TAMPA BAY DOWNS FRIDAY, MAY 1st
BEST BETS:
Race 2: #3 LANGUE LIEE
Race 5: #7 ESTILO PELIGROSO
Bet Top Horse Win and Place each race.
Exacta Boxes with top 3 Horses.
Race 1: ROW THE BOAT has a high draw to overcome but today’s opposition looks pretty weak. He was having only his second start of the year when third here last month and that’s the best form on offer. Privilegio was still beaten a long way when finishing in the money over track and trip on his Dirt debut while Commander’s Intent drops in class and may finish closer. Prized Warrior is partnered by the track’s leading jockey today and Imperial Ivor is perhaps best of the rest. SELECTIONS: 9-7-3-1
WINNER PAID: $6.20
Race 2: LANGUE LIEE is one of the more exposed but has gone close over track and trip the last twice now and was beaten only a neck on her latest start. She finished in front of Koa Kani, who had earlier beaten Eartha when runner-up here while Explosive Package had the measure of Mi Tia Regis when returning a losing favourite at the track last time. Daresca placed in a more valuable claimer when last racing over 7f and could go well.
SELECTIONS: 3-9-1-2
WINNER PAID: $3.80
Race 3: The action turns to the Turf course with the Godolphin gelding TAOS likely to prove popular. Caught in the closing stages here in March having attempted to make all, Eoin Harty’s charge finished ahead of Drillomatic with Irish Expectations well behind and can go one better in this. Lord Dragon drops in class with Antonio Gallardo taking over the reins but has an outside draw and Lion Charmer may prove a bigger threat with a clear run having been hampered last time. SELECTIONS: 7-3-6-8
WINNER PAID: $4.80
Race 4: La Belle De Course posted her best effort so far when third over 6f here but had earlier finished behind DIAMOND NEWS. The latter will need to improve on her recent form but represents the meets leading trainer in Gerald Bennett and also has the measure of Countess Jessica and Charging Renee. My Sister’s Keeper never figured drawn wide at Parx when last in action but is the only one of these not available to claim while Channeled’s Angel and Golden Chance are recent maiden winners with the former preferred.
SELECTIONS: 5-7-8-1
WINNER PAID: $11.60 $5.60
Race 5: Both K’s Funhouse and City Guy will be sharper for recent comebacks but have been done no favours by the draw while Hellfire Bob will appreciate the return to Turf and is preferred to Buffalo Max and Valuable Pillow. But ESTILO PELIGROSO has improved for being gelded and stepped up in trip and he gets the vote to show further improvement having found only one too good over course and distance last time. SELECTIONS: 7-8-2-1
SECOND PLACE PAID: $10.20 $6.40
Race 6: Merengue disappointed last time having earlier finished runner-up over track and trip when well ahead of Strand De Oro while Scheming drops into a claimer on her reappearance and may finish closer. But this won’t take much winning and CATTLEYA gets the vote to make a winning debut for Darien Rodriguez’s in-form yard with Antonio Gallardo’s presence suggesting a big run is expected. She’s also preferred to fellow newcomers Cambio and Real Wild Solution. SELECTIONS: 9-6-1-7
Race 7: Igottawhiteface beat one of today’s reserves in Marmalade here in March but found another reserve in Shes Dynomite too good last time. The latter finished second ahead of Better Yet on that occasion while Barrel Of Destiny also beat Better Yet when scoring over track and trip last month and makes most appeal of the above. Colonels Daughter can do better back at this lower level but the same comment applies to HANIEL (NAP), who could only manage fourth over a longer trip in a handicap here last time but landed a double in this grade before that. SELECTIONS: 7-5-4-2
Race 8: Flighty Almighty and the reserve Fashion’s Star are imports from England debuting for new connections while Music Of Life is another reserve to note if making the line-up. Agi’s Cait is preferred to Stormy D at this level having gone close in allowance company recently while Designing drops in class and has the past form at Gulfstream to figure. But CONNECTIVITY won at both Belmont and Saratoga last year and with a outing at Fair Grounds in March under his belt, may prove good enough in an open contest.
SELECTIONS: 8-7-4-9
Oaklawn Park Friday May 1st
BEST BETS:
Race 2: #2 So Alive
Race 3: #7 THE MARY ROSE
Bet TOP Horse WIN And PLACE!
Exacta Boxes each race Top 3 Horses!
Race 1
MOONLIGHT TRAIN** won a $10,000 claiming race earlier in the meeting, and she did win all three of her sprint races last season at Remington. DESTINY’S LOVE has been a clear front-running winner of consecutive races, and she appears sharp enough to move up and contend. C P QUALITY rallied to second as a post-time favorite April 11, she owns competitive Beyer figures and is another with a late punch.
SELECTIONS: 4-9-6-2
Race 2
SO ALIVE** competed well in stronger second-level allowance races at Fair Grounds, and he drew an advantageous post and picks up a Hall of Fame rider. PRAETORIAN has been forwardly placed in three consecutive second-place finishes, and he has the talent but lacks some willingness to win. TEZ defeated allowance rivals just two races back at Delta, and he is dropping in price following a late-running fourth-place finish over this track.
SELECTIONS: 1-5-11-3
EXACTA PAID: $30.20
Race 3
THE MARY ROSE*** encountered minor traffic trouble in a clear second-place finish in the Rainbow Miss, and the class-dropper keeps high-percentage rider Martin Garcia. TOO PRETTY was pressured through fast fractions and kept on running in a deceptively strong two-turn maiden win, and the steadily improving filly may be an overlay. LIL TATER followed a 10-length maiden victory with a strong, fast-closing fifth-place finish at this level.
SELECTIONS: 7-8-10-2
Race 4
PARCHED** ships from Turf Paradise on the heels of a wire-to-wire victory against optional claiming rivals, and he is well-placed and strictly the one to catch. BUBBAS DIXIE was a four-length winner at today’s claiming price just two races back, and he rallied in a third-place finish against better April 4. HINTON finished second behind the top selection as an odds-on favorite, and he carries less weight with a winning apprentice rider aboard.
SELECTIONS: 11-1-6-14
WINNER PAID: $12.20 $5.60
EXACTA PAID: $40.00
Race 5
CROATIAN** was an entry-level allowance winner in December at Churchill, and he is finally back on a fast track after racing well against better in three local wet track races. DEGROM is taking a significant drop in price following a late-running third-place finish and has consistently earned the fastest recent Beyer figures, but he did draw a difficult post. MALIBU PRO was beaten only a length at this claiming price April 3, and he is racing for leading trainer Robertino Diodoro for the first time.
SELECTIONS: 6-12-3-1
Race 6
INIS GLUAIRE** is bred top and bottom to be a quality colt, and the $825k purchase has shown talent in two recent gate works at Keeneland. Furthermore, he seems to have drawn into an ordinary field. ONAWAY broke a tad slow in a fourth-place debut, and notice the top three finishers all came back to win their subsequent race. VASARIANO earned a competitive Beyer figure in a fifth-place debut at Santa Anita, and he is back sprinting after a disappointing two-turn effort.
SELECTIONS: 12-10-11-9
Race 7
11 MAN IN THE CAN- Won last out in a race that should have been won by a closer with the hot pace for the class level. Rosario returns on this mount for Ron Moquett and this young horse can improve a touch more to get to the winner’s circle. Facing older horses at this point of the year feels odd, but all of 2020 does. The lone 3-year-old on the day before the stars run- lets give MAN IN THE CAN his 4 minutes today.
SELECTIONS: 11-3-9
WINNER PAID: $11.80 $4.40
EXACTA PAID: $38.80
Race 8
QUICK DECISION** is unbeaten in her two-race career while showing excellent sprinters speed, and she has a pedigree to carry her speed this far. ANTOINETTE raced close to the pace when finishing third in a graded stake at Fair Grounds, and she may have needed the race after a freshening. COMICAL recorded Grade I placings last season in California, and she appears to be recapturing her form on the heels of a second-place tuneup over this track.
SELECTIONS: 6-10-8-3
Race 10
LA CHANCLA** followed a maiden win at Belmont with an allowance score at Saratoga last season, and she has trained impressively up to her 2020 unveiling. SPEND SPEND SPEND has not raced since last summer at Del Mar, but she owns the fastest Beyer figure and hails from a stable that excels with fresh runners. WHOLEHEARTED is back at Oaklawn after shipping to Will Rogers and winning a stake, and she is exceptionally consistent and talented enough to win.
SELECTIONS: 8-6-7-10
GULFSTREAM FRIDAY, MAY 1st
BEST BETS: (Bet 2x Normal Wager)
Race 7: #3 Awesome Party
Race 9: #1 Snap Hook
Bet TOP Horse Across the Board each race.
Bet Exacta Boxes on Top 3 Horses.
Race 2: Exchange Day has produced a couple of solid trials which should stand him in good stead. Chucky is speedily-bred and leading rider Emisael Jaramillo will make good use of the inside berth while trainer Gilberto Zerpa does very well with his juveniles here so Highly Noted looks well named. LUCKY AS A SEVEN is very speedily bred and has been showing up well for Wesley Ward, whose two-year-olds are always to be feared wherever they turn up. SELECTIONS: 2-7-1-5
EXACTA PAID: $29.40
Race 4: See The Pyramids is a very expensive purchase who has failed to sparkle on Turf but drops in grade and better will be expected on this surface. He had Voicesinthedarknez behind last time and can take care of that one again. BRAND has come up against much better opposition in his two starts to date and with progress expected and the perfect draw he can get off the mark. Hail Michigan is likely to lead after returning from a lay-off with a cracking effort over the track and trip though he’ll need to overcome an outside draw. SELECTIONS: 2-10-11-8
WINNER PAID: $6.40 $4.20
Race 5: Deckology scored over 5f here in January but hasn’t shown the necessary stamina over 7f and this trip in subsequent starts. Moon Pistol won over 6f back in October but weakened after showing good speed over this track and trip last month. The Zerpa barn has acquired Awesome Action after a fine effort when runner-up over the course and distance and it won’t be long before he’s paying his way while Starship Taxi, who was just behind in third, is usually thereabouts at this sort of level and should get competitive.
SELECTIONS: 9-12-1-5
WINNER PAID: $4.40 $3.00
EXACTA PAID: $19.20
Race 7: Todd Pletcher’s AWESOME PARTY cost a massive $700,000 being a son of the mighty Curlin. He’s taking a drop in grade after a moderate fourth at the trip last time and connections will be expecting a much better show. Shanghai Moon was also an expensive purchase and managed to get a second win under his belt on his penultimate start here, when he had Neverstopdreaming behind, before a poor effort on Turf. Chasing The Candy has the inside berth and the pace to get to the front early so it’s a question of whether he can hang on. Still Schemin is an improver judging by last month’s victory but has a bit more to do. SELECTIONS: 3-1-2-7
WINNER PAID: $6.80 $4.00
Race 8: High Noon Rider and Dalarna have been duelling for the past few weeks with the score 2-1 in the latter’s favour. He was on a four-timer when caught right on the line by Saffie Joseph’s charge last time and it’s virtually impossible to split the pair again though the former could just edge it. Delarma had Til The End and Flowmotion in the places earlier but the latter is now on a hat-trick after victories at a slightly lower level. Allurstra is also better known as a sprinter though managed to finish second on his only start over the trip so looks a threat. SELECTIONS: 2-4-1-3
EXACTA PAID: $18.80
Race 9: SNAP HOOK has been racing at a slightly higher level both on Turf and on the Dirt track. He generally shows good early pace and this looks a good opportunity. Strategic Outlook finished behind him over the track and trip in March and appears unlikely to turn the tables. Cowboy Bob created a real shock at a slightly lower grade last time but wouldn’t have to do much more to get into contention again. Congrats This got the race in the steward’s room last time and will need to step up at this slightly higher level but Beast Mode, who keeps changing barns, is well up to this grade having scored twice from six starts including here in January.
SELECTIONS: 1-3-2-7
Race 11: Beasaichi keeps moving barns as she did after finishing a close fourth here last time when MISS MY MACHO and Lady Noguez occupied the places. The selection scored over slightly further here in February and can return to winning ways. Reiterate is a sprinter who ran on the Dirt last time but had superior form in better company on the Turf earlier. She’s likely to take them on from her inside berth and it wouldn’t be a surprise if she hung on. Gea looked one to follow when scoring here in February but hasn’t shown the expected improvement. SELECTIONS: 4-1-9-11
WINNER PAID: $15.60 $7.40
EXACTA PAID: $82.80