Race One:
Verne. I’m going out on the limb. An admitted ‘gambler’s throw’. Yet, you don’t have to travel
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea nor do you have to go
Around The World In Eighty Days to bet this 12-1 ML longshot. I will start with this disclaimer. I know about as much about “The Jumpers” as you can fit on the tip of a needle. Yet, I’m willing, as my old history professor used to say, “Pay Your Nickel and Take Your Chance”. This Unbridled’s Song-bred gelding’s last race was a straight turf route; he finished next to last. But, alack and alas, that’s behind him. This is new day, a new start, indeed, a second start off a layoff (I like that). The gelding’s trainer, Todd Wyatt, does very well in that category. The gelding’s jockey, Ross Geraghty, is certainly capable. Either this horse gets his picture taken, or…
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Race Two:
Collin’s Smile. This Montbrook-bred chestnut gelding was overmatched in allowance company at Belmont about a month ago. He’s now back in with the kind he should handle. Prior to his up-the-track finish, this gelding won two straight at CD and – I might add – at today’s 7-furlong distance. The Jamaican-born (remember Winston Thompson of Caymanas Park and Suffolk Downs) Shaun Bridgmohan is in the irons for trainer Bruce Brown.
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Race Three:
Bossy. This Street Cry-bred filly has hit the tote in all three of her turf starts. She now gets the services of John Velazquez. That’s a big plus! In her last at Prx., at a comparable distance, this filly finished third. Trainer Wayne Catalano, “The Cat Man,” (Catalano was once a leading jockey, second only to Steve Cauthen in wins in 1977) does very well when conditioning horses entered in grass races. A solid recent morning work indicates readiness.
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Race Four:
Dia de Incanta. This 3-year-old Harlan’s Holiday-bred filly was overmatched in her last, a 7-panels turf sprint. She now switches back to the main. I like the turf-to-dirt angle. This Maria’s Mon-bred should find this caliber of company more to her liking. Eric Cancel, “The Bug,” is admittedly having a mediocre meet; yet this Puerto Rican native is a most accomplished jock; he’s most capable of winning this one. Trainer Bruce Brown – he’s having “an uncharacteristic Bruce Brown-like meet” – can get “off the schneid” with a win here.
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Race Five:
Championofthenile. This Pioneerofthenile (Empire Maker), as in American Pharoah, has a solid turf pedigree. This colt’s morning works leading up to his first pari-mutuel start have been very good. Linda Rice is a top-notch trainer, yet her record with debut turf starts is nothing to write home about. Jose Ortiz is in the irons.
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Race Six:
Scat Away. In this OC sprint for NY State-breds, this Scat Daddy-bred mare has a reasonable chance of getting her picture taken. This Linda Rice-trainee was third in her last, second prior to that. Trainer Rice does very well with horses donning blinkers for the first time. This mare turned in a solid morning work, albeit about two weeks ago. Cornelio Velasquez is in the irons.
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Race Seven:
Reverend Green. In this 7-furlong 50k maiden claimer, this Elusive Quality-bred gelding gets my nod. The rationale: drop in class; turf-to-dirt, route-to-sprint, MSW to MC; that’s not to mention (I’ll mention it, anyway) the training skills of Eddie Kenneally (very good when going from MSW to maiden-claiming) and the services of jockey Javier Castellano.
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Race Eight:
Corner Three. In this allowance turf route n1x my choice is this Johannesburg-bred 3-year-old roan filly. This Cozzene-bred is stretching out over a panel. That’s a big plus. Another plus are the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. The filly’s trainer, Chad Brown, does very well when his horses are entered in allowance races.
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Race Nine:
Carameaway. In this non-graded New York State-bred route stakes, the Saratoga Dew, this rail horse won her last, convincingly. Frankly, my only concern is how well this Lanhfuhr-bred will handle the one-panel stretch-out. Yet, a most solid recent “bullet” work in which this Lawyer Ron-bred “drilled” four panels in a blistering :46.2 speaks volumes. Admittedly, this mare’s trainer, Mitchell Friedman, must get “off the schneid” (a gin card-game term, possibly from the Yiddish word for tailor, “Schneider”)
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Race Ten:
Street Fightin Man. This Nick Esler trainee finished seventh in his last race, a 6-furlongs sprint; yet, this Street Cry-bred colt was passing tired horses. Well, the 3-year-old now stretches out an additional three panels; that may well do wonders for this colt’s chance as he appears to have penchant for running routes. Irad Ortiz is in the irons.
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