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.
Picks and comments for Sunday, Dec. 20
RACE 1
I’M EXTRAORDINARY moves back up in class after a nice win in her first start over the track. She figures to be on or near the lead again today and is the choice for the win. FIDDLELINA comes in off of some even efforts against similar at Woodbine and looks like a contender. BONNIE BLUE EYES makes her third start after coming back from a long layoff and is a threat.
RACE 2
MIGHTY SKY drops in class after an even effort in his first start since October. He should move forward off of that one and looks best against a well-matched maiden field. RAKEITIN was second last time out in his first attempt over the Polytrack, a repeat of that effort makes him the one to beat today. X CON drops in class in his first start since September and has handled the Polytrack in the past.
RACE 3
SARAH’S SASSY CAT has been idle since September when she just missed as the favorite at Belterra. She broke her maiden here at Turfway last winter, give her the edge here on the drop in class. DONNA’S HOLIDAY didn’t fire at Churchill last time out, but drops in class and looks capable of running well here. CASH DANCE didn’t show much in her first start over the track, but looks capable of better.
RACE 4
WILL GRACIE SHINE was second as the favorite last time out in her first after having been off since September. She loves the track here at Turfway where four of her six lifetime wins have come, give her a slight edge against a wide-open field. DELIVER drops in class in her first start back since July and could be tough to handle if she takes to the Polytrack. SHEZA COZY GAL shows some nice works over the track leading up to her return.
RACE 5
TIZ A DIXIE DANCE ran a nice second in the fog against a solid field last time out in his first start over the surface. He could move forward off of that one and is the choice for the win with Doyle back in the irons. KILTED COWBOY runs coupled with ROCK HARBOR who both look capable of running well here. READY IF YOU ARE was no match for an impressive winner at Churchill last time out and shouldn’t mind the move to the Polytrack.
RACE 6
CHEROKEE CALLIE didn’t show much at Churchill last time out as the favorite when she was claimed. She figures to improve on the move back to Turfway where she’s won five of eight starts, give her a slight edge here. SCARLET’S NUMBER comes in off a game second at this same level last time out and looks like the one to beat. WILD ABOUT JACK is inconsistent, but capable of running well here if at her best.
RACE 7
HURRICANE PASS comes in off a nice win in his first start over the track. A repeat of that effort would make him tough to beat again today. DYSPROSIUM ran a nice second at long odds last time out and looks like a contender again today. TRADE hasn’t shown much in two starts over the track, but West’s horses have been running well lately.
RACE 8
TC’S LUV showed a great deal of improvement on the move to turf at Hawthorne in his last start. He’s been training well since that one and is the choice for the win on the drop in class today. CHAPPY shows two solid efforts at Churchill in his last two starts and picks up Jimenez. BACK TO VALUES ships in from Florida and has to be considered.
RACE 9
SCAT LADY has been third in two of three lifetime starts and shows some solid works over the track, give her the edge in an absolutely wide-open maiden field. G P’S GIRL was well beaten in her first start, but should improve off of that one and McPeek’s horses always have to be considered. PISTOL PATTI ran an even race at first asking and definitely looks capable of running well here.