Best Bet – (3) COO BIRD – Race 8
Spot Play – (8) EL VALOR – Race 2
Today's Play, Late Pick 4 ($1.00, races 8-11): 3 / 1, 2, 4, 7 / 2, 6, 7, 9 / 8 = $16.00
*Selections done for turf
Race 1 — Two-year-olds on the grass begin the day and (7) LANGSTAFF ROAD looks well prepared for his debut and he certainly has the pedigree to win at first asking and on turf. He is a full brother to this year's debut winner (on turf) Scatter the Clouds and a half brother to debut and turf winner Will She among others. (2) MIDNIGHT ARKLE has had a pair of fourths to begin his career and he moves to grass, a surface on which his mum won and he has three turf winning siblings. (5) UNDER SURVEILLANCE, a long, smooth striding gelding, worked quickly for a juvenile sale in April and is by 18% debut sire Nyquist. (1) MUSIC HOUR is well bred for grass as his mum won on turf and his half brother Breaking Alone, a turf winner, is in the Breeders' Stakes on Sunday.
Race 2 — (8) EL VALOR, the first of two starters for trainer Patrick Dixon, had a solid outing off a layoff Sept. 12 when third and she should be all set for her maiden win. (5) POPTHECHAMPAGNE has been second in four straight races and last time she had a clear lead late only to be passed. (9) MELROSE STAR is bred to like the route distance and she gets a big class drop. (10) LEAVEYOUBREATHLESS is a full sister to a route winner.
Race 3 — (4) IN MY OPINION has been getting better with each outing this year and she comes off her strong maiden win in a turf sprint. She has speed to run at. (5) FEDALIA has enjoyed moving to turf sprints and she almost got up to win at 5 furlongs last time. (3) OWEN'S TOUR GUIDE won her season opener at this distance on turf and she gets just her second try on the grass. (8) TWIRLING FAITH is bred for grass and, if she does not get caught up in an early pace battle, can hit the ticket.
Race 4 — The first Pick 4 begins with this claiming race on Tapeta and (8) CHEEK TO CHEEK discovered dirt for the first time recently and he won in fast time at Fort Erie. He has also won on this surface, Tapeta, and turf. (10) NOW WE ARE NINE appears to be cycling up to a peak effort and he drops to the bottom claiming level for the first time. (6) LETTHEBIGHOSSROLL also drops to a new low level and he had his best outing in a while on Sept. 17. (11) STREET LEGAL usually races at route distances, but he cuts back to seven furlongs after giving up a late lead Aug. 20.
Race 5 — (4) ANITA GRIGIO has two wins and two seconds in her last four races, all on turf. She is in sharp form. (11) GRATEFUL PRAISE was briefly delayed when seeking her second straight turf sprint win last time. (3) SPARKLE SAMMY is the pace runner but she has trouble hanging on at 6-1/2 furlongs. (6) ABOVE ALL NAMES gets a class drop as she has been short of her best form this year. A firmer turf course helps her chances.
Race 6 — (2) VANTARSI had a good debut outing in a short turf dash and she has come back with some fast workout times on the Tapeta. Most of her rivals are first time starters. (9) A A RUSALKA looked super in her workout for that June sale in Florida and she has worked in good clockings locally. (6) RUN FOR THE HILLS had the rail post first time out at Saratoga and had brief speed but was not happy on the fence, brushed it actually once, and by the turn for home she dropped back. (8) CHOCOLATEADDICTION is nicely bred by a 15% juvenile debut sire and from a stakes placed mare.
Race 7 — I am picking (8) USING COCONUTS once again, but this time she gets a one-mile distance and that should be within her range. She has been knocking on the door of her maiden win for some time now. (10) CAPPY came off a short layoff for her North American debut and was third in a longer turf maiden race. She gets Lasix. (6) CONFIDENCE was very flat on the inner turf course last time, but it has been on the good to yielding side for a few weeks. (7) BELIEVING has good speed and ran well in a turf sprint last time, and now she has to carry that speed a longer distance.
Race 8 — (3) COO BIRD gets a big class drop to maiden claiming and he gets Lasix. He began his career with two good placings and Patrick Husbands takes over for this easier spot. (8) POINT TO THE STARS ran well in his career debut on turf but flopped on Tapeta. He drops to maiden claiming for the first time. (11) YANKEE JOE showed speed in a turf sprint first time out and he gets Lasix. (5) PERFECT PICTURE improved greatly in his second race at this class level.
Race 9 — The $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes wraps up the Triple Tiara for Canadian-bred fillies and now they try 10 furlongs on turf. Woodbine Oaks winner (1) MUNNYFOR RO ran a top Beyer Figure in the Queen's Plate when a close fourth and she is also very good on the grass. She is one of just four winners in the field. (4) IL MALOCCHIO is a stakes winner on grass and she was tough in her Bison City win. (7) CIELO D'ORO may be a maiden but she ran well in longer grass races in California. She was a solid third in the Bison City Stakes in her Canadian debut and she has been pointed to this race. (2) MISS MARIE'S granddam Like a Gem won this race at 38 to 1 and this gal gets Lasix and is worth a look.
Race 10 — (9) GREEN FLEET may have found a spot to finally get his second career win, but he has been second five times including his last pair of races. (2) U S NAVY CROSS could wake up in this spot as he is offered for claiming for the first time, He has had a start and stop career but has shown ability and now he tries Tapeta for the first time after some steady workouts. (7) SUN DADDY won his maiden last time when he moved out to 1-1/16 miles on Tapeta and he has worked fast since then. (6) JELGO is a speedy guy who was an impressive debut winner and third in a fast race last time. He will have to find some stamina for this distance.
Race 11 — (8) LADY MOONSHINE has a 72 Beyer Figure from a maiden turf race Sept. 11 and that stands out in this field. (4) UMNEYAAT loses the blinkers and she made a sharp distance change for her latest and landed fourth. Seven furlongs may be her best trip. (9) ASHBURY can go forward from her debut outing when she broke a bit slowly. (6) TENPENNY NAIL ran to her grass breeding in her latest when second at 31 to 1. (5) SHES THE NORTH has been hinting in her recent turf outings but has also had 16 chances at the maiden win.
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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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