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, Jan. 7
RACE 1
TODAYMAYBETHEDAY has been well beaten in his last few starts, but drops down to this bottom level for the first time and looks like he’s in a good spot to pick up the maiden win. GOOD NIGHT BUD has shown some decent form against state-breds in Indiana. He takes a big drop in class as well and looks like a contender. SAYLOR’S STORM should like the move back to sprinting tonight.
RACE 2
KATEI AMOUR didn’t show much last time out in her first start over the track, but should improve off of that one. Give her a slight against a soft field tonight. ROYAL SPACES drops a notch in class after a third place finish last time out. POPPI’S PEACH ran a close second at long odds last time out and figures to move forward in her second start back from the layoff.
RACE 3
CHAPPY looked sharp winning around one turn last time out. He shouldn’t mind the extra distance tonight and will be tough to beat if he repeats his last effort. HOOCHIE POOCHIE was over-matched against a tough allowance field in his last start. He drops in class tonight and looks like the one to beat. LUCKY LUMINAIRE moves up in class after winning by eleven at Mahoning last time out, but is questionable over the surface.
RACE 4
TIMELY PURSUIT looked sharp winning here early in the Holiday meet. A repeat of that effort would make him tough to beat again tonight against a very well matched field. RIDGE DANCE has been off since August and doesn’t show any published works since that one, but loves the track here at Turfway where seven of his thirteen career wins have come. J. PA ran a solid fourth last time out in his first start since September. He should move forward off of that one and has won over the track in the past.
RACE 5
CAUSE I’M ALEX was second best last time out in his first start over the track here at Turfway. He drops in class tonight and is the choice for the win with McKee picking up the mount. SENOR JUAN didn’t fire as the favorite last time out, finishing well behind the top pick, but is capable of better. ITSWINEOCLOCK comes in off a nice second at this same level and would be no surprise here.
RACE 6
SOMMERVILLE MISS makes her first start since November when she was a close fourth at Churchill against tougher. She’s been training steadily since that one and has a win over the track, give her a slight edge here. STRAIGHT A. HANNAH makes her first start since moving to Drury’s barn after winning against allowance company at Belterra back in August. She’s lightly raced with two wins from four starts, a return to form makes her the one to beat here. ANNIE’S ON TOUR seemed to improve on the move to the Polytrack winning at long odds last time out. She gets in light again with Prentice and could be dangerous if she can repeat her last effort.
RACE 7
NO HIDING PLACE has been idle since May when he broke his maiden impressively in his debut at Churchill. He shows two sharp works over the track recently and will be tough to beat here for Ward and Tabor despite the long layoff. ZAMBIAN comes in off a nice maiden win over the track and looks like a contender. STURDY ALLAN is inconsistent, but comes in off a sharp maiden win at Churchill and could be dangerous if he takes to the Polytrack tonight.
RACE 8
DNIEPER looked sharp beating a few of these same horses last time out and is the choice for the win again in an absolutely wide-open field. PROSECUTION drops in class, picks up Jimenez and looks like a nice fit at this level. MIDAS DANCER drops in class after two even efforts at Delta and shouldn’t mind the move to the Polytrack.
RACE 9
WICKED PICKETT comes in off a nice win at this same level and loves the track here at Turfway where four of his five lifetime wins have come. Give him a slight edge in another well-matched field. R FAST CAT also comes in off a win against similar over the track and definitely looks capable of winning again. TOP PRIORITY closed well to get the win last time out and figures to be running at the end again tonight.