FIRST POST — 1 P.M.
SUNDAY’S RESULTS 2-9 (22.2 percent) MEET 6-27 (22.2 percent)
LEE’S LOCK Barbary Hall in the ninth BEST BET Starstruck Kitten in the first LONG SHOT White Gold in the third
*educated guess
**things to like
***plenty to like
****confident choice
1 Purse $23,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $16,000
****STARSTRUCK KITTEN raced competitively in entry-level allowance races at Remington, while consistently earning the fastest Beyer figures in this conditioned-claiming field. BRAVE JOHN finished fast in a career debut victory last winter at Oaklawn, and he is having blinkers removed after an even effort and Churchill. He picks up Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens. MINISTER NICK has done his best running on conventional dirt surfaces, and he was claimed at Golden Gate by a high percentage trainer.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
9 Starstruck Kitten Cabrera Stuart 12-1 10 Brave John Stevens Hobby 8-1 1 Minister Nick Cohen Diodoro 9-2 2 Distorted Ransom McMahon Kordenbrock 6-1 7 Bye Crazy Eyes Luzzi DiVito 5-1 5 Perplexed Johnson Hartlage 8-1 8 The Union Forever Vazquez Villafranco 12-1 14 Texas Sky Contreras Asmussen 10-1 11 Nicky Numbers Loveberry Morse 12-1 3 Bested Quinonez Von Hemel 4-1 6 Tizatalker Prescott Puhl 20-1 12 Willow Ridge Pompell Haran 20-1 4 Pharme Phlash Parker Pish 15-1 13 Run for Charlie Sanjur Manley 15-1
2 Purse $75,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden special weight ***GEORGIA’S REWARD did not have a clean trip in a deceptive fourth-place debut Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. Her subsequent breezes have been good and typical second-out improvement makes her a strong threat. MORE MONIQUE has shown early speed in maiden races at Keeneland and Arlington, and she is dropping into a state-bred race for connections off to a fast start. FIREWATER ROCKET is an unraced filly sporting encouraging workouts at Keeneland, and $50,000 is a lot to pay for her pedigree so she must be a nice-looking filly. Furthermore, trainer Kellyn Gorder knows how to win with a first-time starter.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
8 Georgia’s Reward Cohen Moquett 7-2 12 More Monique Felix Mason 8-1 9 Firewater Rocket Morales Gorder 20-1 5 Bella My Girl McMahon Cates 5-1 1 Dutch Treat Vazquez Van Meter 9-2 2 All About Betty Quinonez Van Hemel 8-1 3 Spunky Town Laviolette Smith 8-1 7 River Goddess Thompson Martin 12-1 10 Chiroc Wethey Stuart 10-1 14 Euro Me Meche Loy 12-1 6 Primary First Luzzi Martin 10-1 13 Cinderella’s Gold Prescott Caldwell 12-1 4 She’s a Queen Loveberry Milligan 15-1 11 Chloe Creek Canchari Witt 20-1
3 Purse $29,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $30,000
**WHITE GOLD finished second in a “key” conditioned-claiming race at Keeneland, and she has early speed and represents winning connections. INDIAN GEM has led for better than 6 furlongs in recent route races. She has earned the field’s fastest Beyer figures and switches to a hot rider. PRETTY GREELEY drops 10 pounds following a sharp runner-up finish at this same condition at Churchill.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
5 White Gold Sarvis Kobiskie 9-2 7 Indian Gem McMahon Holthus 5-1 10 Pretty Greeley Morales Thomas 6-1 9 Eye On Harper Cohen Morse 7-2 2 Darion’s Dream Vazquez Villafranco 6-1 6 Miss Azul St Julien Hall 10-1 3 Chevy to the Levy Gazader Vance 10-1 4 Moolamiss Contreras Hiles 12-1 1 Lighten Up Frances Roman Delong 15-1 8 Little Miss Amy Sanjur Contreras 15-1 12 Roan Feathers Parker Puhl 20-1 11 Cascabria Prescott Puhl 30-1
4 Purse $28,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $30,000 ***B DUBYA finished third in two-turn races at Churchill and Keeneland as a juvenile. He is dropping to the lowest level of his career and drew an advantageous post. HANDSOME HARVE finished second while 5 lengths clear of the third-place finisher in a one-turn mile at Churchill. He picks up rider Gary Stevens and is a major player if he draws into the race. TIZWAYORTHEHIGHWAY showed sprinters speed in two races at Turfway Park. He is bred to route and is quick enough to overcome a poor post.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
1 B Dubya Cabrera Hartman 2-1 13 Handsome Harve Stevens Williamson 3-1 14 Tizwayorthehighway Sarvis Hamilton 8-1 2 My Macho Mon Hill McPeek 5-1 4 Double Deep Cohen Moquett 6-1 10 Silent Wave St Julien Gelner 12-1 8 Sergeant McNerney Johnson Hartlage 10-1 9 Coach Adams De La Cruz Compton 12-1 5 Leo Meister Court Fires 10-1 11 Artesia Wells McMahon Van Meter 15-1 12 Cause to Action Contreras Asmussen 15-1 7 Flat Out Fast Sarvis Gorder 15-1 6 Brouillard Stevens Lukas 8-1 3 Hung Over On Gin Maldonado Litfin 20-1
5 Purse $75,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
***CANADIAN GAME finished third just two races back at Santa Anita and the winner (Instilled Regard) won Saturday’s Lecomte at Fair Grounds. Moreover, he had a sharp work over the track Jan. 6 for top trainer Doug O’Neill. GHOST ROCKET was beaten a nose in a game two-turn effort at Remington, and the lightly raced frontrunner has a route pedigree and should continue to improve. MOJO MAN was beaten less than one-length in his two-turn debut at Churchill, and he has earned competitive Beyer figures and should be close to the early leaders.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
2 Canadian Game Maldonado O’Neill 4-1 4 Ghost Rocket Quinonez Howard 6-1 5 Mojo Man Canchari DiVito 3-1 12 Tiz Our Turn Court Bindner 9-2 14 Sandville Hill McPeek 6-1 3 Into My Dreams Stevens Hobby 8-1 11 Twist Off De La Cruz Cox 10-1 10 Nileist Contreras Asmussen 12-1 13 Southsider Sanjur Williamson 10-1 9 Tapit City Cabrera Morse 20-1 1 Strolling Birzer Gowan 15-1 8 Andrew the Giant Pompell Delong 20-1 6 Lighthawk Cohen Moquett 15-1 7 Song of the Nile Vazquez Lukas 20-1
6 Purse $30,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
**MINEYEROWNMALONE has won three consecutive races on the main track, while competing at Fair Grounds and Churchill, and he may be sitting in a perfect spot behind a contentious pace. HE’S SO ZAZZY pressed the pace in a tough-luck defeat at Remington. He is dropping in class and may be overlooked with his strong races showing at Remington and Canterbury. HEY BRO is unbeaten in two races for trainer Robertino Diodoro The versatile runner has competitive Beyer figures and figures near the lead at this route distance.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
1 Mineyerownmalone Cabrera Hartman 4-1 6 He’s So Zazzy Wethey Young 8-1 5 Hey Bro Cohen Diodoro 3-1 10 All About Ashley Parker Milligan 5-1 4 Big Exchange Gazader Puhl 5-1 9 Toasting Master Thompson Mason 6-1 2 Daftar Vazquez Villafranco 10-1 7 Malibu Wood Morales McKnight 12-1 8 Just Fred Birzer Chleborad 20-1 3 El Bonito Roman Juado 20-1
7 Purse $76,000, 1 mile, fillies, 3-year-olds, allowance opional claiming.
**SASSY SIENNA raced pretty well in three stake races as a 2-year-old, and she has worked impressively enough at Oaklawn to pick up Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens. HONOR WITH PRIDE has finished well in sprint races at Churchill Downs, and since her career debut was in a route, it’s logical her connections have thought from the beginning she is capable of getting the distance. GLAMORIZED lost a late lead in a tough-luck two-turn defeat at Keeneland, and her trainer does well with fresh horses, but she did draw a difficult post.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
7 Sassy Sienna Stevens Cox 5-2 3 Honor With Pride Hill McPeek 5-1 11 Glamorized Canchari Robertson 6-1 2 Sydney Freeman Quinonez Von Hemel 8-1 9 Charmin Dixie Prescott Sims 8-1 10 First Alternate Laviolette Von Hemel 12-1 8 Undivided Birzer Anderson 15-1 5 Elusive Truth Contreras Asmussen 9-2 1 Orbelina Wethey Prather 20-1 4 Grats Road Gazader Vance 15-1 6 Goldie Again Cabrera Martin 20-1
8 The Smarty Jones. Purse $150,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds
***MOURINHO stalked a strong pace and finished well when second best in the Grade 3 Bob Hope at Del Mar. He was flattered when the winner came back to overcome a poor trip and win the $400,000 Springboard. COMBATANT finished second behind the same colt as Mourinho (Greyvitos) when second in the Springboard at Remington, and he is a steadily improving colt who has wisely been training in New Orleans. NAVISTAR followed a second-place debut finish at Belmont with a sharp 1-mile maiden win last month at Gulfstream, and trainer Todd Pletcher doesn’t ship from Florida to earn minor awards.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
4 Mourinho Van Dyke Baffert 3-2 1 Combatant Santana Asmussen 2-1 6 Navistar Velazquez Pletcher 5-2 3 Tap Daddy Contreras Asmussen 8-1 2 Lone Rock Stevens Van Meter 12-1 5 Arched Feather Court Frederick 30-1 7 Bode’s Maker Wethey Milligan 30-1
9 Purse $23,000, 5 ½ furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
****BARBARY HALL won four races last season, while primarily competing in allowance races, and the class dropper is back at her best distance after a two-turn try against stake rivals. FAIRWAYNGREEN is an exceptionally quick mare who won six races in 2017 and never finished off-the-board in 14 races. EVENT OF DEFAULT has finished in-the-money in five consecutive races, and she is capable of running her best race regardless of the pace of a race.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
7 Barbary Hall Hill Milligan 7-2 2 Fairwayngreen Birzer Loy 8-1 9 Event of Default Wethey Broberg 9-2 10 Erratic Behavior Thompson Martin 8-1 12 Papercoversrock Cohen Diodoro 8-1 11 Secret Trick Canchari Lauer 10-1 4 Pinchme I’mdreamin Contreras Manley 20-1 8 Get Paid Arguello Durham 4-1 6 Alittlecomplicated Rodriguez Wiggins 15-1 3 I Am Miss Brown Pompell Holthus 15-1 13 Corinthian’s Glory Vazquez Villafranco 12-1 14 American Holiday Loveberry Morse 10-1 5 Whataclassylady Court Donaldson 20-1 1 Mercer Slough Morales Jurado 20-1
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
The early double appears a good play, and in the first race Starstruck Kitten and Brave John appear to have the best chance at victory. The second race is competitive and at least three horses need to be used. The ninth race is a good race to play a trifecta with a logical winner in Barbary Hall, and as usual, I prefer to spread out with five or maybe more in the middle and use three or four runners in the third-place spot.