Turfway Park in Florence provides daily selections and comments for the Tribune during the live racing meets.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
WEEKEND IN MALIBU has been extremely consistent throughout her career finishing in the money in fifteen of her twenty races. She is riding a two race win streak and looks like a solid bet to win again at short odds. PROM THEME is an eight year old veteran who loves the Turfway surface and she figures to be the main competition. PRINCESS DINAH will be running at the end.
RACE 2
PROVEN WARRIOR has been off since October but is in the capable hands of Kim Hammond who is having a great meet and has solid numbers with returning runners. Give him the edge in a tough starter allowance race. BOBBY V. is a perfect two for two over this track and will be running at the end in a race that figures to have a fast pace. SERGIOS PRIDE didn’t show much last out but is capable of better.
RACE 3
SWEAR showed big improvement to win his second race back after a long layoff. He has the speed to be on or near the lead throughout and can make it two in a row with Jimenez back aboard for Eduardo Caramori. THE GREEN COUGAR is always solid at this level and will be running at the end. He figures to be tough to beat. JARBOE gets in light and if he breaks well he is a contender.
RACE 4
SHE’SOVERTHEMOON was never in contention behind an impressive front running winner in her first start over the Turfway strip. She figures to move forward off of that effort and gets the nod for Ben Colebrook with leading rider Alonzo Quinonez back aboard tonight. PINATA CAT has been off for four months but has been firing bullets at the training center and figures to be the one to beat despite the layoff. DOLL FACE is a first timer who is also trained by Colebrook and has to be considered.
RACE 5
GREENHORN drops in class for Wesley Ward and looks best in this bottom claimer. CATCH THE FEELING needed his last race and figures to improve. DOUGLASCROWFEATHER takes the big class drop and fits with these.
RACE 6
HINT TO WIN is a Canadian bred who has raced exclusively in Peru. He has trained sharply since shipping to Turfway and seems to have found a fairly soft spot for his U.S. debut. EMRAAN has been idle since setting the pace in a maiden claimer at Keeneland. He figures to be a solid threat with his best effort. CLIFFS NOTES will be running at the end and should figure in the gimmicks.
RACE 7
BLAME THE DREAM was claimed from a winning effort and came back with a solid runner up finish for her new connections. A repeat of that performance makes her a winner for Larry Holt and Quinonez who is in the saddle tonight. NORTH OF EDEN exits the same race as the top pick. She ran well in her first try on the Poly and is the one to beat. SKY GEM was a beaten favorite last out but is capable of better.
RACE 8
NORMANDY CROSSING moves up in class after an impressive win last out. He seems to run his best races over this track and can make it two in a row with Ouzts back aboard tonight for Susan Anderson. TRIPLE CREEK comes off of a couple of near misses and will be rallying from just off of the pace. His best makes him dangerous. UNDER THE TABLE is a lightly raced five-year-old who make his first start since November. He fits with these and will be tough if he takes to the Poly.
RACE 9
ALABAMA SON was no match for an impressive front running winner last out but held on well to finish second. He appears to be in a good spot to get his maiden score with Quinonez back aboard tonight. OUR GORDIE finished five lengths behind the top pick last out but he lost all chance in that one when he ducked in sharply leaving the gate. He figures to run much better tonight. CAPE ROJO debuts for Tom Drury and has to be respected with John McKee in the saddle.