Best Bet – (5) TWIRLING FAITH – Race 10
Spot Play – (4) HALLIE'S HERO – Race 5
Want to play the Pick 4? Late Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 9-12): 7, 8 / 2, 5, 8 / 3, 4, 5, 10 / 3, 4, 8 13 = $18.20
Race 1 – (6) LORENA could be any kind of filly after that debut win in November when she took off and scored by more than seven lengths. Gary Boulanger returns to riding off a lengthy injury time.(2) MEET THE SOPRANO has made her presence known all spring with her workout times. She makes her first start for trainer Mark Casse and is an inside speed prospect in this big field. (7) DEJAS TOO, owned and bred by Josie Carroll and Donver Stable, edged Meet the Soprano for second place in the South Ocean Stakes last fall as she too was improving with every outing. (9) LIVIN IN THE SIX is a 4-year-old against mostly younger gals and she won her maiden impressively last summer in her second start before not a bad outing in the Grade 3 Selene. She has been away for 11 months.
Race 2 – (3) PRINCESS FABIANA won her first two starts of 2020 off a long layoff and one came at five furlongs. (6) GRATEFUL PRAISE won two of her last three races of 2020 and she ran in fast times. (8) AIRY FAIRY prefers grass but is dropping in class for this 6-year-old debut and she has enough back class to warrant a look. (9) LEON AZUL ended last year with a 25 to 1 upset win when returning to Woodbine and she has never lost in 3 outings on the Tapeta. Consider (4) LENCHES GIMME who is a five furlong specialist who had a productive year in 2020 at Fort Erie. She also started last season at Woodbine with three good efforts.
Race 3- The first 2-year-old race of the season is for fillies at 4 1/2 furlongs so I will look at pedigrees and connections. (9) CHA came up with some horses for ace juvenile trainer Wesley Ward and she is from the first crop of Mohaymen, an undefeated, Grade 2 winning juvenile who has had a debut winner from his first 6 starters. (2) BID ONCE worked 2 furlongs in April at the Ocala sale in a sizzling 21 1/5. She is a full sister to the impressive debut winner of 2020 California Lily, who is in race 7, the Star Shoot Stakes. (5) MIZ GEMMA has had a number of good workout times for trainer Ralph Biamonte who is a good hand with young horses. (7) LIGHTNING ALLEY is bred for grass and more distance but trainer Barb Minshall had a good year in 2020 with juveniles. Also consider Mark Casse owned and trainer (8) SOL DORADO.
Race 4– The first leg of the Pick 4 is an evenly matched turf sprint at the starter/optional class. (5) HALLIE'S HERO looks inviting off his Woodbine debut last November when third in a longer race on the inner turf. He has had some pleasing workout times for trainer Richie Morden. (9) MARTEN RIVER is the speed of the race and he won at seven furlongs on turf last summer. He goes as fast as he can and hopes not to get hooked and he may be tough to catch. (3) LETTHEBIGHOSSROLL was not far behind Marten River in that turf sprint win and he can rally for a share. (13) KITTEN'S SOLUTION has a wide post but is an honest type who ended last year with a big effort in a fast turf sprint for trainer Martin Drexler.
Race 5 – (5) AVIE'S SKY, a half sister to stakes placed Avie's Samurai, is a 5-year-old maiden who has not raced since 2019 but she has shown plenty of ability in five races. If the Ivan Dalos – Josie Carroll team are going on with this gal, she must have at least a maiden win in her. (2) POLAR APPEAL had two good runs as a juvenile for the Ulwellings and Kevin Attard and she has been busy getting ready since the winter. (1) STEAL MY SUNSHINE is a fast miss from the Wesley Ward barn who tries Tapeta for the first time. Owner/trainer Nick Nosowenko has a pair who look good: (11) TWISTER ALERT was improving quickly last year and the beginner (9) BEAT THE SYSTEM is from the family of undefeated champion Personal Ensign and this gal has worked fast.
Race 6- Another field of maidens and these are fillies going seven furlongs on Tapeta. (1) HARVEST has the rail post for her debut but is by a high percentage debut sire in Street Sense and her half brother The Connector is a very fast stakes placed sprinter on turf. Josie Carroll has had this one working steadily all spring. (11) EMMALINE was third in the prestigious Princess Elizabeth Stakes in her third race as a juvenile and just needs more finishing power this year to be a good one. (7) AMALFI SKY, a half sister to graded stakes winner Amalfi Coast, was fourth in a key race first time out last summer. (5) HARD STREET worked quickly for a juvenile sale last year and is a half sister to Avie's Sky, a runner on today's card and stakes placed Avie's Samurai.
Race 7 –The $125,000 Star Shoot Stakes kicks off the stakes schedule for 2021 and trainer Mark Casse has four of the eight entrants and each one is going on Lasix. One of them is (4) POLYANTHUS who had a sensational winning debut June 13, 2020 when she beat eventual stakes winner Dreaming of Drew. She has been away a long time but has had powerful workout times and jockey Kazushi Kimura may have had other options. (7) DRUNK DIAL won her career debut in November when favoured and she was very impressive, especially putting up an 80 Beyer Speed Figure. If you want more experience from your pick, (2) LA LIBERTEE is in from New York for Casse and she had a very wide rally in a Grade 3 on grass last time and could come flying and (1) SWEET SOUPER SWEET is unbeaten on Tapeta including her maiden win here.
Race 8 – We get an early look at some Queen's Plate eligibles in this 1 1/16 mile allowance/optional race. (6) TIDAL FORCES was impressive winning his debut at Gulfstream at nine furlongs on grass, racing greenly but winning in determined fashion. I see him tracking the pace of his stablemate Tio Magico who has the rail post. Trainer Kevin Attard has a pair who are contenders: ( (5) KEEP GRINDING won his maiden in his third outing of 2020 with a solid 76 Beyer Speed Figure and newcomer (8) HARLAN ESTATE was fifth in a stakes race at Santa Anita on turf in February and the winner Rock Your World came back to win the Santa Anita Derby. (1) TIO MAGICO is the speed in the field and after a rough winter he gets back on his favourite surface.
Race 9 – This is the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs and trainer Josie Carroll guided (8) BOARDROOM to a super first campaign last year and this impressive gal had bad luck in her only two losses. She adds Lasix and has speed to run at. (7) ARTIE'S PRINCESS was the 2020 Champion Female Sprinter as she won the Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes in her finale, just holding off Boardroom. (5) GOLDEN AMI is another Carroll trainee who was sensational in her lone Woodbine outing last fall and she gets blinkers and is fast. (1) AMALFI COAST wants more distance but she is a classy mare who should be closing ground.
Race 10 – (5) TWIRLING FAITH had fun in the sun in Florida as she won two races, one in a dead heat, and while she was claimed from her latest, she was bought back privately after the race. She should be able to track the outside speed and pounce at this 5 1/2 furlong distance. (2) MUCHACHA had two big efforts as a juvenile last year behind good winners (including eventual stakes winner Boardroom). She was taking an edge in her maiden win for $50,000 claiming at Churchill Downs last month. (8) FEELING FUNNY is very quick and went out a winner in 2020. (1) WEST PAW has won first time out the last two seasons and is a longshot play for superfectas.
Race 11 – (3) UNION COLONEL has had a few chances at his maiden win and he has come close. He was claimed last fall by the Don MacRae barn and he returns with blinkers and has been gelded. There are many quick maidens in this five furlong dash and he has speed and late power. (4) CELEBRATORY almost won his maiden June 7 last year on turf and ended his season with a good effort on Tapeta. The Colebrook Farms runners have been very ready. (10) HALF LIT is by the high percentage sire of debut winners, Reload, and he has been working quickly for trainer Michelle Love. (5) TOTAL DESTRUCTION has been away one year for Sam-Son Farms but drops in class and interestingly, the third place finisher from his last appearance, Mystic Guide, won the Dubai World Cup this year.
Race 12 – The final race is a maiden dash on turf and (3) WIDE AWAKE has been entered for grass a couple of times in her career by trainer Martin Drexler and has yet to get to run on it. She is strong bred for turf and has come close to winning her maiden on Tapeta. She must guard from making her move too early. (13) ROOKIE GIRL drops in class for her opener she was not far beaten against the boys in her turf sprint finale. (8) CANDY'S DREAM was arguably best in her season debut in 2020 in a turf sprint but had too much trouble and just missed. She could not capitalize the remainder of the year and Andrew Smith is her third trainer. (4) RUM RAISIN debuted in a grass sprint last summer and was second in a good effort. She has had many good workout times. Also consider (5) REIGN BY REIGN for exotic bets; is bred for the grass on both sides of her pedigree. She was training in Kentucky this spring.
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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 Mr. Will Wong
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