Whirlwind day yesterday. I spent most of the day talking with old and new friends – Andy Serling from NYRA, Eric Hammelback from the national HBPA, and trainer Gary Contessa to name a few. By the time the eighth race came around I hadn’t made a bet and couldn’t leave without spending a little money. Today is just as busy – some time on the backside and a few other interviews. But, I’ll find more time to invest today for sure.

The track stayed soupy yesterday, but two of the four races on the turf stayed. Today, the track is listed as good early but it looked pretty normal during morning workouts. I don’t like many races today, but here’s a few thoughts.

Race 2 has a small field of cheap horses. Ultra Arumba is dropping to half his last race price, but he hasn’t shown much since breaking his maiden on a sloppy CD track. The track today may still have some moisture, but won’t be soupy at all. At 7/2 ML she doesn’t much excite me. Megan’s Rose has 15 starts with one win, but a few in the money finishes. Another that could be used in the verticals but isn’t really bettable at the ML odds. Egyptian Rose is the favorite on the ML off a MC$20K win in her eighth lifetime start. If she wins, I won’t be collecting. Just Be Steppin actually has some positives, prepping in a series of turf races, then a sloppy track and short sprint on the synthetic at PID. The figures look positive but,  one big negative – a trainer who is 1 for 23 lifetime. Perhaps the value will be Lady Chocolatta. She showed a lot of speed early in her career, has clearly been over her head in her last four races,  If she can recapture prior form she’s got a real chance.

Race 3 is a bit of a crap shoot. Ventry Bay looks best of the first timers, and Caribou Club looks best of the horses who have started. I’d throw Gemologist in the mix because he’s had a start over the track. The connections are pretty light, but that race over the track is usually a powerful angle.

I’ve got no real insight in Races 4, 5, and 6. In Race 7 I’m leaning toward Playthatfunnymusic based on the troubled trip he had first time out and the fact that Irad Ortiz replaces J A Davis in the saddle. He also moves from the turf to the dirt, and his breeding really says dirt. In a race where the likely favorites are pretty obvious, he’s one of the few that you can speculate positively on.

Race 9 could be very formful, but I’m looking at 20-1 ML horse Sneaky Fudge Face. This 3YO filly was a little rank last race, but has a couple of positives. A race over the track and an ability to get the distance count in her favor. The downside? She’s a maiden racing against winners. She won’t be a prime bet or anything, but I might find a way to use her.  Highway Star, Frosty Margarita, Free N Clear, Louisville First, and Ametrine all have positives and should share the action enough that if you settle on one, you should get decent odds.

In Race 10 the horses likely to get bet look best on paper, but these last race maiden events can go to anyone. You can make a case for Consumer Confidence, Light the Night, Rate for Me, Virga, and Seize. One horse I will look at closely is Silent Mission who showed some ability to hold her speed longer in a 5F sprint and is listed at 12-1 on the ML.