Best Bet – (3) AMALFI COAST – Race 4
Spot Play - (3) JEZEBEL JONES – Race 2
Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 4-7) - 3, 6 / 1, 5, 9 /4, 6, 7 / 4, 8, 10, 11 = $14.40
Race 1 – (5) MILWAUKEE MAGIC needs a hot pace up front to help his stretch run, something he did not get last time. He drops from $7,000 claiming to the bottom level for trainer Norm McKnight who won two races Wednesday night. There is some speed for him to run at. (6) COLLEEN'S SAILOR was a winner for $7,000 claiming at 5 furlongs two starts back and this 10-year-old has maintained good form. (8) NUPOGODI is the wildcard in this race as he plunges in claiming price and returns from a two-month layoff.
Race 2 – (3) JEZEBEL JONES earned a 56 Beyer Speed Figure when second in a turf sprint in Florida a year ago. She had a troubled return from an 11 month vacation on July 10 on Tapeta but adds blinkers and gets back to grass. (4) BLACK SAGE is quick and loves the grass and she was fourth against better in her latest. (6) SPEEDY TRUST was very speedy in her debut on Tapeta against easier. She has modest grass breeding.
Race 3 – (1) BLESSED TRULY was a 'heat' scratch recently when the temperatures soared and this promising half sister to Queen's Plate winner now draws the rail post for her career debut. She will be well bet but the field looks strong. (5) SECOND GRACE is a beginner from the Mark Casse stable and she shows smart workout times but no recent gate workout. (6) MOLLY MEISTER is a first-time starter whose half sister Katie Baby is a good one and trainer Catherine Day Phillips has sent out two debut winning babies recently.
Race 4- (3) AMALFI COAST experimented with a route distance in search of her maiden win last time but came up short. She adds blinkers and cuts back to 7 furlongs and can get it done. (6) MINTAKA BELLE is the unknown in the field as she has not raced but is by the top sire City Zip and from the Champion Sprinting Mare Tribal Belle. She shows fast workout times. (7) TRUE CASTLE just about caught up to win her debut before a turf try last time.
Race 5 – (5) BADJEROS BOY seeks to end a lengthy winless streak but is in top form with two second-place finishes in his last two starts. Be sure to back him up in exactas as he has given up the lead late frequently. (9) RED BO drops in class and shortens up to one mile from a 10 furlong race in which he led late. (1) ARTHUR'S PASS, like the pick, has not won in a while but he is always in the thick of the battle.
Race 6 – (4) RED QUEEN'S COURT won her career debut for $25,00 claiming in strong style but was disqualified for an early miscue. She meets slightly tougher maiden fillies at a longer sprint distance but might be able to make it official. (6) SAMURAI QUEEN gets a significant class drop from maiden allowance and she just ran her best race of the year when wearing blinkers for the first time. (7) KATLA'S FURY has not had a lot of good luck in her three races this season but made a good recovery to be third in her latest after traffic trouble.
Race 7- This is a very competitive turf race for fillies and mares so let's go longshot shopping. (10) GOSUDARINA drops in class for her second start of 2019 and she picked up purse shares in restricted stakes races last fall. (8) PRAIRIE CITIZEN could wake up in her third grass race of the year for trainer Niall Collum as she has won a one-mile turf race at Santa Anita (2018). (4) WINDJAMMER dips inc lass off her Woodbine debut in which she used up her energy too early in the race. Also consider (11) DESERT POEM since she won her last race over non-winners of 2 lifetime.
Photo by Mr. Will Wong
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Jennifer Morrison has been a public handicapper for the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail and Daily Racing Form. She is currently a writer for Canadian Thoroughbred magazine, Blood-Horse and Toronto Star and is the simulcast handicapper for Ajax Downs.
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