RACE 1 - Tough opener on a card with several other difficult races! (6) MACH DORO A returned from a
3 month layoff to come up 2nd best to SHARK PLAY, a dominant winner making his first start for our
leading trainer - now THIS guy joins that same outstanding barn, and a big effort is expected....he'll likely
be overbet from a tough spot, though. (4) OURRHYTHMNBLUES N came to life with a big 18-1 wake up
call win back on 2/24 - took his next as well, before coming up 2nd best in his last pair - he's obviously in
top form, but might benefit from a pocket trip tonight (after cutting the mile the last 4 weeks) - major player
(2) MIKEY CAMDEN drew inside in only 2 of his last 6 starts and picked up a win and a 2nd those weeks
- he'll be a nice price here, and not a bad value horse to at least consider. (8) CHANGE STRIDE N was
moved to one of the sharpest trainers around back on 1/31 and hasn't gone a bad mile since - IF Kakaley
can somehow find him a "reasonable" trip from out here, he'd have a chance to land somewhere on the
ticket...at a nice price. (1) LOVE THE BLUES N was a 15 last fall but a string of sharp effort has seen him
climb up to the 40s - he hasn't raced in 4 weeks, however, and it's hard to know how sharp he'll be here. (3)
SHERIFF N barely beat the 25s two back and was all out to dead-heat with a longshot last week despite a
picture perfect trip - his barn has been hot, but the jump to 40s may be a little ambitious (5/2 ML). (7) KEY
STONE DASH finished 2nd in 3 straight starts to start 2023 but a disastrous trip last week left him with no
prayer - ok bomb for 3rd/4th. (5) WARDAN EXPRESS A seems a bit overmatched moving up to 40s.
RACE 2 - (1) MOONSHINE KISSES left hard and made the lead from Post 7 last week, let the odds on
choice retake then ran that one down to score the 7-1 upset - his price will surely come way down tonight,
but he gets to call the shots here and that earns him the slight nod. (3) ROCKNROLL RUNA A showed
some mixed form at Stga. but certainly brought his "A Game" for his Hilltop debut, putting in a long first
over move and giving the streaking PYRO all he could handle through the stretch - deserves major respect
off that effort. (5) PYRO puts his 4 race winning streak on the line and faces a tough field - he does feel a
bit vulnerable, but still very playable if the price is fair. (2) THE REGULATOR has maintained form as he's
climbed back up the class ladder and was a close 3rd last week - prefer a couple of others, but he'd be no
surprise at all. (4) GREAT SOMEWHERE came into his last with 6 wins and a 2nd from his last 7 starts -
he was a solid 3rd facing tougher than he's used to, but draws a tough spot tonight as he debuts for a new
barn - another that would never be a shock, but for tonight we're leaning towards others.
RACE 3 - MGM BORGATA, Leg 2: (4) NONE BETTOR A was probably just a bit short making his first
start of the year last week but it also didn't help losing momentum in the pocket behind the tiring TATTOO
ARTIST - figures to be tighter now, and we've seen the miles he's capable of in this barn - we'll give him a
try tonight. (6) LOCHINVAR ART A was already a millionaire when he arrived from Down Under and he's
a perfect 4 for 4 since arriving stateside - if there's any "knock" on him it's that so far he hasn't really been
tested, and he's been able to land on very easy trips - that MAY change tonight so while he remains a very
dangerous threat, this might not be a bad week to take a shot against him (on top). (3) BEE TWO BEE was
stuck behind traffic in the back into the stretch last week and did have more pace than he could show -
expect Gingras to have in play this week...and that could lead to a decent piece. (1) DEAN B HANOVER
has done a nice job holding his form even at these (much) higher levels- tonight's good draw may help him
take home a small share. (2) IM SIR BLAKE A had some mild pace from a difficult spot last week - hard
to get a good gauge as to how sharp he is right now, but we should have a clearer picture after tonight -
another contender for a small slice (7) OAKWOODNITOWNIT IR is a borderline player in this series but
probably an outsider with a draw like this. (5) DIAMONDBEACH remains overmatched in this series.
RACE 4 - (1) WICHITA LINEMAN was probably better in that 5th place finish 2 back than he was in the
close the finishes the 2 starts before...so it was no big surprise to see him come up with that very sharp first
over victory last week - faces some tough opposition here, but the rail draw gives him the edge. (4) THRAS
HER has raced (very) well in all 4 starts this year, and that includes the 32-1 victory 2 starts back - he goes
off at a nice price every week, and is definitely worth considering for your tickets. (2) CAPTIVATE HAN
OVER was 0 for 15 here last year but he seems to be less camera shy now, picking up a couple of recent
wins - the good draw should help offset tonight's class bump, and a live trip could put him right there late
once again. (3) BALLERAT BOOMERANG returned from NJ and delivered a pair of front end scores for
our leading trainer/driver team - was then claimed, and faltered badly in the first try for new connections -
did race better when 2nd for another new barn last week, and remains a good one to consider for exotics.
(5) PRETTY HANDSOME got away 3rd last week, inherited the pocket to the half then ran down #3 to
pick up the opportunistic victory - he's looking at a tougher trip tonight...and possibly a lesser piece. (6)
DELIGHTFUL TERROR's only recent win came a while back, in a much easier field - draws poorly, and
will probably have to settle for a minor award. (7) FLOW WITH JOE had a sharp win over the 40s two
back but his work in 50s is not as good - tough post, too. (8) LONG WEEKEND A isn't hitting on all
cylinders right now and Post 8 is just about the last thing he needed right now.
RACE 5 - MGM BORGATA, Leg 2: (4) JIMMY FREIGHT was well backed last week but Zeron was left
in a difficult spot when away in the pocket to HELLABALOU...and Gingras did make sure to keep him
trapped through the lane long enough to give him no chance at the top prize - catches a pretty solid division
here, but he's also a pretty nice horse - deserves a chance to make amends. (5) BACKSTREET SHADOW
has elevated his game since joining this top shelf barn and we're seeing a lot of his back class re-surfacing -
charged home to just miss in Leg #1, and a live trip would make him very dangerous tonight. (3) AMERIC
AN DEALER N has been having a disappointing year (so far) but he raced well at The Swamp on 3/11, and
was full of pace finishing here from a tough spot last week - good value horse to consider for some tickets.
(2) FUNATTHEBEACH N paced home in :26.4 from an impossible spot 2 back then charged home to be
right there 3rd last week - last year's Borgata champ is sharp enough to be dangerous here IF the race goes
his way. (6) BELMONT ROYALE N just missed in NJ as the even money choice 2 back, the rallied to be a
close 4th here last week - in a tough spot tonight, but that 20-1ML price makes him worth a look, at least
underneath. (7) ANOTHRMASTRPIECE N wasn't up for the tough trip last week but he did finish a close
2nd to LEONIDAS A the week before, off a long layoff- Bartlett at a big price is always worth considering,
at least for a small piece. (8) HEMSWORTH N had no chance coming from last in Leg 1 but unfortunately
is cursed with Post 8 tonight - the talent is there, but he'll likely need to wait for a better spot. (1) SEMI
TOUGH hasn't been on his best game for a while - not a fan tonight, even with the pole.
RACE 6 - (2) PEACE OUT POSSE left hard but ended up having to retreat to the back last week - still
almost managed to get 3rd, and his overall recent form remains solid - good chance Bongiorno can call the
shots here, and this guy has won 2 of the last 3X he was on the front end...gets the narrow nod. (3) SOUTH
WIND SANDOR has several good tries recently but his last was excellent, surviving a very long first over
trip to still be 2nd to a currently sharp THE REGULATOR - very dangerous foe. (1) CHANTEE added
Lasix 2 back, was in the right spot when the race fell apart and charged home to pick up his first victory in
a while - didn't fire last week, but he can be a dangerous late player tonight if the "good" version shows up.
(5) ROSE RUN X CON has been a little less of a threat lately after a long run of sharp tries - tries a
different class tonight, and seems capable of grabbing a small slice. (6) COPPER TEEN took some time off
after seeming to tail a bit - returned on Lasix for his NJ qualifiers, and will likely be handled aggressively
by Bartlett right off the bench - wouldn't be a surprise, but he does figure to be overbet from a tough spot.
(4) PURPLE POET has missed a month (sick scratch) and the guess is that he'll need this start - leaning to
others. (8) REIGNING DEO could use some class relief - perhaps consider him NEXT week, after a win
drops off the bottom of his card. (8) PRO BEACH seems absolutely buried in this spot.
RACE 7 - MGM BORGATA, Leg 2- Excellent race! (5) IDEALSOMEMAGIC A established on 2/27 that
he DID belong in this series....but for those still on the fence, last week's powerful stretch explosion should
have eliminated all doubt- ends up in a VERY tough division here and his trip is definitely hard to predict...
but we'll give him the narrow nod over some very talented rivals. (3) LEONIDAS A kicked home full of
pace for 3rd in his first start off the layoff and has rattled off 3 straight wins since then -- from the pocket,
on the front end, and last week's bruising two-move, first over Leg 1 victory - it would be pretty hard to
leave him off your tickets! (7) AMERICAN COURAGE came back very sharp for his seasonal debut last
week, doing everything except winning (run down late by #5) - he's in a very tough spot here, but that also
means a nice price on a VERY talented horse - worth considering. (2) NANDOLO N certainly wasn't bad
last week, but it wasn't his best effort either - he's yet another talented/classy performer that has a legitimate
chance with the right trip. (6) HELLABALOU was definitely good last week, but the DRIVE from Gingras
was probably the biggest reason he was able to win (used the first over horse as a "blocker" while grabbing
a breather, then kept JIMMY FREIGHT trapped too long in the stretch) - it's a tribute to the quality of this
field that he's listed this far down! (4) ROCKIN WITHELVIS A kept digging in the lane last week to grab
2nd behind the runaway winner...but landing in this powerful field will probably limit his output tonight.
(1) BAD TOTHE BONE N is really a borderline player in this series and likely needs a much easier field to
be a player. (8) BURNHAM BOY N doesn't figure to be able to get anywhere near the action tonight.
RACE 8 - (4) TIGER BARON hasn't done much winning here over the last 2 seasons but he's definitely
sharp right now, and should be able to manufacture enough early speed to insure a good trip - wouldn't go
overboard on him if the price is too short, but he has earned top billing here. (1) BRACKLEY BEACH is
pretty good right now, and drops back to the level where he just missed 3 starts back - major danger from
the pole. (5) MY CARBON COPY N was way back last week but was pacing very crisply at the wire (and
that was off a sick scratch) - he should be a decent price tonight, and does have a shot if things get testy up
front. (6) STATE SENATOR was a solid 3rd behind a pair of sharp ones 2 back (NW10000, off the claim),
then wasn't bad last week from an impossible spot - possible upsetter if Dunn can find him a decent trip. (2)
BLUEBIRD RECON drops, draws inside, and gets Bartlett in the bike - could land himself a piece if things
go his way. (7) BELTANE A goes some good miles at times but figures to be too far back to do much
damage tonight. (8) GENTLEMANJIM II IE had basically the same trip for 2 straight weeks, at 2 different
tracks....and lost each time to the SAME horse, who had a better journey each week - that being said, he'll
be hard pressed to find a manageable trip tonight. (3) AINTNOBETTOR A is struggling, and off 24 days.
RACE 9 - MGM BORGATA, Leg 2: (7) THIS IS THE PLAN was basically forced to concede in Leg 1
after drawing Post 8 off the layoff - the former Levy Champ still paced his back half in :53.3, and looked
solid coming through the wire - expect him to be cranked up for a big effort tonight! (5) TATTOO ARTIST
was wildly overbet last week (first start in 4 months) and he simply ran out of gas once into the lane - he's a
bit of an "x factor" for tonight as he MAY be ready to deliver his best...but then again, he may still be a bit
short. (8) COVERED BRIDGE raced super last week - he was caught wide trying to loop from Post 7
before being pocketed by SEMI TOUGH, got stuck behind that tiring rival to 3/4s, finally shook loose into
the stretch then finished full of pace, only a length back at the wire - great value horse to use in exotics...
and maybe even on top (at a BIG price)? (3) PRICELESS BEACH has been a strong, consistent Yonkers
performer for the past 2 years, and a smart drive from Miller helped him grab a good 2nd (to LEONIDAS
A) last week - another live trip can land him in the exotics once more. (1) THE IDEAL DANCER A has
done good work since arriving at YR and gets major post relief for tonight - good one to use for 3rd/4th. (6)
JACKS LEGEND N is a classy veteran but just hasn't been on his best game lately - waiting to see some
better signs. (2) CASUAL COOL is capable of big miles when "right" but just doesn't seem to be in "Open"
form right now. (4) UNDRTHSOUTHRNSUN N is good right now, but still a bit below the top ones.
RACE 10 - (1) CERTIFIABLE was a blowout winner on 2/22 in his first start for our leading barn -
finished right behind LOCHINVAR ART A and COVERED BRIDGE in his next pair before just missing
to the classy MOONSHINE KISSES last week - short price tonight, but clearly the one to knock off. (2)
FAMILY RECIPE had plenty of pace finishing from an impossible spot in his first start back after being
scr. injured - good one to use in exotics, and maybe even on top (if you think the favorite might get beat).
(3) OZONE BLUE CHIP came up surprisingly short in the lane last week after sitting right behind the
winner - the 9YO has been terrific for most of the past 2 seasons and could easily bounce right back...but
there's at least SOME doubt after last week. (4) SPEED MAN N took ALL the $$ in his 2nd start off the
layoff, built a big lead to the final turn but did a look a bit tired near the end - he couldn't hang on last week
(finished 2nd) after getting 3/4s in 1:27 and he's another that has to be considered at least a bit risky at the
moment. (6) DELIGHTFUL DUDE N was a very game first over winner 2 back and had plenty of pace last
week (but from an impossible spot) - bad post, but still a good bomb for the bottom of exotics. (5) ARDEN
MESSI N comes off a dull one and may prefer to be in a bit easier- leaning towards others. (7) BB LUCKY
BOY showed major promise last year but hasn't been the same since returning from the layoff - watching
closely for better signs. (8) JUDDY DOUGLAS A could use a class drop and better post.
RACE 11 - (4) PROVOCATIVEPRINCEN has been very solid in 2023, hitting board in 6 of his 7 starts
(4th in the other) - was just claimed by a hot barn, and gets Bartlett at the lines for tonight - can win from
off the pace, but will be most dangerous if he can make it to the front. (2) ROLLING WITH SAM had been
knocking on the door before coming up with the solid first over win last start - moves up a notch but might
still have been the top choice had he not been off 24 days since that last victory. (5) MACHEASY A was
off 3 months to his last and drew Post 8, so that effort really wasn't bad - tighter now, draws much better,
and is a viable play if you don't care for a couple of the favorites. (3) CAVIART SARGENT had been
terrible for some time but served notice 3 back that he may be coming around, then followed that up with a
pair of victories - he may be able to step up in class and make it 3 in a row but that 5/2 ML price has us
looking at a couple of others, for better value. (1) KERFORD ROAD A used a nice pocket trip last week to
pick up his first Hilltop victory since 2021 - the good draw can out him in the hunt for another good chunk
tonight (8) HES ELECTRIC finished well for 5th against much better last week, but gets stuck with another
terrible post tonight - never a bad bomb for 3rd/4th. (6) ADAM CROCKER A broke here in his last but did
follow that up with an 8 hole win at Fhd. last week - can't really see him having that same success against
these better ones, however. (7) EPIC ACE has been away since October - we'll just watch, for now.
RACE 12 - Some case can be made for EVERY horse in here! (6) SULLIVAN is listed at 20-1 ML despite
coming into this with a win and 2 close 2nds from his last 3 starts - he was just claimed by a barn that's
clicking right now, and he's one of several in here that could be major value plays in this wide open finale!
(7) AUDI HARE N was unexpectedly hammered at the windows last week and delivered the very
aggressive front end score - he exits his long time barn and enters a sharp one for tonight, and is another
that's listed at 20-1 ML....but who does have a chance (and is Brennan's choice over a couple of others). (2)
JOJOS PLACE moved to a barn last week known for dramatically improving fresh stock...and that's
exactly what happened to this guy, delivering the eye opening 1:52.1 blowout win - he was claimed again
that night, and we'll see if there's any "carry over effect" for his new connections. (8) SHARK PLAY is
another that entered a barn that routinely improves new horses by multiple lengths....and this guy was no
exception, hitting the top and scoring the blowout victory - won't be nearly as easy from Post 8, but he can't
be counted out, either. (4) HURRIKANEKINGJAMES was claimed 2 back then immediately re-claimed
last week by his previous connections - his overall form is solid, and the right trip could put him into the
mix. (1) GOTHIC ROCK had been struggling until reversing form with that dead game, dead heat victory 2
back - no factor last week but gets reunited tonight with the same pilot who helped him produce that big
effort on 3/13. (5) ROBBIE BURNS N was no match for #2 last week but still raced very well to be 2nd -
overall recent form is very solid, but he'll have to handle the class jump (and very sharp field) tonight. (3)
QUATRAIN BLUE CHIP took some $$ last week (off a pair of duds) but landed on a no-chance trip - he
could be okay here, but that 4-1 ML price just seems too low.