Saturday's Previews
Seven more competitive races for handicappers to get their teeth into, including a nine-runner nightcap that sees recent winner Klimtoglory renew rivalry with five horses he beat two weeks ago
ANAAMY Has failed to hit the board just three times in her 12-race career to date. She was third, just behind today’s rival LIZZIE’S GIRL, on her season debut earlier this month and both look likely to play a major role again here. Perennial front-runners VALERIE VALESKI and SKY FACTOR may decide how quick they go but have something to prove on their previous outing when they finished behind Lizzie’s Girl and Anaamy.
JUST MISTY left her 2yo form well behind to break her maiden on her 3yo debut earlier this month and she wouldn’t need to progress too much more to play a leading hand. GROOVY GIRL’s fourth to Trapalis last time makes her a serious threat, although she’s been looking for her second win for a while. Conversely, a repeat of stablemate DANCING WITH LIL’s maiden win at the end of last season would make her an obvious choice, but she will need to be forgiven her opening effort this year. TEXAS HUMOR and ROSE OF TEXAS were 4th and 5th respectively last time and can make their presence felt again.
A fascinating heat in which four of the five represent the trailblazing Dino Condilenios barn. Three of the stablemates have already won this season while the fourth, FINDING WAYS, failed by just a head to hold off GOOD BYE PUTIN last time. The latter was fit from a winter campaign elsewhere and Finding Ways, who has solid form in better company that he faces here, could easily reverse the placings. MR QUALITY’s win on opening weekend was given a boost when the two behind him that day returned to win and finish second on their next appearance, while MORETHANSOULTITLE showed real determination to get up late and win on his debut a fortnight ago.
QUEEN OF ATTITUDE won a similar contest on her first appearance last season but has been off since last August when fourth in the BC Cup Distaff. KICK UP THE DUST and PRETTY ARIA also make their season debuts today and, while it’s not easy to split them, a repeat of PRETTY ARIA’s head second to Belcarra Park last October would see her go close. SILK STILLETOS steps up in class after an impressive 6¼-length win over Miss the Hype two weeks ago, while LASTING LIGHT, second on her season debut and working well in the mornings, is also swimming in deeper waters than she has experienced for a while.
BRIAN’S DELIGHT is the only one of these to have run so far this season, but he trailed in behind Bakken Overdrive earlier this month on his first run since last August and will need to show more here. ROAD CLOSURE is a maiden in name only after “winning” last September (with today’s rival WICKED NIGHT back in 5th), before losing the race in the Stewards’ room. He then followed up with a not-too-shabby fifth to Champion juvenile Legacy Square in the Jack Diamond Futurity and is the one they have to beat.
This looks tailor-made for front-runner LILSISTERLEE, who drops in class after finishing second to Island Living on her season debut a fortnight ago. Remarkably, DRILL BABY DRILL has finished second in each of her previous five starts, including both outings this season, and she could go close again here. PERFECT PENNY kept on behind Drill Baby Drill on opening weekend and looks to best of the rest.
A wide-open nightcap that will confound many handicappers (this one included). LOGICAL AL mixed it in the best 2yo company last year after winning his maiden comfortably last August, while KLIMTOGLORY took the switch to Hastings from Woodbine in his stride and had no fewer than five of today’s rivals behind him, including RIMFIRE and Y VEE R who were second and third, respectively. There doesn’t seem a whole lot between them, although Rimfire’s barn was a little slower to come to hand than some seasons and he may well improve again here. CAB SAV makes his Hastings debut after racing exclusively at Century Mile until this point, but is another from an in-form trainer.
Saturday’s Picks
New Stride News
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines, Saturday May 26
