Could be a very interesting card with Bartlett, Kakaley, Stratton, Bongiorno, and Buter
all racing out of town, and a lot of substitute pilots looking to fill in!
RACE 1 - (1) I GET IT has enjoyed a nice career in the midwest, compiling a ton of wins and decent
bankroll - lands in one of our top barns, draws the pole with Brennan, and faces a field filled with question
marks - worth a play in his local debut. (8) CANTSTOP YANKEE turned in excellent back to back efforts
and is more than sharp enough to beat these - he'll also have to leave from Post 8 with Lachance instead of
Bartlett, so make sure to get a fair price if using him on top. (2) BANK BOX TREASURE gave it a good
try from Post 7 last week - faces tough here, but a close up trip could see him grab a good piece. (4) PERR
ON gets significant class relief but hasn't been sharp at all - he COULD just wake up here, but he does
seem pretty iffy. (7) JACKED raced better last week with some class relief - he does fit here but will need
some trip luck starting from Post 7. (5) DOWN THE PIKE MIKE would be a player here if on his best
game but that last (weak) effort doesn't inspire much confidence. (6) SWISS HOUSE ON FIRE got up too
high after a few good efforts and struggled a bit - started to come back around vs. cheaper in PA, but the 25
days off (and bad post) are a concern. (3) LINDSEYS PRIDE just seems way off form - major wake up call
would be needed.
RACE 2 - (2) BETTER WATCH IT has been a player week after week for months - hasn't found the
winner's circle in some time, but this feels like a spot where she may land on a good trip - worth a shot,
assuming she's a decent price. (6) FADE OUT crushed cheaper from Post 8 two back then moved up in
class and jogged again last week - takes yet another step up, but is definitely sharp enough to handle it right
now...the loss of Buter is a bigger concern, however. (1) MCMARKLE SPARKLE was sent off at 2/5 last
week and used all of her pocket trip (and a clear rail) to pick up the win - faces tougher now, and MAY not
appreciate racing on the lead as much (and that's probably where Holland will have her) - could be a bit
vulnerable this time. (5) TREACHEROUS PENNY has been outstanding in all three recent victories, but
now moves up from the "NWPM" classes to tackle seasoned older mares - we'll see if she can have the
same success against these. (7) OKINAWA BEACH A is listed at 20-1 ML and IS good enough to beat
these- she'll have to do it coming from last, however, so consider her only if you expect the pace to be hot
and heavy up front. (4) VILLAGE JADE has been holding her form during her recent climb back up the
class ladder - a live trip could see her grab a good piece here. (3) HALLELUJAH HANOVER has a terrific
11-6-4-0 Yonkers record but it was compiled against NWPM competition - we'll see how she fares against
these tougher mares.
RACE 3 - (4) BLUEBIRD BISHOP only raced 8X at 3 but he did win 4 of them - has looked very good at
4 since moving to his current barn, and his recent PA form would make him a very live player against these
- may be able to come out on top in his first local try. (1) TACHYON is feeling pretty good right now and
looking pretty safe - a clean trip makes him very dangerous. (2) ROSE RUN EXTRA had no real chance in
his first start with Lasix (7 hole) and that was also vs. better - moves from one ultra-high % to another for
this, and is worth considering IF he goes off at a fair price. (5) HOOLIE N HECTOR was a big "go" last
week but ended up having to park NEW HEAVEN and that left him just a bit short at the end - losing
Stratton could hurt, however. (8) SLAY earned nearly $600K at 3 but only recently started clicking at 4 -
he's off 3 weeks, draws post 8, and is listed at 3-1 ML with a driver struggling to win races here....seems
like better value to be found elsewhere. (3) LIGHTFOOTEDLEGEND has been solid for a while but may
be a little cheaper than a few of the main players - minor share? (6) NANCY BAR has been sharp out of
town, but is a bit of a question mark against these, especially starting from a tough post - wouldn't be a
shock if she raced well, though. (7) WILLY WALTON had to re-qualify after having some issue on 9/3 -
very tough spot even if 100% for tonight.
RACE 4 - (4) DOUGS BABE A has certainly had some tough times since going some big miles in the
Matchmaker Series but she ships back in off a couple of solid tries in PA (including a win last week), and
it's hard to imagine her NOT being able to handle this crew...looking at a very short price, though. (1) COM
MANDER CATHY N was ok 3 back off the layoff, no factor in her next then paced evenly last week -
probably not a bad week to include her underneath. (6) PRANCING QUEEN has 2 blowout wins at The
Meadows since the recent barn change - at 12-1 ML, she seems like a very logical one for exotics. (2) SILE
NT CROSSING beat cheaper in her last pair and is feeling pretty good right now- another logical player for
the bottom of exotics. (5) SOMESWEETSOMEWHERE failed to get close from Post 8 last week but this is
a much better spot - willing to include for 3rd/4th. (8) LOVE THAT SMILE is sharper than she might look
on paper but unfortunately lands another horrible draw - ok bomb for 3rd/4th, hoping for some trip luck. (7)
PURE SILKY looked short in her return from the layoff - could be tighter now, but she lands outside and
loses Bartlett - may have to wait for a better scenario. (3) SAUBLE DELIGHTFUL probably needs easier
to be a player these days.
RACE 5 - (3) WESTBEACH wasn't bad in her last start here (Post 7) taking a big drop down to NW10000
- drops another notch, moves inside, and we'll see if Beyer can give her an aggressive steer against these.
(6) SUGAR BRITCHES showed out of town lines that suggested that she had ability, but also some issues-
added Lasix for her local debut, hit the top and was the easiest kind of winner - faces a tougher bunch here,
but still deserves plenty of respect. (2) JODY will surely attract attention off the class drop and this MAY
be a spot that she can handle...but note that she's just 1 for 31 locally over the past 2 years before accepting
a very short price. (4) IRON MISTRESS had no chance in her first try off the (big) barn change (8 hole) but
just missed last week for a barn that's really been heating up - steps up a peg, but may be able to grab a
piece here too. (5) SHEIKH YABOOTY N has some good recent tries at Stga. and has done well here in the
past - she's also exiting a barn that suddenly started winning at a VERY high rate this year, especially in the
last few months - mixed feelings. (1) ACEFOURTYFOUR ALEX drops from the 50s, lands inside, but has
also been struggling lately - we'll see if she's able to save ground and pick up a piece in here. (7) AME
ICAN TICKET likely needs a class drop and better post to be a serious player. (8) CAPTAINS STAR will
look better down in NW5000 next week.
RACE 6 - (4) ANNABELLE HANOVER has been stuck racing from the back the last 3 weeks and did
well just to take home a check each time (especially since that's NOT her preferred style of racing) - not
sure how aggressive Siegelman can get with her tonight, but she's worth a look just on the post relief alone.
(2) TWIN B SUNKISSED would have been right there 2 back if not for that costly miscue at the top of the
lane and she just got brutally parked from Post 7 last week - she's been very good for a while, and can have
a big say tonight. (5) OAXACAN DREAM N gave it a big try before taking a tough loss in her local debut
- rallied very nicely for 3rd in her next, and gets a pass for last week's try (8 hole) - she should be a good
price, and her barn has been sending out almost all live horses since arriving. (8) DELITFULCATHERIN N
is a legitimate Open mare but had to take a couple of months off after 4 straight disastrous performance -
she qualified back nicely, and raced "well" in last week's 2nd place finish - she may just take it up a notch
and beat these from Post 8, but she'd have to be a nice price to be worth a stab tonight. (1) CHERYLS SHA
DOW has taken 2 of her last 3 starts but vs. easier - she was pretty tired at the end of that last win, and may
find a few of these a little tough right now. (3) LUCKY ARTIST A drops, but fired blanks in her last 3
starts - seems pretty risky at the moment. (7) EASY TO PLEASE finally picked up her first win of the
season 3 back, was an ok 3rd in her next, but faltered on the lead in her last - she's having a tough season,
and it won't get any easier from Post 7 tonight.
RACE 7 - (6) B MEDITHREE figured to be a big player off the class drop last week but blew up before
the start and lost all chance - drops all the way down to the bottom now, and deserves a chance to get it
right this time. (1) GEMOLOGIST raced super for about a year and a half but has been going through an
extended rough patch recently - he's another that hits the bottom tonight, and can surely use his speed from
the pole - chance for a wake up call. (3) NEWSBOY hasn't been sharp for the last several weeks but add
him to the list of "bottom class droppers" that MAY come to life at this level. (4) WARRIOR ONE will
attract plenty of attention as he's been an Open-type trotter here for the last few years - he's obviously gone
way off his game, however, and there's no guarantee that he'll get untracked tonight. (2) BAZILLIONAIRE
is way too camera shy to consider on top, but this is a spot where he can tow along and maybe take home a
minor share. (5) REIGN OF HONOR is somehow always listed as the ML favorite despite being just 1 for
17 this year, and sporting a 7-0-0-2 local slate- not impossible, but certainly no value. (7) VELVET STYLE
lost all chance last week when he steered behind traffic into the stretch rather than go up the clear rail - the
outside post figures to make it hard for him to get in play tonight, though. (8) EMMA TOWN BUD is hard
to gauge off his Canadian form - we'll just observe, for now.
RACE 8 - (5) KARMA SEELSTER caught a sizzling mile last week and can be forgiven for coming up
just a little tired at the end - she's enjoying a terrific season, and may be able to hit the top and control the
action tonight...making her a very tough customer. (3) LIT DE ROSE is moving up in class but she's
obviously a rock solid Open mare and won't be bothered by that - the good draw gives Lachance some
options, and any decent trip makes her a major player. (6) COACHELLABOUND N tasted defeat at
Yonkers for the first time in ages last week, but she was still 2nd in a very hot mile (beating the top choice
for the place spot) - she's certainly proven that she belongs at this top level, but the outside draw MAY limit
her opportunities just a bit tonight. (4) MADRID A is the "x factor" tonight - she's shown legitimate ability
in her brief U.S. career but does come off a bit of a dud - hard to say which version we'll see tonight. (1)
OUR LADY LARA A is a nice mare but probably better suited one or two levels down - the rail draw does
at least put her in play for a small share, though. Both (7) MAN DONTFORGET ME and (8) UPTOWN
HANOVER are having excellent years, but tonight's draw may limit both of them to spectator status. (2)
BEST HEAD WEST has enjoyed success here in the past but her current out of town form suggests that she
may not be up for these right now.
RACE 9 - (7) SMOOTH DEBATE N is used to face much tougher than these - obviously not an ideal post
but as long as Smith at least tries to put her in play, she'll have a chance to beat these in the finale. (1) MAG
ICAL MISTRESS was handled conservatively off the claim and finished up ok to be a close 4th - she's
disappointed in may of her starts this year but IF her "better" version shows up tonight, she'd have a chance
to come out on top. (5) SPORTS FLIX went from a zillion to one every week to being the FAVORITE in
her last (class drop/post relief)....but came up terrible nevertheless - can't write her off just yet, and would
consider if the price is right. (2) ALWAYS B ROYALTY picked up a couple of small pieces since arriving
from Monti and may be able to do the same tonight. (4) THUNDRA is way too camera shy to over list on
top but she's capable of grabbing a piece in this pretty modest field. (6) PLZDONTLIETOME N recently
returned to her favorite barn but hasn't been able to replicate her better form - tough draw, but maybe can
grab a piece with the right trip. (8) BROOKDALE JESSIE is 0 for 62 over the last 2 years and likely to be
0 for 63 after tonight. (3) FROMAKINGTOAQUEEN would be had to recommend after last week's
"distanced" performance.