady with his stretch run and he handles Tapeta and turf. (3) ARTISTICO is a classy fellow who drops to a new low level and he is eligible to wake up.
Race 4 — (2) FACTORING drops sharply in class for third try at Woodbine since coming in for New York owner Michelle Nevin. She ran well in her latest when third on turf and she should be able to handle this first try on Tapeta. (4) MODUS OPERANDI took her 10
th career win last time, that coming on turf, but she has also won this year on the Tapeta. (8) WESTLODGE INTRIGUE exits a fast race and she closed some ground. (6) HASSAH has done her best running in the last year when moving back to the Tapeta surface, so include her in exotic wagers.
Race 5 — Another race scheduled for turf, this one at five furlongs, so check late changes to see if the rain has moved it to the main track. There are many quick ones in this good starter/optional race and that could set things up for (10) DANCING DOLL despite her wide post. She has won three straight races on turf and Tapeta and she debuts off the claim for trainer Martin Drexler (22% wins off the claim). (1) GET NONE is in from Chicago where she is on a four-race winning streak including a restricted stakes race on the all-weather surface. (2) SAMURAI QUEEN comes off a win against similar at 5-1/2 furlongs. She would be making her grass debut if the race stays on turf but she would look a lot better on Tapeta. (9) VALLEY GIRL is in super form and while she meets tougher, she might be able to catch some of the speed and get a share.
Race 6 — Many of these guys are dropping to the $5,000 claiming level for the first time including (4) QUANTUM VELOCITY for owner Colby Casse and his father/trainer Mark Casse. Two starts back this gelding was a good third for three times this price. (5) SECRET PATH was not far behind the top pick in his latest but beat that one in a previous outing. (1) SYNCHROMESH won his maiden at Woodbine at this 1-1/16 mile distance and recently has been doing okay on grass at Fort Erie. (2) CASH ADVANCE makes his third start off the layoff and moves out to his best distance.
Race 7 — This maiden race is set for one mile on the inner turf, but whatever surface it is run on the race goes through 6-year-old maiden (9) STRIKE A BEAT. He's become known as a bridesmaid as he has given up the lead in many of his races but he just might have found a spot to break through. (1) PERSONAL JOURNEY is another longtime maiden but he is in good form with Luis Contreras riding. (4) DOMINANT FACTOR picked up his first top three placing in his latest in a one-turn Tapeta race and he gets his blinkers back for this longer race. (7) GRAND ALLIANCE had a troubled debut in a turf sprint but could improve with the added distance and blinkers.
Race 8 — A big field of maiden fillies presents a puzzle for bettors. (7) OVERSTATE showed some stretch power in her season debut in July and gets a bit more distance. She drops in class from her latest and is a wake-up possibility. (1) BORN TO BE GOOD has finished in the top three six times in her 13 races. (12) ROYAL CITY REIGN has had trouble in her last pair of outings and could go better. Emma-Jayne Wilson, who loves to win the last race of the day, rides for the first time. (9) BLU SKY SUNROSE is going in the right direction and ran her best race last time. (10) ROSA'S SOUL had a long lead in the late stages of her most recent on grass.
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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 and is the simulcast handicapper for Ajax Downs.
Photo by John Watkins
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