BEST BET: (6) PERFECT REVENGE – Race 6
SPOT PLAY: (7) KUDURO – Race 3
Pick 4 Play (.20 cents, Races 4-7): 1, 4, 7 / 4, 6, 7, 9 / 4, 6, 11 / 2, 4, 6, 9 = $28.80
Race 1 – This is a confusing little 2-year-old race to start Friday (post time 4:45) but (2) BIG BIG PLANS looks likely with the class drop and move back to the Tapeta surface.(7) PURRSUADE ME won her maiden at this $25,00 claiming price and she has been meeting tougher on turf since then. (2) TABERNACLE added blinkers and won her maiden in her Woodbine debut for Mark Casse's team and now she is listed with Lasix. (1) FLAWLESS PINK won her debut but has trouble in stakes races since then; she drops in class.
Race 2- (1) DANCING DEREK has not been seen since December 2019 when claimed from another good run that a solid 2019 season. He has been given lots of time and as long as he does not get burned out in an early pace battle with Northern Crusader and others, he should be prominent at the finish. (5) TALL WATER was super in his maiden win last time and he is dangerous with his confidence high. (6) PAPA TONY landed at this $5,000 claiming level last time and led late and he has half a furlong less to negotiate. (9) GIANT ATTRACTION has been in good form since his maiden win at 5 furlongs for this claiming price.
Race 3- (7) KUDURO may be able to get his maiden win if this race stays on grass as he was second in a race like this two starts ago. (3) CURLIN'S THRILL has also been picking up shares in maiden races on turf and he drops in claiming price for a new owner/trainer. (5) AMERICAN DRIVEN has been second 5 times this year and has trouble holding his lead in his races. (4) I SEE THE STARS drops in class for his second career race and first for new trainer Rodney Barrow.
Race 4 –Take your pick in this maiden race for $5,000 claiming although (4) PRINZ OF VIOLENCE is hard to go past on the big drop and two fringe placings on turf. His dam's sire won 2 Breeders' Cup Classics. (7) SON OF MY FATHER ha run two identical races in succession as a front runner but missing by a head. (1) OPTIMYSTICAL was seemingly on the verge of winning maiden in the summer but he went off form. This is his first try at 1 1/16 miles and he might like it. (2) JORDANS WAY is dropping and switching back to the main track.
Race 5 – (6) BRING DA FUDGE was my pick first time out and she landed third at 5 to 1 in a race just like this one. (9) DISPENSE is low odds in the morning line as her workout times have been good and she is a Kentucky bred for owner Gabe Grossberg. (7) ARTIFICIAL ROSE races for owner/breeder Charles Hayden and she is well bred for turf and speed and has worked well for trainer Preston Ferris. (4) ROYAL CITY REIGN is by a champion 2-year-old and this gal's dam won 1
st time out in her career and also handled short distances as well as long and turf.
Race 6 – (6) PERFECT REVENGE may have finally found a spot that he can get his first win of the season after so many runs in graded stakes, turf, etc. He is in for just $10,000 claiming and can hit the mid 70s in a Beyer Figure here. (4) RANGER UP will be favoured as he drops sharply in class in his first outing at Woodbine after a season at Hastings on dirt. He is a pace threat. (11) TALLESTOFTHETALL ran so well on Queen's Plate day when third that it was surprising he bombed last time for $40,00 claiming. He gets a big class drop. (1) GREEN GROWTH continues to put in good workout times but he has not been able to stay the route distance.
Race 7 – (2) THE BOSS FACTOR is a tough one on the pace on the grass and he drops in class off a runner-up placing last time on this inner turf course. (4) ENGLISH ILLUSION will have to hurry as he cuts back from marathon distances but he gets some class relief. (6) KAIGUN won three straight at Fort Erie and this graded stakes winning millionaire returns to Woodbine turf for the first time since 2019.(9) PICADILLY BEAU had traffic trouble in his latest and he is a 4-year-old with room for improvement.
Race 8 – (9) FOUR KNIGHTS has been in super form all season and he was compromised last time when he was pushed out on the turn for home. He has never tried 7 furlongs but it looks like a good distance for him, (8) R U WATCHINGBUD is one of several tough 8-year-olds in the field and he turns back from a good effort in a route race and might be ready to break through for a win.(1) VICTOR'S DESTINY is very fast and this 7 furlong distance is a stretch for him but he may lead for a long time. The Martin Drxler pair of (11) CHIRICAHUA SIGNAL and (12) BADJEROS BOY can be used in exotics.
Photo by Mr. Will Wong
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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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