Turfway Park in Florence provides daily selections and comments for the Tribune during the live racing meets.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
TAKE THE LEAD figures to make the lead from the inside post and rates the slight edge with Ouzts back aboard tonight. PI SAIL and ABSOLUTE ASSET both beat the top pick last out and figure to run well again tonight.
RACE 2
MICHI BRAH was no match for a runaway winner last out after breaking poorly. A better start could make him a winner against this bunch. HIDEOUS has speed and gets Lasix for the first time. CATSKILL has shown absolutely nothing in his races but moves to the hot barn of Kim Hammond and did post a bullet work back in January with Gilligan picking up the mount tonight.
RACE 3
LIMERICK LADY has been running on the dirt but is a much better horse when she runs on the Poly. She figures to show big improvement tonight and looks best with Ouzts picking up the mount for Joe Poole. NASTY GIRL BLUES is a ten year old veteran who is still competitive against bottom claimers. She figures to be the one to beat. SWEET EXCURSION fits with these.
RACE 4
PRIMO RIVERA drew off to an easy win last out and anything close to that performance would make him a winner again at a very short price with Quinonez back aboard tonight. FLYING KING figures second best. KEIGHTLEY has the speed to be a contender.
RACE 5
NAYLOR came back after a five month layoff to finish second in a key race here in December. She has posted a couple of bullet works since that start and looks like a good bet to get her maiden win for Pat Huffman with Quinonez back aboard. TIZ JOSSELYN is another one who raced well after a long layoff. She figures to move forward and is definitely the one to beat. SHONI is a contender.
RACE 6: THE WEBN STAKES
A full field of twelve three year olds were entered in the 31st renewal of the WEBN. STAR EMPIRE makes his three year old debut for Wesley Ward after a solid two year old campaign where he won two races and was graded stakes placed. He hasn’t raced since being eased in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile but is training sharply and should be ready to go tonight with Tyler Gaffalione named to ride. HEY MIKE is one of three in here from the barn of Mike Maker. He has been in the money in five of his six races and comes off of a fifth place finish in the Grade 3 Dania Beach at Gulfstream. He figures to be tough to beat. BOUND FOR NOWHERE is a $310,000 Keeneland sales grad who is owned and trained by Ward. He was in hand winning his debut and looked like a runner with plenty of talent.
RACE 7
CALLFORHELP drops in class after a solid runner up finish and appears to be in a good spot to get his maiden win. BAKU DANCER finished right behind the top pick last out and should be the main competition. REXARONY needed his last race and could improve with Prescott picking up the mount tonight.
RACE 8
IMPASSABLE CANYON looked very sharp winning last out. He has the speed to be on or near the lead again tonight and rates the edge in a tough allowance race. CALM PACIFIC closed well to finish second last out in his Turfway debut. He figures to move forward off of that one and looks dangerous with Jimenez picking up the mount. WEST VILLAGE has been off since October but definitely has the class to run well in here.
RACE 9
RUN BRIONIE RUN is a shipper from Tampa who drops in against bottom claimers tonight. If she takes to the Poly she figures to beat these. GIFT OF FRIENDS has been running well at this level and has to be considered. CAPE CAROLINE also takes the class drop.