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 Spiral Stakes Day, Saturday, April 2
RACE 1
GIVE ME THE BALL ran an even race in his only start over the surface and looks best here on the drop in class. HUGHHOOFNER has been second as the favorite in his last two starts and looks like the one to beat again today. SKIP THE LAWYER hasn’t shown much in his three starts, but drops in class and picks up Jimenez.
RACE 2
DISCREET GLEN shows a win and two seconds in his last three starts against similar. Give him a slight edge against a very well-matched field. ROLL N SHINE has been second in three of his last four and would be no surprise here. FANTASTICAL comes in off a nice win in his first attempt over the track.
RACE 3
ALLEY ‘O MALLEY comes in off a nice maiden win in her first start over the track. Any improvement off of that effort should make her a winner here. HURRICANE SOPHIA shows three in the money finishes in her last three starts. YELLOW TADPOLE drops in class and looks like a contender.
RACE 4
LOVE THE KITTEN comes in off a few strong efforts on the grass at Gulstream and will be tough to beat here if she handles the Polytrack. AFLEET LADY has been second in each of her two starts here at Turfway and gets Albarado in the irons today. FRISKY KITTEN runs coupled with the top pick and shouldn’t mind the switch in surfaces today.
RACE 5
CHILTERN STREET is lightly raced, but looks like he’s getting good right now. He hooks a tougher field today, but shows a nice work over the track since his last, give him a slight edge here. SAYLER’S CREEK ships back in to the states after finishing fourth against stakes company in Barbados when he was trying to defend his title after having been off for a year. A return to his previous form would make him very dangerous today. PEPPER ROANI has won two of his last three starts over the track and looks capable of running well again today.
RACE 6
THECLA didn’t fire last time out, but should move forward in her second start back from the layoff. Give her a slight edge to pick up the maiden win here. EQUATION is a well-bred first time starter from Ward’s barn who shows some solid works leading up to today. IN THE SHOES ran a nice third in her debut here at Turfway.
RACE 7
BELVIN has looked impressive winning each of his last two starts here at Turfway and is the choice for the win in a well-matched field. UNION BOWMAN makes his second start coming back from the layoff and has two wins over the track. PURELY BOY would be the likely favorite and my top choice if he draws in off the AE list.
RACE 8
The Rushaway Stakes.
SCHOLAR ATHLETE comes in off a solid effort in the Palm Beach at Gulfstream where he finished sixth, beaten less than two lengths. He has the tactical speed to be in a good spot throughout and shows a maiden win over the surface at Woodbine. RATED R SUPERSTAR has been second best as the favorite in his last two at Oaklawn and could be tough here if he takes to the Polytrackl. GIMLET finished just ahead of the top pick in his last start and would be no surprise here.
RACE 9
The GIII Bourbonette Oaks.
MARQUEE MISS went wrong last time out in the slop at Oaklawn, but won two in a row against stakes company before that one. She broke her maiden in a stakes race over the Polytrack at Arlington as a two year old as well and will be tough to handle here if she returns to form. AMERICAN DOLL has been impressive winning three in a row here at Turfway and could be dangerous here. LOOKOUT SISTER has been idle since October when she didn’t fire in the Alcibiades at Keeneland, but won two of three for Motion before that one.
RACE 10 Bret Battaglia’s breakdown of the full field for the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (G3) is available here
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RACE 11
CARIBBEAN figures to improve in his second career start and is the choice to pick up the maiden win here. SCISSORS AND TAPE was second here at Turfway last time out and shouldn’t mind the move back around two turns. SILENT MISSION didn’t show much in his debut, but should put forth a better effort today.
RACE 12
NO TIME TO KID looked very sharp drawing off to win by twelve going longer last time out and is the choice for the win here. J.T’S HEAT comes in off an impressive win and could be tough if he can handle the distance. HOLY FRAZIER looks capable of running well here.