Bret Battaglia’s Turfway Park picks for Friday card


Bret Battaglia sets the morning line at Turfway Park in Florence and provides daily picks and comments for the Trib during the live racing meets.

Battaglia
Battaglia

Bret Battaglia’s picks and comments for Friday, Dec. 11:

RACE 1

DIRECTIONER faded after pressing a quick pace at Churchill last time out. She ran well against slightly tougher a few starts back and is the choice for the win here on the drop in class. ON THE CENTERLINE takes a big drop in class in her first start since August and is a definite contender. STORMIN DREAM ran an even race at first asking and shows a nice work over the track at Turfway since that one.

RACE 2

WICKED PICKETT moves back down to this bottom level in his first start since October when he ran fourth in two straight at Indiana. He won two in a row against similar here last winter and will be tough to beat if he returns to that form. TRICE UP is questionable over the Polytrack, but showed some very good dirt form before the layoff. He has the speed to be in contention throughout and could be dangerous here with Ouzts back in the irons. EXCITING BAND has been second in each of his last four starts and has five wins over the track at Turfway.

RACE 3

BLACK BUTTERFLY didn’t fire at Churchill last time out in her first start since September. She should move forward on the drop in class tonight and is the choice to pick up the maiden win here. MOHAWK LILY has shown some decent form against state-breds in New York and looks like the one to beat here. OLLIEMAE is inconsistent, but beat the top pick two starts back and could be dangerous on the drop in class.

RACE 4

COOPER’S KEEPER hasn’t shown much recently, but drops in class and should like the switch in surfaces tonight. Give her a slight edge in a wide-open field. JUSTICE JUDY has been second in four of her last five starts and has handled the Polytrack in the past. She drops in class and definitely looks capable of winning here. BLUEGRASS ANNIE didn’t fire last time out, but is capable of better.

Turfway logoRACE 5

DO I DO makes his first start since September when he ran well in two straight against similar at Belterra. He’s won two of his five starts over the Polytrack here at Turfway and picks up Jimenez who has been riding very well so far this meet. SHUT UP CHRIS takes a big drop in class in his first start back since June and will be tough to beat here if he’s ready. J. PA should like the switch in surfaces tonight and could be dangerous here.

RACE 6

EGYPTIAN HONEY looked very sharp drawing off to win by six in her maiden win at Indiana last time out. She shows two solid works over the track here for Maker since that one and gets Jimenez in the irons tonight. Give her a slight edge against a short, but very well-matched field. LUMINOUS CIELO shows three solid efforts in each of her three career starts and would be no surprise here. EMMA’S PARADE is another Maker trained runner coming in off a nice maiden win.

RACE 7

RANGERS FUNNY GIRL didn’t fire on the dirt at Churchill last time out, but was running well on the grass before that one. She shouldn’t mind the move to the Polytrack tonight and is the choice to pick up the maiden win here. PATTY’S MISCHIEF is a first time starter from Maker’s barn that shows some solid works leading up to her debut. SAPPHIRE SPITFIRE looks capable of running well here despite the move back up in class.

RACE 8

TIA FLOR comes in off of two strong efforts against tough fields at Churchill and looks like she’s in a good spot to pick up the win here. HIGH LEGEND won both of her starts impressively against state-breds in Michigan and has to be considered here. TWIRLABOUT might have needed his last after having been off since September. She ran well in her two previous starts and could pose a threat here.

RACE 9

WAR RANGER drops to this bottom level for the first time after being eased last time out at Keeneland. He was running well against much tougher before that one and shows some solid works here at Turfway leading up to her return, anything close to her best should make her a winner here. BLUE RANGER drops to this bottom level for the first time and looks like a contender. PINER CAT has been second in his last two at Indiana and looks capable of running well here.


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