Best Bet – (10) SECRET RESERVE – Race 3
Spot Play – (4) PICADILLY BEAU – Race 5
Today's Play: PICK 4 (.20 cents, Races 4 – 7): 3, 5, 8 / 3, 4, 7 / 5, 6, 7, 8 / 2, 7 = $14.40
*Selections done for turf
Post time 4:45 p.m.
Race 1 — (6) LORENA is the most accomplished gal in the Thunder Bay Stakes and she had a dreadful journey last time in the open Duchess Stakes. (7) SUNSPRITE has not had much luck this year in three races. She was in the first two races of this Ontario Heritage Series and had trouble both times. (4) CLEOMENES has improved with every outing this season. She adds blinkers for a bit more focus. (8) DEJAS TOO comes off a two-month freshening and will like returning to a one-turn distance.
Race 2 — (1) KERICS BEAUTY has had 11 chances to win her maiden and has been in the top four in eight of those races. She may not offer much value as a win bet, but is a leading contender off a troubled trip. (6) CHASING SHADOWS missed by half a length in her latest when moving back to the main track and dipping into maiden claiming. (1) HUMORUS HOLIDAY was on the pace throughout her second career race and was only caught late. (5) FIRE EMOJI gets a significant class drop to maiden claiming and more distance, which should work well for her.
Race 3 — This is the $80,000 Lake Superior Stakes at seven furlongs on the E.P. Taylor turf course, the third leg of the unique Ontario Heritage Series. (10) SECRET RESERVE is unproven on the turf (which could be a bit on the yielding side with rain on Thursday) but his Elgin Stakes win at this distance on the Tapeta was impressive and the second and third-place finishers have both come back to win. (6) I'M DASHING has two grass wins in his last three races and continues to improve. (3) MASTER SPY has had three months off after landing on the edges in a pair of tougher stakes races on Tapeta. (9) DRAGON'S BREW won a turf sprint in July with a reported 88 Beyer Speed Figure and he dearly wants this race to stay on the grass.
Race 4 — This is the start of the Pick 4 and class dropping (5) QUANTUM VELOCITY will be heavily bet as he posted a solid 65 Beyer Figure when third two starts back. He was flat in his latest but meets easier and Emma-Jayne Wilson has had success with the Mark Casse barn this year. (3) SAMUEL H is a question mark at the 1-1/16 miles distance but he comes out of a fast race and drops to the bottom claiming level. (8) ST. PADDY'S DADDY needed every inch of the route distance to win his maiden last time but with that confidence-building outing under his belt he could strike again. (11) SECRET PATH dropped to this $5,000 claiming level last time and missed by a head after some early traffic trouble.
Race 5 — (4) PICADILLY BEAU is one of several in this 1-1/16 mile race dropping to the $5,000 claiming level, and the last time he was on the main track for a route race he was second with a 72 Beyer Figure. (7) AMBERWOOD is a nine-year-old who came off a three year layoff this summer, and he has picked up some shares and now drops to the lowest level. (3) D'S BEN is moving out to a route distance after a chasing run in a long sprint last time and that was a quickly run race. His speed will be dangerous. (5) ENGLISH ILLUSION was third in a tough race on the Tapeta in his season opener and is worth a look with the return to that surface.
Race 6 — (7) RACE FOR PINKS moves up in claiming price off a loss, but he closed ground well behind his red-hot stablemate Crafty Conquest who has come back to win again. (8) HIGH HEAT adds blinkers and he bounced back with a better outing at this level. (5) MR NARCISSISTIC won his maiden at this 5-1/2 furlong distance and his barn's main rider David Moran is reunited with this sophomore. (6) LORD OF LEGENDS has been in good form all season for the high percentage barn of Zeljko Krcmar and the slightly shorter distance works in his favour.
Race 7 — (5) SUNSPEAR bounced back into better form last time when he was down to this $15,000 claiming price. He was no match for the big winner but was a clear second. His tactical speed will come in handy as others are closing types. (2) QIAN BC is another invader coming in from New York for trainer Linda Rice who has a win and a second from her first two visitors. This guy tries Tapeta for the first time. (4) SOUL FREEDOM has won two in a row off the claim and has been improving his Beyer Figures. (3) ICOMEFROMDOWNTOWN comes out of a very fast race just 12 days ago and drops in class.
Race 8 — (6) HIATUS will be favoured on the big class drop as he seeks his maiden win. He has been the public's choice in two straight races but one was on soft grass and the other was at a marathon distance. Sprinting on the Tapeta should work for him. (10) KARAKONTIE PAT is the main danger as he exits a fast race won by a speed type and now meets easier. (11) CORE ran well in a main track sprint when fourth two races back. (2) BLUE SNOW was second at almost 50 to 1 in a turf race last time but he earned his best career Beyer Figure on Tapeta.
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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 is the simulcast handicapper for Ajax Downs.
Photo by John Watkins
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