Buy TicketsBy Bob Ehalt and Matt Shifman
Hot List Key:
A : A preferred horse to watch B: Secondary horse to watch
*C: Went down 2 or more betting notches in the final 3 minutes and finished 1st through 3rd
*D: Went down 2 or more betting notches and finished 4th or worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.
1st race – (7) Great Escape may wake up off the Sharp claim and with some help from a dry track. (9) Top Gun Tommy should be a threat from the outside post. (1) Time for Trouble will be helped by a rail trip. (2) Yellow Brick could be a factor in this field. Betting strategy: 7 to win, place. Exacta box: 1-2-7-9.
3rd race – (6) Don’t Be Salty seems poised for a big effort for new connections. (4) Miss Ellary was second in her last seven starts. Hard to pick her anywhere else. (5) Next Up should be included in the exotics. (2) Rando will welcome the stretchout. Betting strategy: 6 to win, place. Exacta box: 2-4-5-6.
5th race – (4) Banned for Life should respond to a switch back to dirt after a weak try on turf. (5) Colonel Caliente will be a big threat on his best try. (8) Keep On Moving missed by a neck last time at this level. (3) High Ceiling has talent but has not run for a year and a half. Betting strategy: 4 to win, place. Exacta box: 3-4-5-8.
7th race – (9) Taqdeer has sharp speed from the outside and could wire this field. (4) Alta Avenue shapes up as the one to fear. (5) Modern Sound has talent but has never raced on dirt. (3) Good Call might bounce back with a strong showing today. Betting strategy: 9 to win, place. Exacta box: 3-4-5-9.
9th race - (3) Love’m Or Liam is in excellent form and can register back-to-back wins. (7) Exact Estimate should improve with a return to turf. (8) Tough Little Nut could be closing fast at the end. (2) Barb may find a home on turf. Betting strategy: 3 to win, place. Exacta box: 2-3-7-8.