Saturday's Previews
Saturday's Previews
Six cracking races, headlined by an Allowance Optional Claiming contest that features Stakes performers aplenty, on what promises to be another exciting afternoon at Hastings
The marginal class drop worked a treat for JERSEY LILLIE last time and the consistent mare, who has missed the board just once all season, returns to the bottom rung here in a bid for back-to-back victories. She looks the one to beat. CC SUNRISE returns to sprinting after going down by a nose over the long course last time. Two starts ago, she won over this distance at this level and needs to be on the shortlist again today. CARLA’S HONOR dead-heated with TEXAS HUMOR when they clashed earlier this month and both should make their presence felt again.
CASCADE BILLY takes a little class relief after going down narrowly to Set to Shine and today’s rival Finding Ways. Prior to that, he split Bold Arch and Smart Lad in what was a far tougher race than this and a repeat of that standard would make him a tough opponent. That race saw the Racing Club’s FINDING WAYS bounce back to form following a couple of below par efforts and he shouldn’t be too far away again. STANFORD BAY has improved with his racing this year and had FLORIDA GATOR and Finding Ways behind when winning last time. He goes for a hat-trick today and he looks a big danger again.
QUATRE BAK kept on well after being close to the front-end throughout behind gate-to-wire winner, When in Mexico, last time and takes his first shot at the long course following a season sprinting in tougher company. He can reverse positions with BORROWED EQUITY and RICK’S DANCER, who both rallied late in the same contest, although there’s probably not too much between the three of them.
Y VEE R returns to the fold after being re-claimed last time. He has winning form at the distance and put in his best performance for a while on his most recent start. The versatile PADDY D’ORO is probably a little better going long and rarely runs a poor race, while GOOD BYE PUTIN split Fort Langley and Better Tone in a similar contest last time and a repeat of that might well be good enough to take this.
PAY MY WAY last ran over this distance just over a year ago in the S.W. Randall Plate, where he finished third to Big Union and At Attention. He loves to come with a late run and is from a barn that has recently hit some form. GUNFIGHTER has been knocking on the door most of the year. He was plugging on gamely when fourth behind Pursue and Just Jimmy last time and this looks to be a marginally less daunting proposition. TIME TICKER ran a clunker last time but a repeat of either of his previous two efforts over the long course would give him every chance and he might represent some value at the betting windows.
EVANDERKEEN wasn’t beaten too far when fourth over this distance on just his second career start back in July and will be a big threat if able to repeat that in what looks to be a moderate affair. A LITTLE MERCY NOW put in a solid piece of work last weekend and should probably be forgiven her last effort on sloppy ground. She’ll need to improve, but the well-bred filly may be a different proposition with some extra real estate to run into and could represent some value in the betting market. The mile-and-sixteenth should also suit NU BLEND, who has been doing her best work at the end of her races this season, while THINKIN BACK only made his career debut in August and still looked a little ‘green’ when running-on well last time. He’ll know more again today and is one for the short list.
Lisa & Mike’s Saturday Selections
Statistics
Pleasanton Gets Go Ahead for Fall Meet
New Stride News
