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Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Friday, August 7, 2020

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Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Friday, August 7, 2020

August 7, 2020
By Jennifer Morrison
Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Friday, August 7, 2020
Best Bet –  (7) MISS ARIEL – Race 6
Spot Play  - (2) LOVE DADDY – Race 8
Pick 4  (.20 cents, Races 4-7)  -   2, 3, 5, 8 / 3, 4, 5, 6 / 4, 7 / 4, 5, 6, 8 = $25.60


Race 1 –  (3) BENS LAST CALL lands at a new low claiming level of $5,000 for this non-winners of 3 and this is his third start off the layoff. He has not won at this distance on the Tapeta but has Beyer Figures in the 60s that put him above most of these. (1) JUST RUN WITH IT woke up at 45 to 1 to win his maiden last time posting a career best 63 Beyer Speed Figure so his confidence is high. (4) POSTMAN PAT appears to be cycling up to a peak effort in this third start of the year and he had some trouble last time. (6) THEREALQUAFF has blinkers off but he has some tactical speed which can help him in this paceless field.
 
Race 2 -  (3) PAPA'S PLACE came in from Tampa Bay Downs and won his maiden for trainer Alec Fehr under leading rider Rafael Hernandez on this inner turf course. He can double up. (1) PATROL  drops several class levels for his return to the grass and he was meeting much tougher at Gulfstream in his first try on the turf. (6) SAN NICOLA BREW had a rough trip in his latest on this course and he drops from $23,500 to $15,000 claiming. (7) FRAC ATTACK faded late in his most recent  when just behind San Nicola Brew but he has worked quickly since that second start of the season.
 
Race 3- (4) SUPER PATRIOTIC is heavily favoured on the morning line (6 to 5) for this 1 1/8 mile allowance race based on her runner-up placing in her latest with a career best 80 Beyer Speed Figure. She has tactical speed which is a bonus in this small field. (1) PEACE SEEKER has had two big efforts in turf sprints to begin her season but won a route race on the Tapeta last fall. (2) ANN OF CLEEVES stretches out to a route distance for the first time after a couple of rallies in sprints. (3)  GRAND MESA was several lengths behind the top pick in the June 21 route race but she can go forward in this second race following a long layoff.
 
Race 4- The Pick 4 wager begins with a low level claiming race on the grass, non-winners of 3, (8) LAUDERDALE has yet to win on turf but some of his best career efforts have come in narrow losses on the green stuff. He had a strong outing in his latest on the main track and appears poised to peak. (3) WE TAKE CHECKS comes out of the same race as 3 others in here and he rallied very wide and just missed. (2) LETTHEBIGHOSSROLL was a neck behind the top pick after a rail skimming bid into the stretch. (5) CHEEK TO CHEEK battled to a close second-place finish in his season debut on the inner turf at 7 1/2 furlongs but he was last in his most recent on the main turf against slightly better. He can bounce back.
 
Race 5 – (3) HIT THE TICKET posted a 79 Beyer Figure the last time he raced in a route event for claiming on the Tapeta and that was last fall, four races back. He has had two runs on the turf this season and now drops several class levels. (5) TISHINA made a move to the lead into the stretch in his return to route racing on the main track July 16 before he was passed late but he is going in the right direction. (6) WILLY'S CASTLE plunged in class for his latest and needed all of the 1 1/16 miles to win by a head at odds-on. (4) NARROW ESCAPE is at the top of his form with a recent win at Fort Erie on dirt by almost 7 lengths. The second place finisher from that race has since come back to win and while the nine furlong distance is a question, he should be kept in exotic wagers.
 
Race 6 – (7) MISS ARIEL was stakes placed on the turf last fall for Tucci Stables and she came off a long layoff June 28 with a good, but wide, bid to be a close third in a sprint. She has won at this 7 1/2 furlong distance on the inner turf. (4) PIQUET, the stablemate of the pick, has a smart record on turf in New York and this is her Woodbine turf debut. (5) WHAT'S IN A KISS had a super return outing off a 10 month vacation when second on yielding turf against slightly easier but she fits. (2) GOLDEN GARTER returns to claiming and shortens up slightly after going too fast on the pace in her most recent on the main turf course.
 
Race 7 – (6) HESATHRILLER is a longshot play in this $7,00 claiming race as he had a big workout time Aug. 2 and has not spent a lot of time at this lower class level. He ran a good race in his 2019 finale and that could carry over to this return. (8) OUR ZUMA cycled up to a career best Beyer Figure when he won his 3rd start off the layoff July 5 and the second-place finisher has come back to win his next race. (4) THANKS AGAIN   for second at this class level in his latest off a short layoff and he put up a career best 65 Beyer Figure. (5) PICCADILLY BEAU comes off the layoff and he is a honest sort who wants a bit more distance but he fits on Beyer Figures.
 
Race 8 – (2) LOVE DADDY has done well on the inner turf course and when she returned to grass July 10 on the main turf she came back to her best form when second at this class level. (7) BELLA FIGURA likely went too fast on the pace in a one-mile inner turf race against better last time and this classy mare fits better in this spot but must save something for the last furlong. (1) DESERT POEM won three straight races on the turf last fall and she should go forward off her season opener. (3) SAN NICOLA STORM tries the inner turf course for the first time off a solid return outing on the main turf where she had some traffic delay.

Photo by John Watkins

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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 Toronto Star and is the simulcast handicapper for Ajax Downs.
 

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