Race 1     7-6-1

Papa Tom has been turfing all summer but he’s shown a liking for the inner dirt. On the down side he’s 2 for 39, but those two wins came on the inner. Certainly has the numbers to win. Gaining Ground is dropping to his lowest level in search of a win. Of the RuRod entry Solly’s Mischief looks the better of the two.

Race 2     3-6-1

Time for Harlan drops to the bottom for this run after two off the turf races. Her number tops the field. Bella Forever showed good speed on a sloppy track but may have to tangle with East Coast Express on the front end. You Take the Cake has 24 starts but is good enough to catch a minor piece.

Race 3     1-5-2

Dreaming of Cara struggles to find the winner’s circle but has been racing with better. Miss Da Point has four wins in nine starts on the inner dirt and should get first run in the stretch. Lady Gracenote has top numbers but will have to run by everyone in the stretch.

Race 4     6-7-8

Krista’s Persona puts the blinkers on for this try after showing speed and fade. Cuts back in distance and that should help. Saluda looks for a win in her 9th start. Has the numbers but is suspect when it comes to heart. Sky Fortune goes off a short layoff for Jeremiah Englehart.

Race 5     1-5-4

La Bella Valeria has plenty of early speed and has a win and a second at the distance. Go Olivia Go has 4 wins in 11 starts on the inner and will be one of the ones coming in the stretch. Your Move is three of four at the distance and two for two on the inner.

Race 6     5-7-1

Freudex just missed after a nice tracking trip last time and cuts back half a furlong today. Readyheartandsoul is coming off a two month rest. He was competitive when moved from the turf to dirt at SAR  and then came back at BEL where he got caught outside the whole way. Should have a better trip today. Tottie Royer  is much better bred for the dirt than turf should enjoy the cutback in distance.

Race 7     5-4-6

Darling Bridezilla has no wins in 5 starts on the inner, but is making the big drop for Jacobson who is both effective on the drop and second off a layoff. Sweet Sway is 3 of 4 on the inner and looks to be in good condition. Midnightpositano struggles to find the winners circle but has the numbers to grab a piece here.

Race 8     6-4-1-2

Half Nelson has good speed and is 4 of 5 in the money on the inner. Lots of space between races so that is cause for concern, but when he’s right he’s got the ability. N.F.’s Destiny goes for Jacobson who is having mixed success on the inner this week, although this one is 3 wins in 5 starts on the inner. Laila’s Jazz was over his head in the last one, but was competitive before that and has a win on the inner. joe Mooch is another in good condition and goes second off the claim for Linda Rice.

Race 9     6-10-5-7

Swivel got pinched back early in his first start but still ran well. Tiznow has been an effective sire, especially for horses trying dirt routes. Beyond the Green looks primed for a good effort after losing as the favorite last out. Persuasive Devil is five of six in the money and could be a part of the exotics. Arctic King is another that has been competitive and looks much improved for trainer Bruce Brown.

I understood NYRA is calling off turf racing for the year, so all the races are picked for the inner dirt.

Race 1     5-7-3

Lil’ Zilla has been hanging around at the $40K level for a while and drops today to the inner dirt bottom level maiden price, $25K. Her first six starts were on the turf, then she ran into a sloppy track, then ran a pretty good race in an off the turf affair on the fast AQU dirt. If she takes to the inner she’s the fastest. Peach Lake is looking to find the winner’s circle in start 18. Lot of seconds and thirds lately so she should be competitive even though the win is questionable. Built in a day only has four starts and looks like she’s been waiting for a distance of ground on a fast track.

Race 2     6-5-2

Rosemarie is another one that might appreciate the cutback. Nice figures, but has trouble getting up first. Mononoke is a total money burner, but is good enough in this field to slip into the win slot. Lemon and Honey has 3 seconds and a third in 10 starts this year and may inherit one of the exotic spots.

Race 3     2-3-6

Blue Shark is dropping from MSW to this low claiming level. He’s shown a lot of ability to get interested early, but hasn’t finished so well. He’s definitiely bred more for the dirt and should be fine at the distance. American Hero is another with competitive numbers, but will need a good spot and a good pace to run at. Warrior’s Hero has lots of speed but has been having to spend it on sloppy and muddy tracks and the dirt. Last time on a fast track he almost won.

Race 4     6-12-11

M J Plus just missed at this price three weeks ago and has consistently good figures. Love to Run was claimed last out by Chris Englehart and he is fair first off the claim. May have to duel with Shankopotamous but he’s shown an ability to sit just off. Lot’s of in the money finishes. Global Asset seems to be a little faster on the turf, but ran very well in his last race over a good AQU dirt. Claimed last out by Bruce Levine and he is good with new barn arrivals.

Race 5     2-3-4

Apex has good tactical speed, a win at the distance and a win over the AQU inner. Bemata was left in his last start at Parx, but prior to that he was running well. Dighton is new to the Bruce Levine barn, but has two wins, two seconds on the AQU inner.

Race 6     11-1-13

In a competitive race the MTO Our Caravan is finally dropping out of graded stakes to try his hand with OC $62K runners. He should find this field much easier. One of the Klesaris entry will scratch, and if it is off the turf Frazil is the one likely to start. He’s got nice tactical speed and just lost last out to Golden Itiz after dueling all the way around the track. He’ll be looking to turn the tables on an inner dirt where he is 5 for 16 in the win slot and 11 for 16 in the money. Golden Itiz goes for three in a row. Hasn’t been on the AQU inner, but has been running strong figures. Has a nice tracking style.

Race 7     7-3-1

Herbal Prospecter runs wet or dry, and goes second off the claim for Tony Dutrow who is 28% with that move. Big Town is not well thought of by the linemaker at 12-1, but he figures as fast as any horse in here and is well suited to the distance. Pleidian has front running ability, although he’s like to battle for the lead. Still, he’s 5 of 9 at the distance.

Race 8     5-6-1

Spa City Fever has a decided figure advantage, although lately Jacobson hasn’t been finding the winner’s circle at his normal rate. Still, gotta go with the number here. Saratoga Snacks was good enough to race in the Cigar Mile last year and although he hasn’t hit the winner’s circle this year, he’s been running well all year. Bond Vigilante has only had one race this year and Chad Brown is 22% second off the layoff. He’s got plenty of tactical speed and was racing with better last year.

Race 9     6-2-3-4

6 Twist ‘n Bake has the fastest figures, although they are on the turf. Turf horses did well today, so we’ll see if that continues. Ozone puts the blinkers on after showing plenty of speed her first two outs. Not sure why and Contessa is only 5% with the move, so we’ll see what difference it makes. Kisses for Romeo was right behind Ozone last out and can improve for a warming Dominic Shettino. Perfect Freud was third last out after running wide out of the 10 post. Sydney Dutrow put in a claim and wheels her back a tick higher.

We’re finally on the inner dirt but NYRA hasn’t given up on the turf yet. Let me ask a question. If the turf can’t be better than soft after 5 days of no rain, what hope do we ever have for getting a firm turf?

Race 1      7-1-6 

Senso goes for Jacobson. She’s been at the $40K level for a while, which is not a good thing, but she had a couple of good races in off the turf affairs her last two. She’ll be a suspect favorite but has raced best on the dirt. Confessa had some trouble at the start last race. Will be bet off one good dirt race at SAR at this level that she might have won with a better trip. Maura’s Pass ran fair on a sloppy track last out and gets a trainer change to Jason Servis.

Race 2      5-3-7

Razia Sultana has been consistent in he first three starts. Didn’t care for the mud at BEL but has been working hard in the mornings lately,. Violette and Ortiz have been a strong combo lately. Good Shot has been second in his first three starts and she seems to be getting better with each start. Stolen Victory has been off the turf her last two starts. Finished close behind Good Shot two back. Room for improvement.

Race 3      1-4-2

America spent most of the year tackling the likes of Untapable and Stopchargingmaria and soundly beat an allowance field in the mud at AQU last out. Stands out in this field. Evening Show has been struggling to find the winner’s circle this year but has been running competitively. Lunar Surge has been having a good 2014 with 7 of 8 in the money. She’s another that has a lot of thirds compared to wins, but could make the exotics.

Race 4      4-14-10-2

Mambo at the Gym improved substantially when dropped to this level. Hasn’t been on the dirt yet but has good tactical speed. Harbor King is the MTO in the race. Richard Metivier has so far refused to give up on him and has put him in state bred MSW. Perhaps with the drop to MCL he improves. Puts blinkers on. Identity Crisis has been mainly on the dirt and is much better bred for the dirt than the turf. Bold Runner has a lot of speed and will be the one to catch.

Race 5      5-6-2

Prove It All Night has a good turn of speed that she’s been using to her advantage. Jumps up off the claim. Lopez is usually effective with frontrunners. Kelly’s Prize drops in from the state bred ranks. Last time she was at this level she ran creditably. Mr Rico Is Valid didn’t seem to care for the turf last time but two back he was competitive on the BEL mud. Gullo claim hasn’t win’t yet for him but he is 24% with the turf to dirt move.

Race 6      7-8-5-3

Two year old maiden race has a number of promising first time starters and a few second time starters. Call me Stoney switches to Bruce LEvine for his second start after showing speed and fading last out. That race certainly gave him necessary experience and the intervening works should have him with a  good edge. All Is Number goes first time for Violette and has a nice series of works for this one. Violette has been hot wtih firsters lately. Apollo Eleven goes first time for RuRod and Castellano. Good works for this debut. Francis Freud had trouble at the break first time out in June. Cannizzo laid him off until this spot. Should come back fitter and stronger.

Race 7      4-7-1-6

American Progress puts the blinkers on for Leo O’Brien and takes a price tumble from NW1X. Has a win on the inner dirt and that moves him up today. Bajan Summer improved when moved to the dirt and dropped to this level. Switches to Angel Cruz for this trip. Three For Me is making his 13th start but he has shown a tendency to finish in the money. Another with a win and a second on the inner.

Race 8      8-3-7

The horses that ran on Sunday all scratched out of this race leaving four runners. Clean Eleven looks like the speed here and is decently bred for the route. Castellano stays and that is a good thing. Legally Bay is 1 for 25 and has been knocking around this level for a while. She’s got some fast figures and with only three competitors she has a better chance than she’s had in a while. Swift Taylor is coming from FL with three wins in her pocket including one on the inner at AQU.

Race 9      10-8-5

Mr. Lit comes in from FL for new conditioner Michelle Nevin after being off for a year and a half. The first race was certainly necessary and he has a win, second, and third in four races on the inner. Straight Bite showed some speed last out at a mile in the slop at AQU but faded badly. Switches to the Bruce Levine barn. Much better bred for the dirt and a wet track. Byron’s Pop is the Jacobson trainee coming in. He showed some speed in his last before fading. Expecting better today.