THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2019
RACE 1
NATIVE FLORA needed his last race and has the speed to be on or near the lead with Johnny McKee aboard. He could be tough to catch in this one. CRESCENT WARRIOR will like the move back to the Poly and is the one to beat. SWIFTY SAM has shown some improvement in his last two and rates a chance.
RACE 2
UNVEILING dropped to the bottom to get his maiden win and can make it two in a row tonight. AMANI’S KITTEN takes a big class drop, which isn’t a good sign, but anything close to his best makes him tough to beat. GRADE fits in here.
RACE 3
SOUL OF DISCRETION ran well to finish second in his Turfway debut for Joe Woodard. He gets the nod in what looks like a very well-matched field. TALE OF FAME gets in light with Ramos and will be running at the end. He looks like a solid threat. GIFTED JUSTICE figures to be a decent price and Ron Brown’s horses have been running well.
RACE 4
BELLA KRISTINA will love the move back to Turfway, where she has finished first or second in five of her six races. She rates the edge for Kenny McPeek with Luan Machado picking up the mount. CHRISTIAN MISS figures to make the lead and could be tough if left alone on the front end. GIRLS GOT TRACK won back-to-back races at Churchill for Peter Miller. She was claimed from that last one by Marshall Godsey, who drops her in against bottom claimers. She can definitely win here but the drop off the claim is a big reason for concern.
RACE 5
OLHO DE MEL was well beaten in both of her races but that was against much better competition where several of the runners came back to win next out. This also looks like a tough spot but give her the edge. POMP AND PAGEANTRY had no excuse in her debut at Churchill but should move forward and has to be considered. ELSIE’S FIRST didn’t break well in her debut but rallied a bit in the stretch. A better start makes her dangerous.
RACE 6
ANNA’S FAST was one of the most impressive 2-year-old winners at the Keeneland Spring Meet. She pressed the pace before fading in the late stages of the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and has been idle since that start. Wes Ward figures to have her ready to fire tonight and she looks best with Julio Garcia up. SLAP HAPPY is also trained by Ward. She faded badly in the Tyro last out but has trained well since and has to be respected. WELL SPENT moves to the barn of Stephen Lyster and posted a recent bullet work.
RACE 7
SPEEDY SOLUTION has been idle since January but Wes Ward has excellent numbers with returning runners and this one has been training well for her return. Give her the edge despite the layoff. FUN FINDER runs for the “hot” barn of Kenny McPeek. She comes off an even effort at Churchill and finished second in the Bourbonette in her only start here at Turfway. She figures to be tough to beat tonight. LADY WORTHINGTON is another runner from the Ward barn. If she draws in off the also-eligible list she is a definite win candidate.
RACE 8
THE ASH FACTOR broke poorly in her debut and was never in contention. Joe Deegan adds blinkers for this one and she should run better with the class drop tonight. CALIKA ROSE also had problems at the start last out. Her best would make her the one to beat. BOOK OF LOVE has the speed to be dangerous.