Best Bet - (3) HEAVY DUDE E - Race 7
Spot Play - (5) DANDY IDEA – Race 3
20-Cent Pick 5 - Race 1: 2,8/4,6,7/5/1,2,6/1,4,8 = $10.80
20-Cent Early Pick 4 - Race 3: 5/1,2,6/1,4,8/3 = $1.80
20-Cent Late Pick 4 - Race 8: 2,4/2,9/1,2,3/3,4,5,7 = $9.60
Race 1 – (2) JMR MACH MEL was a pick of mine last week and proved she could handle the layoff by going right to the lead. Her speed figures are up to par with this class. (8) LYDIAS LIBERTY has to deal with an outer post draw for the first time of late. That eye popping 1:53.4 mile will garner some backers and she does get class relief tonight. (5) LAND OF PARADISE is one of the two deep closers in the field. She shouldn’t mind the draw and likes to pass horses.
Race 2 – (4) ALVIN BRICKROCK faces tougher tonight - according to the Trackmaster class rating - for trainer Carmen Auciello. This colt by Bettor’s Delight has a lot of speed, and he should be up to the task. (7) SIGHTS ON YOU has won two straight at Exhibition Raceway prior to this start. New trainer Terry Gallant has a tall order from the outside, but he hits the board at a 32% clip when racing up in class. Not going to count this gelding out at a price. (6) SPORTS CORP adds Travis Henry to the sulky tonight, which is a key driver change.
Race 3 - (5) DANDY IDEA handled the layoff well earlier this year, so this layoff shouldn’t hamper her chances tonight. Trainer Bob McIntosh is a 26% winner when entering first off the layoff. (1) LITTLE MARY enters for new trainer Michael Salis coming from the barn of Carmen Auciello. Hoping the trainer change will help her improve against easier tonight. (6) WOODMERE ROLLILY gets Kelly back in the sulky who clearly made a difference for this mare last week. She could be a major player against this group.
Race 4 – (2) SPORTS BLISS returns to Grand River following a decent effort here last time out. He faces tougher, but I think his versatility could shine through here. (6) FAVARO SEELSTER needed that start last week and just got slightly leg weary in the end of the mile. The gelding by Control The Moment should be better tonight. (1) SEIZE CONTROL was parked the mile last week and just couldn’t rebound off of that trip. Will definitely be looking for more from the rail.
Race 5 - (1) SAULSBROOK RAVEN has a one up on the rest of the horses in the field not having had the time off that most of the others did. I think she scores easily here. (4) BIG DIAMOND finally gets a decent post draw against slightly easier company. She has speed and should be able to make the front from here. (8) STONEBRIDGE DRAMA gets Coulter back in the bike tonight after a game victory last time out.
Race 6 – (3) HOLD THUMBS N is a 21% winner when facing tougher for trainer Jean Rene Plante. He garners an inside draw with a good amount of speed; he should excel in his first trip over the Grand River surface. (4) HARPERS HAT TRICK is another newcomer to Grand River who was racing well prior to the break and has the speed figures to match this class. (5) MR JOHN will look to make it two-in-a-row from mid-pack. (9) THE DEVIL YOU KNOW doesn’t seem to mind the second tier, and for the second week in a row he won’t be following speed. He will be a part of the ticket. (6) SLATE N picks up another new driver in his fourth pari-mutuel start in Canada.
Race 7 - (3) HEAVY DUDE E won easily at Sarnia in the first start of his career from post seven. He has a lot of speed and will be very tough to beat tonight. (5) HOROSCOPE has only one start on the Grand River surface and that was in a qualifier. He has been racing well stateside for trainer Wayne Henry. (6) GQ MAGIC looks to drop and pop for trainer Luc Blais off a really good qualifier.
Race 8 - (4) DREAMFAIR TECATE gets over the Grand River racetrack very well; that was a big mile last week coming from the second tier with a lot of ground to make up. I expect him to continue to improve this week. (2) BETTORS MARK won two of his first three starts after the December layoff, so the time off should be no issue for trainer Clint Treen. He is a speedy gelding by Bettors Delight, look for him to be rolling early. (5) CAL HANOVER raced a lot better than the line showed last week only losing about two lengths through the whole mile. He is worth a look underneath.
Race 9 - (2) TWIN B POWERBALL proved that the layoff was no issue for him last week. Tonight, he steps up to face slightly tougher. Trainer Richard Moreau is a 10% winner over a 332 start period when moving up in class. Trainer Blake MacIntosh is another who does well with horses stepping up in class, so it's no wonder that I’m using (9) LIL RED SPORTSSTAR underneath. The first start off the layoff was very good and he just needed a tightener. Look for him to be better here. (5) TWO FOR TRIPPING is a speedy gelding by Sportswriter, if he can stay out of trouble, I respect him in the exotics.
Race 10 - It’s hard to know what a horse will do after not having raced in two to three months. I think (3) ACE BI needed that start at Mohawk last week, but it was a very tough trip considering the time off. Trainer Jacques DuPont steps back in class tonight and is a 25% winner when doing this with his horses. (2) WISHYOUDTELLME gets Sorrie back in the sulky tonight off a very big effort last week. That was some trip being parked the mile and still managing to hold onto second. Expect an easier effort tonight. (1) KASHE clearly did not handle the time off that well during the last break, I’m hoping she will bounce back better this go around.
Race 11 - (5) ST LADS BEAT IT has been known to show speed against tougher before. Tonight, he will leave from mid-pack against a pretty solid group. Haughton has gotten along well with this gelding; I like him from this spot. (7) CAPTAIN RAY is another speedy gelding by Captaintreacherous who knows how to flash speed, but can also close from off the place. The outside draw isn’t that concerning to me, look for him to be on the scene late. (3) DREAMING OUT LOUD has not missed the board at Grand River in his career. He draws well and the addition of Carroll seems to have been a positive one. (4) DOC FANELLI gets some much-needed post relief tonight following a big effort in his last start. He could be a major player tonight. (8) TO JENNIFERSCREDIT could make things interesting underneath, even with the outside post draw.
*
Michael Carter is the co-host of Post Time with Mike and Mike and also is one of the USTA Social Media/Publicity Coordinators. Carter got his start in the sport from going to the track with his father. Carter is the former announcer at Buffalo Raceway and worked at Northfield Park prior to working at the USTA. - JJ Zamaiko Photo
More Top Racing Headlines