Race 5: #2 Social Drinker (6-1)
Today’s 5th race will be contested at just five furlongs and I’m expecting several to make a mad dash for the front end. Even at this short distance, I think there could be enough speed to set it up for the best closer in #2 Social Drinker (6-1). She received a similar set-up three starts back and took full advantage with a convincing victory at a similar class level. Her most recent start wasn’t as good, but she did make a huge move for the lead around the turn before flattening out in the final stages. That race was at six furlongs so I’m hoping this cutback will help her see out her late rally. She’s a tad light in the speed figure department, but if she gets the hot pace I’m anticipating then that should help bridge the gap between her and some of the other main contenders. She provides solid value if she’s in the range of her listed morning line of 6-1
Race 7: #7 Highland Life (6-1)
A field of seven runners will line up for the seventh race and on paper there are only two horses who will likely be forward early. We’ll start with #4 Amber Light (3-1) who is likely to take plenty of money after running off the screen last time in wire-to-wire fashion. I have no idea where that effort came from, but she earned a huge number for that score and is confidently raised from 5k claimers to the 25k level. I’m not buying that performance just yet, and I want to try and beat her today, especially at a short price. I prefer #7 Highland Life (6-1) to pull off a minor upset. On pace figures he should be right up there contesting the lead early and his late pace figures are much stronger than Amber Light. He also has an advantageous post position and should be able to adapt regardless of how this pace develops. His form is a bit dirtied up after facing much tougher foes, but he’s back in against open claimers today. It’s important he’s only ran against claimers three times-those three starts produced two victories and a third so he is definitely back in with his friends today and seems like a fair play at 9/2 or higher.
Race 8: #10 Discovery Chart (12-1)
We have a large field of unreliable maidens to close out the card. I found it difficult to trust anyone in this race so I’m reluctant to take a short price. I also had a difficult time envisioning how this pace scenario could shake out since nobody’s really shown much early speed as of late. I eventually settled on an outside runner that should be closing late in #10 Discovery Chart (12-1). He threw in a stinker last time, but he was much closer to the pace than usual and he’s a horse that prefers to sit back and make one run. Two back he put in a respectable effort against better competition when he closed ground in a race that favored the speed, and earned a figure that would make him one of the top choices here. Then three back he came with another big run in the closing stages, but encountered too much traffic in the stretch and had to settle for third. He obviously needs to get back to those good races, but the price should be right and I think he’s worth taking a flier on at double digit odds.
