Turfway Park’s Mike Battaglia provides daily selections and comments for the Tribune during the live racing meets.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2019
RACE 1
SOFIA’S SLUGGER couldn’t hold on last out and finished second after setting the pace. She figures to go right to the front again and is capable of the wire-to-wire score with Jimenez back aboard. JACKPOT KITTEN is a filly who took on the boys in her debut and tries them again tonight. She figures to improve for Mike Maker and is definitely the one to beat. MRWILLOUGHBY drops in class and fits in here.
RACE 2
LIVELY SPELL comes off a very dull effort on the dirt at Hawthorne but ran very well on the Arlington Poly this summer. She will appreciate the move back to the Poly and has the speed to lead all the way with Martin Garcia picking up the mount. CHAMPAGNE BLING comes off two solid races against better company. She will be hard to beat. BLAZING DIAMOND beat several of these same runners last out and is a contender.
RACE 3
HER GIANT is a bit erratic but she ran well in her first race on the Turfway surface and McKee picks up the mount. I SAW HER FIRST has only had two races and should move forward tonight. RHODA’S JEWELL is a solid threat.
RACE 4
DRAGON DREW ran well when dropped to this level last out. She will be running late in a race that has plenty of early speed and she rates the slight edge. HOORAY FOR HARVEY moves up a notch after being claimed last out and gets in light with Ramos. MIDLAND has been very consistent this year and is a contender.
RACE 5
VIOLENZA has only had two races for Ian Wilkes and she figures to improve as she stretches out to two turns for the first time. She should get a good trip from the inside under Jimenez and gets the nod in a well matched maiden race. I WAS LOOKING UP woke up last out for Dane Kobiske. She has posted a couple of nice works since that start and is the one to beat. SEAGAL is a daughter of American Pharoah in the capable hands of Wes Ward. She is another one who will like the added distance and is a threat.
RACE 6
ENGLISH CHALLENGE closed strongly off a slow pace to finish second in a race here on opening night. There is plenty of speed in here tonight and he can win this one with De La Cruz back up for Darrin Miller. KING OF FORTUNE finished right behind the top pick last as the favorite. He will like tonight’s shorter distance and has to be considered. LOVING MOMENT is a filly taking on the boys but she has run some solid races in California and posted a recent bullet work for new trainer Eric Reed.
RACE 7
PSALMODY is a 5-year-old with 23 starts but she seems to be in the best form of her career right now. She makes her second start for Ian Wilkes after a third-place finish in the Holiday Inaugural and meets softer competition tonight. She looks best with Jimenez aboard. COCO CHANNEL is stuck with the 12 post but she has run well against better and has the speed to be in contention throughout. TRUE DREAM is a contender.
RACE 8
NEWS BOX has the speed to be on or near the lead and her best would be good enough to win this one. TRIPLE DELIGHT stopped badly in her first race back after a long layoff but came right back with a decent work. She should improve. STATELY OAK fits with these.