Turfway Park in Florence provides daily selections and comments for the Tribune during the live racing meets.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4
BOOBOOTHEBARBARIAN comes off of a solid runner up effort and rates the edge with Jimenez back aboard. COLTON FIFTY ONE finished a length behind the top pick and again figures to be the main competition. GRETSIE has been off since July but drops to the bottom for his return.
RACE 2
FOREST WARRIOR ran a decent race in his first start back after an eight month layoff. He figures to move forward off of that one and appears to be in a good spot to pick up his second career win. MACANAO faded in the stretch last out but should like tonight’s shorter distance. RANSOM’S LOVE exits the same race as the top pick and is a contender.
RACE 3
PADDYRAN comes off of a game win at this level and distance. He can make it two in a row tonight. HE’S A DANDY CANDY drops back to the bottom where he won here in December and looks like the one to beat. ENLISTED MAN figures to be the favorite and he will be tough but his career record of two wins in forty seven races is hard to ignore.
RACE 4
MR. CHOW held on well to win last out after setting some fast fractions. He should be on or near the lead again from his inside post and will be tough to catch with a repeat of that last race. BELVIN drops back in for a tag after an even effort against better and looks to be the main completion. TAPITSPHERE had to need his last two races after a long layoff. He may not be as effective on the Poly but anything close to his best would make him a definite threat.
RACE 5
HIPPOLYTE is a newly turned three year old taking on older rivals but she looked good in her maiden win and rates the edge for Ben Colebrook with Quinonez back aboard. LA BELLA has just one win in sixteen starts but is dropping a notch in class and makes here third start back after a layoff. TRULY VAL is also a three year old but she fits in here.
RACE 6: THE CINCINNATI TROPHY STAKES
PROMISES BROKEN has won two of her three races and looked very sharp drawing off by eight lengths in her first try over this surface. She figures to be in a good position behind what figures to be a fast pace and she looks best with Gilligan back aboard for Phil Sims. DELPHINIA brought $510,000 in a two year old in training sale back in May. She led all the way to win a tough maiden race on the Gulfstream turf last out and has been training sharply for Wes Ward here at Turfway. SISTER NATION is still a maiden but was second in a stakes race in Canada and comes off of a solid fourth place finish in the Old Hat at Gulfstream with Gary Boulanger coming in town to ride. She will be running at the end and is a definite threat in an excellent renewal of the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes.
RACE 7
MYKINDACAT drops back to the level where she was claimed last month and appears to be in a good spot to pick up her maiden win. WILLIN’ GRACE has been in the money in five of her seven races and is the one to beat. DONIA ANTONIA has been off since May but drops to the bottom and has been training well at Keeneland.
RACE 8
NORMANDY CROSSING loves this track and looked very good winning here last out going a mile. He cuts back to six furlongs but still gets the nod with Lagunes picking up the mount tonight. BLACK TAVISH is very quick out of the gate and figures to be on the lead for the hot duo of Kim Hammond and Jack Gilligan. TIZ TOO woke up in his Polytrack debut and will be running at the end.
RACE 9
LAND is still a maiden after nineteen tries but has been running well at this level and could finally get that first win tonight. SLIGO PLATA is a lightly raced four year old who figures to be on or near the lead throughout and is the one to catch. DUKE DOC LADY has only had two starts and could improve.