RACE 1 - (6) RECORD YEAR had been struggling for a few starts so it's hard to say if last week's (upset) win was a result of a major form reversal, or if he just pounced on an opportunistic trip - he did rattle off 3 straight earlier this year, so a case can be made that he's ready to go back on another good form spree - since he'll be a decent price again, he's worth using on your tickets. (1) CONTROL TOWER continues to race well in whatever barn he lands in, and he'll move to yet another new one for tonight - draws best, and deserves plenty of respect...but he's also guaranteed to be overbet. (8) FOREVER FAV drops into a claimer after trailing all the way in last - if willing to just ignore that mile, most of his other recent efforts would give him a legitimate shot here - willing to include, assuming he's a good price from out here. (2) MIKES POWERHOUSE would have jogged 2 back (vs. 15s) if not for a terrible driving decision, then put in a decent move vs. the 20s last time before weakening late - at 15-1 ML, can't blame anybody looking to give him a shot. (3) KEEP COMING shows some good Canadian lines, but his barn has really been struggling since the start of the new year (last week's winner, notwithstanding) - wouldn't shock, but still sticking with others. (4) SO SO DE VIE has a couple of good recent NJ lines (including 2 wins) but all against cheaper - hard to say how well he'll fit here, or if he'll be as effective on the half-miler. (5) SOLID ASA ROCK AS perked up to beat a softer Fhd. field last time after a rough run of starts - maybe he's ready to go with these again too, but it would be hard to count on that. (7) LANAS DESIRE seemed like a risky claim 3 back for $15K...and seems even riskier for the $20K he was taken for last week - not a fan from Post 7
RACE 2 - (2) WALKINSHAW N had been in career (U.S.) form since the beginning of the year until that sick scratch on 3/29 - last week's effort did look good (from a no chance spot), and may be an indication that he's ready to resume that top form - gets a narrow nod in a field with a few very live players. (1) EHRMANTROUT has 3 wins and 2 seconds from his last 5 starts, and is pretty hard to fault - draws best, and belongs on your tickets. (5) SPEED MAN N was an "ugly" winner at 1/10 three back, just an "ok" 2nd in his next (no match at all for #1), but DID look excellent in last week's powerful, off the pace victory - when on his best game, this class is well within his comfort zone, and a repeat of last week's performance would give him a legitimate chance to repeat. (4) DENVER SEELSTER has hit board in an amazing 10 straight starts...but his only WIN during that period came from a pocket trip, in NW7500 - definitely seems a bit below the top ones here. (6) TOOKADIVEOFFDIPPER looked very good handling cheaper here 2 and 3 starts back, but wasn't nearly as good at Chester last week - draws outside a few sharp foes, and may have to settle for a minor piece tonight. (3) ESCAPETOTHEBEACH is 2 for 2 since shipping over from NJ but shows a couple of slow final quarters in both of those front end wins - will need to elevate his game considerably to have a chance for a top slot against this much tougher bunch. (7) MIGHTY SANTANA N was no match for #3 from the pocket last week and now lands Post 7, vs. a much tougher field - maybe 3rd
RACE 3 - Wide open: (4) TREASURE MACH has been very good recently, and was claimed the first time he dropped in for a tag - may end up tripping out from this spot, and returning quick dividends to his new connections. (2) MAGRITTE is a very tough call tonight - he had been razor sharp for weeks (months?), but hasn't clicked at all in his last 2 starts (since the most recent claim) - Stratton taking him tonight (over his brother's #5) could be a sign that a wake up call is coming - willing to give him a try, assuming the price is solid. (5) MARTY MONKHOUSER A gets Dunn tonight, as Stratton opts for #2 - he's been very good lately, and is a legitimate threat tonight with any kind of trip luck. (1) UPTOWN FUNK elevated his game from 12.5s to 30s after moving to the barn of his young conditioner - has been doing good work in PA, but doesn't show any recent WINS, and is also a bit of a question mark on the half - we'll learn more tonight (3) ROCK THE NIGHT got it done at 2/5 in his 2nd try for a new barn but it was vs. cheaper, and it wasn't too "pretty" - might be able to repeat, but don't take a similarly short price tonight. (6) BAKERSFIELD steps up off a pair of sharp efforts, but the outside draw figures to hurt his chance this week - maybe a smaller piece? (7) TWIN B SPEEDO draws outside several main contenders for his new connections and his young pilot seems damned if he leaves, and damned if he doesn't - the ability is certainly there, but the trip may do him in tonight. (8) CLASSIC PRO may not be able to ever get into the mix from out here.
RACE 4 - MGM Borgata Pacing Series Eligibles: (2) NONE BETTOR A disappointed in a big way in the first leg when he fell apart in the lane as the 2/5 choice - ended up parked the mile in his next start, then got too hot on the lead in his last, seeing his big lead dwindle before tiring to 6th in the stretch - clearly hard to back right now with any real conviction, but this IS the easiest field he's faced, and he may be able to wire these...if able to relax a bit more on the front end tonight. (1) IDEAL JIMMY might have been right there 2 back had he ducked inside rather than outside (and into traffic), but then he just wasn't sharp off a sit in trip in last - he's a tough one to predict from week to week but he MAY land on a two hole trip here...and that would give him a chance if he shows up on his "A Game" tonight. (5) JESSE DUKE N never looked right in the first leg (racing off the layoff) but seemed to be sharpening nicely across the river after that...until throwing a clunker last week - willing to forgive that start and look for a quick rebound, but definitely not interested if the price is too short. (7) NO EASY DAY would be getting much more consideration if he hadn't drawn so poorly...of course, at 15-1 ML he's certainly worth at least a look, hoping for some trip luck (3) WINDSUN RICKY should be feeling pretty good about himself after last week's blowout, but this is a big step up - ok for a piece, but sticking with others for the top spot. (4) YAYAS HOT SPOT A followed "ok" in a couple of legs but he's struggled even against much cheaper lately - barn has been going through a disastrous run since early March, and it's hard to endorse this guy right now. (6) AMERICAN MERCURY just gave way and stopped to a crawl last week - hard to hop on his bandwagon off that effort.
RACE 5 - Blue Chip Matchmaker Consolation: (1) and (1A) compromise a pretty strong entry here, with either mare having a shot to take this - SOHO BURNING LOVE A was disappointing in the 2nd leg then scratched sick the next week...but returned with a solid try in the final leg, and figures to get a nice trip tonight - Tetrick is back on board, and a strong effort is expected. KEEP ROCKIN A rallied for 3rds in her first two series efforts - tried it on the front end in her next start, but gave way and just came to a stop, clearly with some sort of issue - hard to know how quickly she can rebound from that mile but it's a good sign to see her back in the box in just 2 weeks, and her connections wouldn't be entering if they didn't think she was ready to go - the other half of the strong entry. (3) MACZAFFAIR N dropped out of the series after 3 legs to try her luck with a bit cheaper...and proceeded to stop completely at 3/4s and finish up the track - qualified back nicely on Lasix and should be fine here...but her excellent barn is in the midst of an incredible slump right now (2 for 53 here since 3/1), and it's hard to bet any of their horses at a short price at the moment. (2) PARISIAN BLUE CHIP had some issue here on 3/26 as she just backed through the field that night - returned with a nice qualifier last week, has the rail tonight, and should be able to at least be in play for a piece of this. (5) BETTORS HEART N disappointed throughout the series - skipped the final week and resurfaces on Lasix tonight....but would still like to see a better mile out of her before endorsing. (7) DBLDELITEBRIGADE N looked good in her first couple of local starts but her last prep before the series wasn't as sharp, and she disappointed (for the most part) in her 4 series tries - would have been more interested in giving her a look here if not for the terrible draw. Neither (4) KAITLYN N nor (6) ALII NUI seem good enough right now to contend for anything more than a very minor share
RACE 6 - MGM Borgata Pacing Series Consolation: (7) LET IT RIDE N wasn't "bad" in his last pair... but since he was undefeated in the U.S. prior to those starts, they were certainly viewed as a major disappointment - figures to be a pretty fair price tonight because of the draw, and it's probably not a bad week to give him a shot...hoping there's at least some pace up front to set up his potent late kick. (3) SAN DOMINO A wired a weaker division in the first leg of the series, grabbed a pocket 2nd to LEONIDAS A the next week, rallied nicely for 3rd after that, but was left with no chance in his last when WESTERN JOE stalled right in front of him on the final turn - expect a big effort from this spot, with a very legit chance at the top prize. (4) OSTRO HANOVER has been 3rd or 4th every week, and generally racing ok each time - avoids a few of the big guns tonight, and definitely could race better than his 12-1 ML price would suggest. (1) WESTERN FAME (2019 Levy Champ) struggled through the first 4 legs and didn't look particularly good in a few of them - moved to new connections for his last and the effort was much better - we'll see if he can build off that from this excellent starting spot. (2) MACS JACKPOT has been racing "ok", picking up a series of smaller pieces - the good draw will give him a shot to do that once again. (5) SEMI TOUGH raced better than expected in week 1 and was pretty good the next leg too - wasn't quite as sharp in his last pair, though, and seems destined for another smaller piece tonight. (6) RAUKAPUKA RULER N was able to grab a pair of 2nds when he worked out pocket trips but that scenario seems unlikely from Post 6 - leaning towards others here. (8) SHERIFF N was a close 3rd when he had the rail 2 starts back but his other tries would make him highly unlikely from all the way out here.
RACE 7 - Blue Chip Matchmaker Final: (2) SIESTA BEACH was claimed here at Yonkers for $20K back on Sept. 24th and immediately started to blossom for her current connections - has gone few (if any) "bad" miles since then, and now finds herself with a chance to take this year's Matchmaker Final - she's been handled very conservatively all through the series legs but is capable of roughing it a bit more, if necessary - she's always very strong at the end of her miles- if she's close when they turn for home, she has a chance for an upset tonight. (3) BLUE IVY arrived from Ohio and quickly demonstrated that she does indeed belong with these - has been "good" or "very good" in all 5 legs (3 wins, 2 seconds), and has the ability to race well from either on OR off the pace - very legitimate threat here. (6) ALEXA SKYE has been on a form spree seemingly forever, and will be the deserving favorite here - after missing by a nose here on 2/25 (after a private purchase), she rattled off 4 easy wins in her series legs, all in wire to wire fashion - she's not really the fastest leaver, though, and won't get a "free pass" to the front end this time - she's still capable of winning with even a tough trip....but from a wagering standpoint, there may be some better value with a couple of others. (1) MACHNHOPE came into the series sharp and continued to thrive in all 4 legs she raced in - she's not as handy as a couple of the others, but she's very capable when the trip goes her way - not impossible. (5) SNOBBYTOWN was freshened up for this series and raced well all the way through it - she does seem a notch below a couple of the others, though, and may have to settle for a smaller prize tonight (but this barn can never be counted out, as we've witnessed for years). (4) MONICA GALLAGHER is definitely a bit below the top ones, but a ground saving trip may help her squeeze out a minor share. (7) CAVIART CHERIE was 2nd or 3rd in all 5 legs, but was helped immensely by a series of good posts and up close trips - won't have that luxury tonight, and it'll probably cost her significantly. (8) MY RUEBE STAR N is the outsider, both literally and figuratively - hard to see her reaching from Post 8
RACE 8 - MGM Borgata Pacing Series Final - should be an incredible race! (5) WESTERN JOE has appeared hopeless heading into the final turn each of the last 3 weeks...and gone home with two wins, and a fast closing 2nd - he does figure to try to blast hard from this spot (which can either help OR hurt his chances), but he may be the sharpest of all right now, and Dunn certainly knows not to ever give up on him, even if he seems to be struggling - gets the narrow vote to win the $514K Final. (7) LEONIDAS A ended 2020 with a 1:48 win in The Potomac, and is a perfect 5 for 5 in 2021 - he'll surely be coming from well back this week, but he's shown that he actually PREFERS to race that way - it'll be a rare chance to get a good price with him...and not a bad idea to take it. (8) THIS IS THE PLAN is one of many razor sharp players in here, but obviously he'll need some major trip luck to overcome Post 8 - the guess is that he'll probably end up parked the whole way, but hopefully without being used too hard, and following live cover - if he's a big price, don't let him beat you. (2) HESA KINGSLAYER N couldn't have landed on 3 more perfect trips than he did in the first 3 legs, and he easily cashed in on all of them - the issue tonight is that he MAY end up trapped (and shuffled) from this spot, and it's hard to predict what type of trip he'll land on - he's more than talented enough to beat these if things go his way...but you'd want a decent price to take a shot with him tonight, and I'm not sure if you'll get it. (1) ROCKAPELO is a fast horse for sure, but it's his "class" that will be called into question here - the rail draw may put him under the gun to just blast hard and hope for the best, but he may not be good enough to wire these under those circumstances - wouldn't shock, but leaning towards others. (4) LYONS STEEL does have one good move in him - under the right scenario, he can be charging late for a piece, at a big price...but he'll need lots of racing luck. (6) BACKSTREET SHADOW is hard to fault, coming into tonight with 2 wins and 2 seconds from his 4 series efforts - the problem for him will be the draw, and the possibility of landing on a very difficult trip - definitely prefer others, but it would never be shocking to see this classy 6YO in the winner's circle. (3) MACH N CHEESE has been solid the last few weeks but this is a very tough field, top to bottom - very difficult assignment
RACE 9 - (5) KEEP ON ROCKING A shipped in sharp from Rosecroft and has only gotten even sharper since arriving here in Feb. - charged home for 2nd from a very tough spot in last (to #7), but hopefully McCarthy will be more aggressive with him tonight - solid chance if he lands on a decent trip. (6) PYRO seemed repelled at the top of the lane last week but kept on digging and was right there 2nd at the wire - has gone some big miles here this year, and is another that can be very dangerous with a kind journey. (7) TWIN B TUFFENUFF was able to overcome the outside post assignment last week (to win his 2nd in a row) but it'll be that much harder to do it again tonight - can still grab a good piece even with a tougher trip, but prefer a couple of others for the stop slot this week. (2) THE REAL ONE seemed to be back on a major upswing before coming up a bit dull (moving up) last week - we'll see if he can stay a bit closer and have more of an impact here. (4) HERRICKROOSEVELT N was in the bottom class just 4 starts ago, but a trio of wins has elevated him all the way to the top class for tonight - can see him rallying for a small share, even at this level. (3) REDBANK BLAZE A has been very good for some time, but probably needs a bit easier to be a more serious player - minor piece only. (1) NOCTURNAL BLUE CHIP hasn't been down here since 2019, and this level may be a bit too ambitious for him....especially having been off for 3 weeks - the rail assignment will help, but would still prefer to watch a start before hopping on his team
RACE 10 - (5) ARTIES IDEAL isn't always the most reliable horse on the planet but when he's good, he's more than capable of beating these - will appreciate dropping out of the Borgata Series to face this much softer bunch, and he definitely deserves the nod in the finale. (1) CHRISTEN ME N was a dead game winner one level down 3 starts back - just never looked comfortable in the pocket in his next, then was shuffled into oblivion in his last - expecting a much better, no excuse performance tonight. (4) CAN BE PERFECT has been incredibly consistent for months, and is an excellent fit with these - has a shot to win with the right trip, and should be able to grab a nice chunk even with a difficult journey. (3) MACHIATTO A finished with very good pace for 3rd last week, and has been doing good work most weeks for some time - include underneath in exotics. (8) MIKES Z TAM is back on his game, and would surely have been rated higher if not for drawing Post 8 - hard to say how aggressively he'll be handled from out here. (2) BETTOR THAN SPRING was able to survive at 2/5 in his YR return, but wasn't overly impressive - came up empty moving up in class last week, and will need to be a lot sharper if he hopes to be any kind of serious player tonight. (7) YANKEE OSBORNE returns off a pair of good looking front end wins at Chester, but faces much tougher here and from an outside post - not sure how involved he can get from this spot. (6) TALBOTCREEKWHISKEY is off his game and up much higher in class than he prefers - wait for some better form....and a class drop.