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 Thursday, Dec. 31
RACE 1
MOHAWK LILY comes in off a nice second place finish at this same level in her first start over the track. Give her the slight edge to pick up the maiden win tonight. BLONDE IN THE CITY hasn’t shown much in three career starts, but drops in class and looks capable of running well here. THE LADY SCORED moves back down in class and and shouldn’t mind the move back to sprinting.
RACE 2
JAROBE broke his maiden last time out, making his first start over the surface and coming back from a short layoff. He has the speed to be in contention throughout again tonight and is the choice for the win against a wide-open field. NIFTY FIFTY was second as the favorite at this same level last time out and looks like the one to beat again tonight. UNCLE TICKLES had to need his last and should show some improvement tonight.
RACE 3
ONCEINMYLIFETIME drops back down to this bottom level in his first start since August when he showed some decent form on the grass at Ellis. He hasn’t hit the board in three starts over a synthetic track, but anything close to his best should make him a winner here. COVER BOY is inconsistent, but ran a nice second last time out and has five wins over the track here at Turfway. BAIL US OUT figures to move forward off of his last and is a threat.
RACE 4
WAR RANGER looked sharp drawing off to win by almost five in his maiden score here at Turfway earlier this month. A repeat of that effort would make him tough to beat again tonight for Maker and Jimenez. FOOGARD drops in class after an even effort in his first attempt over the track and looks like a contender. SHIP DISTURBER was well beaten as the favorite last time out and has to be considered.
RACE 5
TORAZO showed a great deal of improvement on the move to the Polytrack last time out, running second at long odds. He figures to be on or near the lead again tonight, give him the edge to pick up the maiden win here. TWIZZ is a well-bred first time starter from Maker’s barn who shows some nice works leading up to his debut. BIG SQUEEZE is another first time starter who has been training well coming into this one.
RACE 6
NANJING ROAD was no match for an impressive winner last time out, but was second best in that one. She moves back down in class tonight and is the choice for the win. COOPER’S KEEPER was a winner last time out in her first start over the track and definitely looks capable of winning again tonight. MISS CATWOOD is inconsistent, but ran well at long odds last time out and could be dangerous here.
RACE 7
AMERICAN DOLL makes her first start since moving to Colebrook’s barn after having been off since October when she ran a game second on the turf at Gulfstream West. A return to that form would make her tough to beat here. PATTY’S MISCHIEF ran an even race as the favorite in her debut and figures to move forward for Maker in her second career start. HOLLYWOOD TOMCAT didn’t show much last time out, but ran two even races against tougher fields before that one for McPeek.
RACE 8
PEPPER ROANI has been idle since April when he was last at long odds in the Blue Grass at Keeneland. He’s run some strong races over the track here at Turfway, including a second in the Battaglia Memorial and will be tough to beat if he’s ready tonight. NEEDMORE CASH makes his first start since late fall when he was running against state-bred stakes company at Indiana. He’s won two of his three starts over the track here at Turfway and could be tough to handle on the move back to the Polytrack. FRUIT LUDT didn’t show much last time out, but looked sharp winning two in a row before that one. She shows a sharp work over the track since her last and could be dangerous on the move up in class.
RACE 9
ETERNAL RULER drops in class after just missing last time out in his first start over the track and is the choice for the win against a well-matched field. NO CRIME comes in off a win against similar and loves the track here at Turfway where he’s won eight of fifteen starts. He gets Jimenez back in the irons tonight and is definitely the one to beat. JAGUAR RIDGE didn’t show much in his last three starts at Hawthorne, but showed some good form on the Polytrack at Arlington before those and should like switch in surfaces tonight.