Friday Night Previews
Big fields mean six wide-open contests to get stuck into at Hastings on Friday evening as Hoax and Lucky Cowboy both go for their third wins of the season
CLASS CODE makes her Hastings debut after being imported from Golden Gate Fields by way of Emerald Downs. She notched a hat-trick of wins on the synthetic surface over the winter and was most recently a keeping-on fourth over an insufficient 6 furlongs in Seattle. This represents a marginal step up in class but she looks a big danger, nonetheless. WANDALITA made up several lengths and almost caught trailblazing Arikara back in May. She had NO PEOPLE and LUCY TREASURE behind her that day and should enjoy the mile-and-sixteenth. HOAX goes for her third win of the season and, based on her efforts this term, will make them pay if allowed an easy time on the front.
LUCKY COWBOY returns after almost a month off and bids for a hat-trick here following two fine front-running victories in similar contests. With just three career starts to his name, he could still have some improvement to come and looks the one to beat. ASKMENOQUESTIONS tried to make every yard of the running last time, only to weaken late and lose out close home to Beckett’s Best and today’s rival, DON W. They should both be thereabouts again tonight.
A decisive home-turn move by Brian Boodramsingh aboard BROOKY’S TAPIT proved decisive last time, with the pair just holding off tonight’s rivals SOMETHING ELUSIVE and MY COLLEGE FUND. However, all three may have more to fear from the fourth-placed FAMILY BIZ who, drawn wide, made his way through the field patiently under Kerron Khelawan and was closing on the others with every yard at the line. He should be closer tonight from a better draw. Veteran FORT LANGLEY showed he has plenty of life left yet with a thoroughly professional win on his seasonal reappearance earlier this month. He’s even better over this distance and, in this class, looks a big danger.
ENGLISH BAY TEDDY returns to 6½ furlongs after a lacklustre run over the long course last time and drops onto the bottom rung of the class ladder for the first time since his maiden days. He won a better contest than this in October and, with two races under his girth this year, looks the one they have to beat here. MORETHANSOULTITLE has the stewards to thank for his ‘win’ last time but ran well enough behind subsequently disqualified Valuable Cowboy to suggest he has a leading chance if he can replicate the effort. SELF SERVING makes his season debut but represents a red-hot barn whose runners have been winning first-time up. He won twice last year against tougher company than he faces here and is in the mix. There doesn’t appear to be much early pace among the field and that won’t help EYE BE SEEING YOU, who normally stalks his prey. He’s good enough if he can find something to run at late.
STAY FANTASTIC made light work of his rivals last time, leading gate-to-wire over the same distance he faces tonight and, while this represents a slightly tougher task, he is still the one to beat. NEIGHBOR looked a big danger and full of running when he got snarled up in horrendous traffic approaching the far turn last time, trailing home last of the eight behind Buzzinga Karma, ROOKIE YEAR and Wisely Played. It’s safe to ignore that effort and he should also be a different proposition over the long course. BUZZINGA KARMA was staying on resolutely that day and clearly second best of those who had a clear run at the winner and he will appreciate the extra yardage tonight, while WISELY PLAYED should also relish this first opportunity of the season to strut his stuff over a preferred distance after two solid efforts over 6½ furlongs. There was much to like about BUTTONWOOD TREE’s win last time, but this is a tougher challenge.
READY HERO could represent some value at the betting windows. He ran a nice race last time without ever quite getting into a challenging position, yet still wasn’t too far away at the end and should be in the shake-up. The consistent GOODBY PUTIN was just behind Ready Hero last time but didn’t have an easy passage and may be closer tonight. BARNEY GOOGLE had FRANKIE MACHINE just behind when second to Dynamiter last time and a repeat of that effort would put him at the heart of the matter in what is a devilishly difficult finale.
Lisa & Mike’s Friday Night Picks
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Bloodhorse Daily — Thursday, June 20
