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.
Bret Battaglia’s picks and comments for Thursday, Dec. 10:
RACE 1
MISS CONSPICUOUS comes in off a nice third place finish against similar at Indiana as the favorite and rates a slight edge in a wide-open maiden field. ANIMAUXION hasn’t shown much in her last few stars, but should like the shorter distance tonight and gets Jimenez in the irons. PEPPERMINT ICE looks capable of running well here.
RACE 2
MEGNOG makes her first start since moving to Maker’s barn after a disappointing effort at Indiana back in October. She’s been training well over the surface here at Turfway and looks best against a well-matched field. BESSIE’S BULLET drops in class and could be tough to handle tonight if she likes the move around two turns. AVIE NINER didn’t fire as the favorite at Churchill last time out, but is capable of better.
RACE 3
WILL GRACIE SHINE has been idle since the fall when she showed some decent form against similar at Mountaineer. She loves the track here at Turfway where four of her six lifetime wins have come and is the choice for the win here. ARUSHINGCHILL drops to this bottom level for the first time and is the one to beat. SPEND AND SPREE might need a race having been off since July, but loves the track here at Turfway.
RACE 4
SUNSET SANDS has been running against tougher and is the choice to pick up the maiden win on the drop in class. DUKE OF WAYMORE shows two even efforts in his last two starts and is a threat. J.T.’S HEAT takes a big drop in class in his first start in over a year and has to be considered.
RACE 5
PURRPURRPURR has shown some good form recently against slightly tougher and has won over the track in the past, give her the edge here. ROYAL ALLUVIAL didn’t show much against a tough field at Keeneland last time out and could be dangerous on the move back down in class. AZIFORCAST shortens up to sprinting after a some decent efforts at Indiana and has two wins over the track.
RACE 6
SHIP DISTURBER takes a big drop in class in his first starts since being claimed by Woodard and the Hays’ and looks like he’s in a good spot to pick up the win tonight. LATIN WILD CAT shows a few nice works since his last back in September and could be dangerous if he’s ready tonight. UNCLE TICKLES drops in class and looks like a nice fit at this level.
RACE 7
RELEVANT was no match for an impressive winner last time out at Churchill in her first start since February. She figures to move forward off of that effort and rates a slight edge here. VACATION SPOT shows four solid efforts in four career starts for Maker and is the one to beat. LIBERTY BOND has been in the money in ten of fourteen career starts and can’t be left out of the gimmicks.
RACE 8
NICE NUMBER has been running against tougher and figures to move forward in her second start back from the layoff. She’s won over the dirt and the turf, so she shouldn’t mind the move to the Polytrack, her best makes her tough to beat here. ROB AND JONS GIRL takes a step back up in class, but has run well at this level before and has six wins over the Polytrack here at Turfway. FORENSIC moves to Caruso’s barn after a nice maiden win at Keeneland and could be dangerous here if she handles the Polytrack.
RACE 9
SOCIAL AFFAIR moves back down in class after being over-matched at Churchill last time out. She was in good form before that one and is the choice for the win here. IRUSAN shows a sharp work over the track since moving to Hammond’s barn and ran well in his two starts at Presque Isle. He shouldn’t mind the switch in surfaces tonight and looks like the one to beat. JEWELIAN ‘N ROSES has only been out of the money twice in eight starts over the track here at Turfway and can’t be overlooked.