Best Bet – (10) MUCHACHA – Race 7
Spot Play - (8) STARONTHEHORIZON – race 10
Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 4-7) - 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 / 2, 4, 6 / 2, 3, 8 / 2, 3, 7, 10 = $36.00
Late Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 7 – 10) – 2, 3, 7, 10 / 4, 6 / 3, 4, 6, 9 / 5, 8, 11 = $19.20
Race 1 – It is best to excuse the last race of (1) VEIL who had a poor start, sped to chase the leaders and then was dragged back to last and then she could not recover. She is quick enough to stay in range of the hot speedsters in this field and should mow them down. (3) SWEET YARE N DIRA is a turf sprint specialist and won her local debut against much easier but she flaunted big speed. (5) FACT CHECKING rarely runs a bad race and she had some traffic trouble last time. (6) SUMMERLAND, a BC champion as a 2-year-old is quick and comes off a layoff for trainer Phil Hall. She
Race 2- (9) TAKE IT EASY is the quickest of the speed and she picked up where she left off in 2019 with a win and she also moves back to the main track.There is loads of speed in this 5 1/2 furlong Tapeta dash, a starter/optional claiming race that could press the pick and perhaps (2) HEART RUSH can double up from her season opener which she won handily on the turf. She has been in the top three 9 times in 10 Tapeta starts. (1) MAKE NO MISTAKE won a short dash on the Tapeta to begin the year and she is in good form. (8) TIZ PRICELESS is 3 for 7 on the main track at Woodbine and makes the third start of the year which could be a peak effort.
Race 3 – (6) DREAMING OF DREW is a nice 2-year-old prospect for Hoolie Racing and her career debut was super as she finished a good second to a Mark Casse trainer. Even more impressive was her workout in company on July 11, half a mile in 46 3/5. (4) CARPE HORSESHOE is from the Gary Barber/Mark Casse team and while a vet scratch June 13, she has shown a lot of workouts since March and has posted some good clockings. (8) MORE SAVVY was also second in her career debut, well; clear of the third horse in a slightly slower race. (3) MARTINA'S GALS is by a sire who won his juvenile debut and the mare was a winner as a 2-year-old also.
Race 4 – The Pick 4 begins with a big field of maidens going just 5 furlongs on the grass so you want want to use a few gals in this field. (7) CORA has to be considered purely on her grass workout on July 5, half a mile in a mind-boggling 45 flat. Hopefully she did not leave her race in that workout and she really finished well in her debut on the main track. (11) LA BESTIA is a nice one. She debuted in a turf sprint but hopped up at the start and she came very wide for a fifth place finish. (9) REVIVALIST was well be in her debut on the main turf course a6 furlongs and she led late and landed third. (4) TWOMANYSHOTS had a messy outing to begin her season June 27 and note she was favoured for that race.
Race 5 – There are several QUEEN'S PLATE prospects in this field at 1 1/16 miles and all eyes will be on (4) CLAYTON to see if he can continue to impress. A debut winner with an 88 Beyer Figure last year, he had a very messy return to the races when he was very green but he galloped out strongly. He is bred to handle the distance. (6) SEE FOREVER may be a sleeper from the Mike Keogh barn. His full brother Megagray looked like a nice Plate prospect a few years ago before getting injured. (2) ELUSIVE KNIGHT remains a top Plate contender as he seems to like a route distance and he was recently a close second behind an older horse in his season debut. (3) AUBURN HILLS is a front runner who was just behind Elusive Knight last time.
Race 6 – (2) MISS BOBBIT chased a hot pace in her latest at 5 furlongs on turf and stalled but she meets easier and Rafael Hernandez, the leading rider, has been lured. Trainer Gord Colbourne sent out a $90 winner Friday. (8) LET'S HAVE FUN gets blinkers and is super form. She deserves another shot on the turf. (3) SPANISH BALLERINA is very quick and coming off her maiden win on the Tapeta. She moves back to the turf for this 5 furlong dash and should be prominent all the way. (4) SECRET ARCHANGEL won her maiden on June 8 at Laurel Park in a turf sprint for Ontario owner Ian de Souza and US trainer Michael Trombetta.
Race 7- The Late Pick 4 begins here and this is a wonderful maiden race for fillies. (10) MUCHACHA was almost stopped cold along the inside midway through her debut outing, a race won by a very impressive debut runner. This Minshall/Lunsford bred gal has come back with a very fast workout. (5) WIDE AWAKE hopped at the start of her debut last fall, was in traffic to the turn and then battled on for third behind a winner who came back to score again in allowance company. (2) TIZ AFFAIR is one of a pair of Mark Casse trainees and this one is a 4-year-old who tries Tapeta for the first off good workouts. The other Casse gal is (3) OUR SECRET AGENT who has been in the top three in all four races in the U.S.
Race 8- The Grade 3 Trillium Stakes for older fillies and mares brings together many who have been racing on the turf and now will move to Tapeta. (4) THEODORA B. Is a consistently good Ghostzapper mare for Augustin Stables and she travels well and rarely runs a bad one. She came to Woodbine last fall for the 10 furlong Maple Leaf and led late and this 1 1/16 mile distance is much better for her. (6) PAINTING has a big chance to win her first stakes race as she stretches out to a route distance for the first time off a big rally in the Whimsical in her season debut. (2) AMALFI COAST handles the Tapeta well and this is her third race of the year (her first was really troubled) so she could have a peak effort. (1) SOUPER ESCAPE is 1 for 1 on Tapeta as she won the La Lorgnette here last fall.
Race 9 – This is the Grade 2 Royal North at 6 furlongs on turf and I will take a flyer with (9) CHARMAINE'S MIA who is stakes placed sprinting on this turf course and only this year has started to have a steady diet of grass racing. A career best run on turf in Florida 2 starts ago qualifies her as a major player if she can avoid getting burned out in a speed duel. (3) SUMMER SUNDAY won this race last year, her only other try on the turf and she is set to move forward from her return outing when 3
rd in the Whimsical on Tapeta. (6) EYEINTHESKY is a multiple stakes winner sprinting on the grass, toss her last 2 starts on soft turf and at 1 mile. (4) ANOTHER TIME is also entered in the Trillium Stakes on the main track but she is a super turf sprinter.
Race 10 – (8) STARONTHEHORIZON gets a big class drop for her 3-year-old debut and she sprinted well in her career debut last summer. (11) O LA LA will add blinkers for her third career race and she led for half of her latest and dips in class. (5) BOATLOADOFNERVE has worked fast for her return to Woodbine and many will be cheering for this gal's co-owner April LeBlanc who is recovering from a serious track injury. (6) SARARENDA makes the often key third- start off the layoff, drops in class and should be along for a share.
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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