MEET STATS: 142 - 648 / $1,034.60 (-$261.40)
BEST BETS: 34 - 65 / $146.10 (+$16.10)
SPOT PLAYS: 6 - 65 / $63.80 (-$66.20)
BEST BET-INFERNO DK (5th)
SPOT PLAY-SHEZAHUNGRYGIGI (4th)
Race 1 - 20000CLM Pace
(5) TIN ROOF RAIDER A finally gets a decent post position to work from here and I expect he'll be closer to the action. (4) HOOSIER CELEBRITY has been racing well and has also been popular at the claim box. He won in one try for Dennis Laterza on 7-5 and is back in his stable for tonight's contest. (1) I B LOVIN faces open $20,000 claimers instead of age-restricted ones but starts from the pole, is sharp and was Brent Holland's choice.
Race 2 - 25000CLM Pace
(4) GDS THUNDER GB was a rallying second at this level two back and races out of a high-percentage stable. (5) SPINDOCTOR HANOVER was third against $25,000 claimers last Saturday and makes his second start for leading trainer Per Engblom. (2) TO THE HUNT has been racing well against age-restricted $30,000 claiming foes and was Colin Kelly's choice.
Race 3 - NW7500L5/Winners in Last Start of the Base Class NW5000L5 Pace
(4) TOBINS CHESTER held on to get fourth last Wednesday despite a difficult trip. He was handled aggressively from post seven, so I think he's live and he moves in on the gate this time. (1) SMOOTH LOU debuts for new connections after being claimed again a couple of weeks ago. He gets significant post relief and was second the last time he competed in this class. (3) FUNATTHEBEACH N was no match for a runaway winner but did post a second-place finish when he dropped down to this level on August 13.
Race 4 - F&M 20000CLM Pace
(7) SHEZAHUNGRYGIGI drew a bad post but comes out of fast races at Pocono and makes her second start on Lasix. (4) YUENGLING has hit the board a couple of times in this class and was Kelly's choice over my top pick. (1) PIT BOSS HANOVER starts from post one again and was a game runner-up last Saturday after re-moving to the lead and parking out a foe.
Race 5 - Winners of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT / NW2 PM Races or 30000LT Draw Inside Trot
(3) INFERNO DK comes in from Pennsylvania in sharp form from the NW4 class at Pocono and the NW5 level at Harrah's Philadelphia. I'll give him the nod over (4) DURANTE HANOVER, who won in his second crack at this class on 8-13 and is a second-time Lasix user. (2) WISH LIST gets an inside post to work with here for the first time in a bit and has hit the board against these types before.
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Race 6 - F&M Winners of 2 but not more than 4 PM Races or 60000LT Pace
(5) MISS PERIGNON N is in a much better spot here compared to her last three tries post-wise and gained spots and ground in the final quarter of her mile last week. (4) WORKLIFEBALANCE can win like she did on 7-12 but was disappointing at 1-9 a couple of weeks ago, and I'll try to beat her at what will likely be low odds again. (3) LADY BLUE JAY has had success before at this level and had a couple of excuses in her last outing as she got bothered and was coming off a sick scratch.
Race 7 - 15000CLM Pace
(2) VESPA N posted a third-place finish behind a couple of sharp rivals in a $15,000 claiming event last week and gets further post relief this time. (5) REAL PEACE is probably the sharpest horse in here but got parked and tired in his most recent outing on 8-9. He gets a driver switch to George Napolitano Jr. (4) FULL SUPPORT has a couple of recent on-the-board results at this level and can probably follow along and get on the ticket.
Race 8 - 3-6YO 30000CLM Pace
I can't see (8) MUSIC HALL taking back to last in here, so I'll give him a shot as he's finished third in his last two tries at this level. (1) ALL ALONE won in this class last Thursday and starts from the pole tonight. (3) CHICKEN N DICE prevailed two back against age-restricted $30,000 claimers and backed that up with a close second-place effort against ALL ALONE most recently.
Race 9 - 15000CLM Pace
(3) SINGFORYOURSUPPER merits another chance this time as he gets additional post relief and races out of a stable that's capable of having one ready to fire. (8) RECORD YEAR starts from the eight-hole but is in great form and like his stablemate Music Hall in Race 8, I can't see them electing to race from last. (1) D A WICKED SHINE was a solid runner-up two back against $15,000 claiming company and slides in from the six-hole to the pole position.