Race 1

• 2  Panama Papers  4-1

• 7  Giant Brownie  9/2

• 1  Brooklyn Bobby  5-1

As usual these 2YO affairs are wide open. Panama Papers is one of the horses with a start and stretches out to 8.5F. Given he is by English Channel he should have no problem with the stretch out. Giant Brownie is the other contender with a start and he also looks like he should have no issue with the additional distance. Brooklyn Bobby is by champion turf horse Frankel out of a turf winning mare. He’s low on the ML because of the breeding, but no way to tell if he is really a runner. Lynch is fair with first timers but asking for a horse to make his first start at a route from the rail is a tall request.

Race 2

• 7  Hieroglyphics  7/2

• 6  Northern  4-1

• 4  Tyler U  5-1

• 8  Practical Joke  5-1

The second is another tough 2YO race. Hieroglyphics is the Pletcher/Velasquez entrant, and you ignore that combo at your own peril. Northern goes for top 2YO trainer Wesley Ward. Tyler U has a start where he had the lead into the stretch and that had to help his racing education. While I usually prefer Chad Brown in turf routes with young fillies, but he is dangerous with first timers.

Race 3

• 9  Fearthefalcon  3-1

• 3  Lucky Town  7/2

• 8  Grand Sky  4-1

• 1  Euros to Dollars  5-1

Fearthefalcon has been taken up the price ladder by Klesaris and ran a good second at this level last out. Lucky Town broke his maiden for $40K two back and jumped up to a $50K starter where he had the lead for six furlongs.  Figures say he is a contender. Grand Sky broke slowly in his 2016 debut but showed some interest by passing horses. Interesting at 5.5F. Euros to Dollars almost wired a field last time in his 2016 debut. Some improvement makes him dangerous.

Race 4

• 3  Summer Revolution  8/5

• 2  Rich ‘n’ Tuck  3-1

• 4  Sir Alfred  4-1

Summer Revolution comes off a big win in his maiden debut and if he replicates that effort he looks fastest in here. Rich ‘n’ Tuck is one of those horses looking to finally win a NW1X. He is a hard trying horse with a good in the money percentage and the numbers to finally break through. Sir Alfred has never run a bad race and could be looking for three in a row if he hadn’t had trouble in his last. Looks like he is at the top of his form.

Race 5

• 2  Butler Field  5/2

• 6  Spuytan Duyvil  3-1

• 1  Tricked Up  4-1

• 5  Sport  5-1

This is a tough maiden event so I’m looking for horses with some upside left. Butler Field didn’t break well first time out at a sprint and didn’t get into the race until he passed horses late. Chad Brown is high percentage with second time starters. Spuytan Duyvil ships in from AP for solid trainer Michael Stidham. He showed good speed and stayed well in the stretch despite taking a bump. Tricked Up clearly needed his first race, especially after ducking out at the eighth pole. Brown has been hot at the SAR meet. Sport has been going longer and makes his fourth start. Could be a stretch factor.

Race 6

• 2  Fact Finding  3-1

• 3  Casses Story  4-1

• 6  Fillet of Sole  5-1

Fact Finding is the Pletcher/Velasquez entrant and first time 2YO at 6F on the dirt are his bread and butter at the Spa. Casses Story improved when stretched out to 6F at CD and should be part of the early pace. Fillet of Sole could be the value horse here. His last race was better than looked. He broke in the middle of the group, slipped toward the back of the pack, started to make his move around the turn and was stymied when wide, was in close quarters at the top of the stretch, started to move well when he looked like he wanted to duck in mid stretch. Once Saez got him straightened out he showed a lot of willingness to close. At 12-1 he deserves a long look.

Race 7

• 7  Full Mast  3-1

• 1  Shining Copper  4-1

• 2  Conquest Typhoon  5-1

This is a tough edition of the Lure. Full Mast comes off a good fourth in the King Edward at WO. He was a group 1 winner in France and should be in good form today. Shining Copper has been in nothing but Grade 1’s since last August and should appreciate dropping into a restricted stake. He should be part of the early pace and may have things his own way. Conquest Typhoon ships in for Mark Casse. He has graded credentials and should go off long odds today. Worth a look in the verticals.

Race 8

• 6  Lewis Bay  3-1

• 7  Off the Tracks  3-1

• 3  Kareena  7/2

• 8  Kinsley Kisses  5-1

Lewis Bay is one of the horses coming out of the Mother Goose and that looks like it may be a productive race. Although she finished behind Off the Tracks, the stumble at the start could have cost her the race. Off the Tracks won the Mother Goose and was second in the Acorn and the GP Oaks. Can’t be discounted here. Kareena is a lightly raced filly who is facing a huge test. I like 3YO on the improve  and Kareena fits that bill. Don’t care for the ML, but have to give the horse big chances today.

Race 9

• 9  Trophee  7/2

• 6  Guapaza  7/2

• 1  Photo Call  4-1

• 4  Real Smart  5-1

Trophee is good at the distance and has been successful on the SAR turf. Always seems to be close at the end. Guapaza has looked strong in graded stakes and now that Brown has her on the winning road, she should be a major factor here. Photo Call has been racing well with this sort of field and could benefit out of the inside post.

Race 10

• 4  Frosted  1-1

• 6  Effinex  5/2

• 3  Upstart  6-1

Given Frosted’s monster win in the Met Mile, it is hard to pick against him. However, Effinex is a legitimate Grade 1 horse and if any horse has a chance for an upset here it should be him.

Race 11

• 3  Stormy Victoria  3-1

• 1  Roca Rojo  7/2

• 4  Lady Lara  4-1

• 10  Zindaya  5-1

The De La Rose comes up just as tough as today’s other stakes. The Clement trained Stormy Victoria comes off a win in an OC$80K after a closing fifth in the G2 Nassau. Figures strongly at the mile distance. Roca Rojo makes his second North American start for Chad Brown after an impressive win at BEL. She has an impressive win in Europe at the mile and looks to be improving. Lady Lara is coming out of a series of graded stakes and has the best last race figure. Has to be considered.