Bret Battaglia sets the morning line at Turfway Park in Florence and provides daily picks and comments for the Trib during the live racing meets.
Picks and comments for Friday, March 25
RACE 1
ALITTLEBOURBON ran an even race sprinting against tougher last time out and is the choice for the win on the drop in class tonight. SKY HI SUGAR has been going longer, mostly on the turf and could be tough here if she handles the Polytrack. CLEVER THUNDER also drops in class and looks like a contender.
RACE 2
TUPELO TIDE has been impressive winning each of her last two starts here at Turfway. She figures to be a short price again tonight, but looks tough to beat here. DELANTERA was no match for the top pick last time out, but has won two of her last four and looks like the main candidate to spring the upset. SHE’S MESSI has a chance.
RACE 3
AKASHA didn’t fire as the favorite last time out, but ran well in her two previous starts. Give her a slight edge here. ARYA drops in class after two disappointing efforts and is the one to beat. GILLEY also comes in off a disappointing effort, but is capable of better.
RACE 4
ON THE CENTERLINE has won two of her last three starts over the track and is the choice for the win here. LADY ANN drops in class after being beaten as the favorite in her last start. She won by nearly twelve before that one and a return to that form would make her tough to handle again tonight. HOT JAVA shows two even races at this level in her last two starts.
RACE 5
CHARNOCKS has shown some good form since moving to Turfway with six in the money finishes in six starts and it looks like he’s in a good spot to pick up the win tonight. MR. WALLY won last time out after having been off for nearly a year. A repeat of that effort makes him a definite contender again tonight. KEEPING IT REAL didn’t show much last time out, but should like the move back to sprinting.
RACE 6
WILD ABOUT JACK won her second straight, beating half of this same field in her last start. She figures to be on or near the lead again tonight, give her a slight edge against a very well-matched field. MEGNOG finished behind the top pick last time out, but has won two of her last four starts and definitely has the ability to win here. WILL GRACIE SHINE has also won two of her last four starts here at Turfway and would be no surprise here.
RACE 7
TIA FLOR didn’t fire going longer in her last start, but showed some strong form over the track here before that one. She figures to improve on the move back to sprinting tonight and is the choice for the win against a short, but solid field. WORLD PEACE ran a game second behind a comeback winner on the grass at the Fairgorounds in her last start and shouldn’t mind the switch in surfaces tonight. POINT OF NO RETURN didn’t beat much last time out, but did it impressively. She moves back up in class and might be good enough to win here.
RACE 8
LADY MONAVI has been second in each of her last two starts and looks best here. HUNT FOR COLLEEN has shown some good form at Mahoning recently. She’s never raced over the surface at Turfway, but has won over synthetics before. HOT FRENCH FRIES is inconsistent, but capable of running well here.
RACE 9
SWEETSOUTHERNDAME has won three of her last four coming into this one and will be tough to beat again tonight. MARQUEE CAL GAL has been second behind the top pick in two of her last three and is a definite contender. BLONDE IN THE CITY won at long odds last time out and looks like she’s getting good right now.
RACE 10
PURIMETT was second at this same level last time out and is the choice to pick up the maiden win against a wide-open field. COLOR ME BLUSH drops in class and looks like the one to beat. IS THIS GEORGIA ships in from the West Coast and has to be considered here.