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Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Friday, October 16, 2020

Bet Now > Tips from the Pros > Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Friday, October 16, 2020

Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Friday, October 16, 2020

October 16, 2020
By Jennifer Morrison
Jennifer Morrison’s Woodbine Thoroughbred Selections: Friday, October 16, 2020
BEST BET:  (2) BETWIXTING – Race 6
SPOT PLAY: (5) KINGLY – Race 7
Pick 4 Play  (.20 cents, Races 4-7) : 4, 9, 12 / 3, 4, 5, 10 / 2, 11 /  1, 5, 8, 9 = $19.20

 
Race 1 – (3) CONQUISTADOR has done well from limited tries on the Tapeta and he is a speedster who is at his best when he gets the early lead to himself. His rider Justin Stein seemed to have had other options but sticks with this guy who drops in class. (4) IN A TWIST lost enough ground on the turn for home last time to think he might have been best in that race and that was a quickly run race. (8) HURRICANE DANCER drops to below the claimed level for trainer Norm McKnight and he has powered through 2 very fast recent workouts. (7) SPANISH MATADOR is on a winning streak and he steps up in class but owns the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure of 75.
 
Race 2- (2) SLIP KID is one of several old timers in this $10,000 claiming sprint and he is a 16-time winner who has had a trio of workouts since coming up a bit short in his latest. His stablemate (6) CHIRCAHUA SIGNAL is fresh as this is just his 3rd race of 2020 and while he will have to hurry at 6 furlongs, he has speed to run at. (1) BEL BIMBO cycled up to hit a peak last time against non-winners of 3, posting a career best 77 Beyer Speed Figure. He shortens up and meets tougher. (9) DISTINCT PASSION gets his blinkers back and returns to $10,00 claiming and he could last for a share.
 
Race 3- (7) FOXXY BELLE might be able to get back on the winning track  in this turf sprint which is a bit longer than her latest when she was second. This gal had a huge season in 2019 but  graded stakes attempts in the summer seemed to put her off form. (3) MISS SAVVY had a rapid workout from the gate recently and she had some trouble in her 4th race of 2020 and deserves another chance as a speed type. (4) SILENT RESPECT was my pick last time but she had far too much to ground to make up after beginning the race in last place. The third place finisher from her latest has come back to win. (2) LUCKY GIRASOL is 2 for 2 this year in turf sprints against slightly easier.
 
Race 4 –The Pick 4 begins in this race and this is a big field of $5,000 claimers who have not won 2 races. It is hard to know what to expect from (9) PINKY DUDE, who has fared well in $40,000 claiming races recently before trying a stakes race. He plunges in class for his first race in 6 weeks. (12) ZOOMER MUSIC has a wide post but he drops to a new low level and the speed he showed at 7 furlongs last time is appealing as he shortens up. (4) D MAGICIAN dropped to this level last time and had speed in an early duel and stayed on for fourth. (1) ONE MORE DRIFT gets blinkers for the first time since 2018 and he drops in class and shortens up to a sprint; all of those moves could lead to a wake up effort.
 
Race 5 – Another $5,000 claiming race with a large field, this time maidens at 7 furlongs. (4) SENSATIONALIST adds blinkers and tries the Tapeta surface for the first time while dropping from $25,000 claiming. Just going by his 4th place finish in his debut on turf, he can wake up. (5) I DANCE ALONE has been racing in route events since his second career race a year ago. He has placed in longer events but may have more of a stretch kick with the turn-back in distance.(10) SON OF MY FATHER carried his speed almost all the way to the winner's circle last time, only to be edged by a huge longshot. He turns back in distance.  (3) SOCIETY MISFIT was along for third place in his third start off the long layoff and his first try at this low class level.
 
Race 6 – It is hard to believe that (2) BETWIXTING has not won this year after ending 2019 with that 85 Beyer Figure in a victory. She was too far back last time in a shorter sprint  and a close 2nd and 3rd in two other main track races. She drops into a claiming event for $40,000 and has lots of speed to run at. (11) TEACHER'S PET was a grass winner recently but also likes the main track and she returns to the level at which she won. (7) SILVER DAHLIA worked hard to win her latest at this class level when she returned to the Tapeta. (3) IMA BEAST is fast, has worked fast sine a turf experiment in July but she has  the also quick Systemic Risk to contend with on the pace.
 
Race 7 – (5) KINGLY deserves another chance in this nice field of allowance/$62,500 runners at 7 furlongs on Tapeta. This Tapit colt came off a lengthy vacation for his Woodbine debut at 1 mile on turf but he went far too fast on the lead and faded. He turns back in distance and moves to the all weather surface and he is a stakes winner on that footing. (1) RIDE A COMET is the top pick's stablemate who was last seen winning the Del Mar Derby in 2018, his 3rd straight stakes win on the grass that summer. (9) SOLIDIFY took a big class drop last time and got back to sprinting on the Tapeta and he zipped to a nice win. (8) THOR'S ROCKET won a stakes race at 7 furlongs on the Tapeta in 2018 but in 11 races since then has not been in a 7 furlong main track race. He could wake up.
 
Race 8 – (8) HE'S A GIZMO looks very logical on the class drop since he beat a few of these in a troubled grass outing two starts ago. (6) SOCIETY JOE is fresh with just two starts this year and one of those was a big win off the layoff on this inner turf. (7) MAJESTIC MELODY is going to take his speed all the way one of these days with Tenica Wolfe-Bell on board. (9) CONQUER HIM is lowered in class for just his 2nd race of this season.

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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