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 Friday, Feb. 19
RACE 1
HOPE IS JUST AHEAD moves down to this bottom level for the first time and is the choice to pick up the win here. SARAH’S SASSY CAT was second at this same level last time out and is a contender. COTTEN EYED JOSIE didn’t show much in her last start coming back from a long layoff, but looks capable of better.
RACE 2
BAYOUR ROYALTY moves back down in class after two even efforts and looks best against a wide-open field. WHATDOWEDONOW ran a decent race at first asking, but hasn’t shown much since that one. She drops in class tonight and looks capable of running well here. COLOR ME BLUSH also drops in class and could be dangerous here with Jimenez picking up the mount.
RACE 3
TRUE STARLET didn’t fire as the favorite last time out in her first start back since August. She figures to move forward off of that one and looks tough to beat here on the drop in class. IZZAEVEN didn’t show much last time out, but won impressively here at Turway before that one and is a contendner. SUPERSTARDOM has been running at higher levels in Ohio and could be dangerous here if she takes to the Polytrack.
RACE 4
RED AND WHITE moves back down to this same level where he just missed two starts back and is the choice to pick up the maiden win here. STATURE shows two second place finishes from his last two starts and looks like the one to beat. MR. HAIRE drops in class after two even efforts against tougher and definitely looks capable of winning here.
RACE 5
SAHARA SUNRISE looked sharp drawing off to win by five last time out. A repeat of that effort would make her tough again tonight. LOOKING FOR A DATE was well beaten at odds-on in her first start over the track. She should move forward off of that one and could be tough here if she returns to her previous form. SCAT FAST CAT had a poor start last time out and should run a better race tonight.
RACE 6
ABBY’S PROMISE takes a big drop in class in her first start back since August. Anything close to her best should make her a winner here. LA GENOUILLE ran a close second at this same level last time out and is a threat. PROM THEME also comes in off a second place finish against similar and has four wins over the track.
RACE 7
NO HIDING PLACE has looked very sharp winning both of his two career starts. He’s in the capable hands of Sanchez tonight and will be tough to beat here. EMMET PARK has run some strong races over the track in the past and looks like the main candidate to spring the upset. AYE SKIPPER shows two decent efforts at Tampa recently and has won over the track in the past.
RACE 8
SHE’S MESSI moves back down to this same level where she drew off to win by nine a few starts back. She figures to be a short price tonight, but looks like she’s in a good spot to pick up the win. BURSTALL drops in class after a solid effort in her third attempt over the surface and is a contender. PLASTERED drops back down in class in her first start since November and could be dangerous if she takes to the Polytrack.
RACE 9
ACAPULCO has been off since the summer when she was second in a Group 1 race on the grass in England. She broke her maiden in Group 2 at Ascot before that one and shows some very nice works over the track recently for Ward. A return to that form would make her very tough to beat tonight. HEARTBREAK HILL is one of two Colebrook runners coming in off of a maiden win over the track. This one won at first asking on new year’s day and could be dangerous here if she improves off of that one. SWEET RUTH E. was third against a tough field last time out and is a threat.
RACE 10
ALWAYS AND FOREVER was a close third last time out in her first start over the surface. She picks up Goncalves tonight and is the choice for the win in a wide-open maiden field. AFLEET LADY is a first time start from Maker’s barn who shows some nice works over the track coming into her debut. SCORE BABE didn’t fire as the favorite last time out, but finished ahead of the top pick two starts back.