Turfway Park’s Bruce Battaglia provides daily picks and comments for the Tribune during the live racing meets.
Friday, Dec. 15
GTMEOUTAHERESEAMUS is the up and comer getting better with each race and had a big win last time. Jeff Greenhill is a hot trainer in these parts too. MOST WANTED is coming in off the layup but has two huge races at Turfway and loves the Polytrack. Looks like a match race to me. RICO SUAVE has speed and some back class to try and steal this thing, but I think my first two picks are in a race to the wire.
RACE 2
THE GREEN COUGAR likes Turfway and likes to close. He gets talented rider in Mojica and the trainer wins races. This one needs some help up front but will be storming down the middle of the track in the end. EPIC PHELPS likes the track and has a shot. YARDBIRD MISFITS is coming in off a big layoff gets back to the Polytrack tonight and if ready can be right there on the wire.
RACE 3
CROOKED COURT second off the layoff and good connections should move forward off the last start and run huge here tonight. OWL CREEK will be flying late but has to overcome outside post and loss of ground not to mention many second place finishes but the drop in class will surely help. BEEFY ships from Hawthorne and been off a few months has some back numbers and could win this thing.
RACE 4
COUNTRY SUNSHINE tries the Polytrack for the first time and will be a decent price. MELLO KISSES is a hard knocker and I love how she gives it her all every time. SNUGGLE STRUGGLE last raced at Keeneland so has been off since October. DISCREET KISS will hustle to the lead and go as far as she wants to go with Perry Ouzts in the irons.
RACE 5
PICABOO ROSE on the turn back wants this distance. NATIVE INDY gets the perfect post so whichever of these two like Polytrack better will be tough when they start flying home to catch the legend Ouzts on GENERAL’S JEWEL. He has the rail so he needs to fly out of there and hold on.
RACE 6
AMERICAN SEA was running very well when he hit a fallen foe and fell. Hopefully, that has no effect and the drop in class is significant. He should be very tough in here. IRISH PROUD ran okay and will welcome the drop in class tonight. Wesley Ward sends out PORTER STREET but long on Polytrack is not usually his game with first time starter but obviously has a chance to surprise and shouldn’t be left out of the gimmicks.
RACE 7
SILLY FACTOR on paper towers over this field and will be a very short price when post time hits. QUE HANSEN is getting better and has good connections. CAT’S RHYTHM is bred to be a runner and she may be better than the numbers say. Give her a shot to hit the board.
RACE 8
LAXFIELD ROAD has the perfect post and coming with speed to set this up in here. She has solid connections in Wesley Ward and Julio Garcia up. SCAT LADY also is one that likes a fast pace to run at and will get it tonight. She has a good rider in Osorio and could find that stride late in the game. SWEET RUTH E will be flying out of the gate and try to carry them all the way.
RACE 9
LILY OF THE NILE is making a massive drop in class and gets Ouzts. She has some speed and decent number and should be able to wing it and be gone from the gate. SHESELLSSANCTUARY is the second choice with Prescott in the saddle. WILLIN’ GRACE has to overcome the long layoff and has a young rider but also has the class to run well in this spot.