Turfway Park provides daily selections and comments for the Tribune during the live racing meets.
Sunday Jan. 01 – New Year’s Day picks brought to you by Mike Battaglia
RACE 1
ROCCO SOLID showed big improvement in his second career start and appears to be in a good spot to get his maiden win today with Perry Ouzts back aboard. MABEEACHILL went evenly in his debut and drops in class for his return. He is the one to beat today. VINCENT FIFTY TWO also takes the class drop and has speed from the rail.
RACE 2
DEVIL ALERT has been solid against bottom claimers and just missed last out in her Turfway debut. Give her the edge. CHEROKEE CALLIE figures to be the main competition. JUDSONSPRETTYGIRL ran well at huge odds last out and is a contender.
RACE 3
CELTIC GOLD rates the edge in a very weak maiden claimer. KITTEN’S MATRIARCH ran poorly in her debut but drops in class for her return. DIAN’S LITTLE GIRL is a first timer who has been training steadily over this track.
RACE 4
QUE HANSEN broke her maiden at this level and went evenly against better last out. She looks best with Albin Jimenez picking up the mount for Mike Maker. ARCELOR moves up in class after an easy win and is the one to catch. LILAC WINE faded after showing speed against better and is a solid contender.
APPLE ADDIE has the speed to be on or near the lead with Ouzts aboard and looks like a good candidate for the front running win. FLORIDA GEM comes off of a game maiden win and figures to be dangerous. FANCY IS MY NAME rates a chance.
RACE 6
SQUEEGEE beat several of these same runners last out and looks best with Alonso Quinonez back aboard for Aaron West. BOOBOOTHEBARBARIAN drops to the bottom after a good effort and has the speed to be dangerous. CIVIL DISPUTE could add some value to the gimmicks.
RACE 7
FEROCIOUS TIGER threw in a clunker at Hawthorne but drops in class for Wes Ward and anything close to his best makes him a winner in this one. SHUTTER SPEED also takes the class drop for Chip Brownfield. He will be running at the end and looks like the main competition. SMACK DOWN rates a chance.
RACE 8
LIGHT THE SKY makes her third start back after a long layoff and should be ready for her best performance today. She gets the slight edge in a small but well matched maiden test. TIMIDO faded a bit late last out after pressing some quick fractions. She will be tough with Quinonez picking up the mount. TEMPLE TANTRUM gets blinkers for this one and should be rallying from just off of the pace.
RACE 9
MYKINDACAT is another class dropper from the Ward barn. She has been off since October but has posted a couple of solid works over the track and should be ready. WADDY comes in off of a pair of runner up efforts and will be running late. CONGRATS TO CUCOS is a contender.