Race Three:
1 You Tell Me ships in from Penn National where he won out his lifetime conditions in a route two months ago. This gelding was claimed out of that one by his new owner-trainer, Jeffrey Englehart. I should mention that Englehart has a mediocre record when it comes to both 1st start after a claim and 46-90 days away from the track. I wouldn’t rule out a minor award for this French Deputy-bred 5-year old, but I would be reluctant to put him on top. Kendrick Carmouche is in the irons.
PLAYTHATFUNNYMUSIC, the other half of the Englehart entry, would appear to have a better chance of getting his picture taken. This Disco Rico-bred finished 3rd in this company in his last race in late March. This Citidancer-bred shows an early turn of foot. It is possible that this 6-year old could find himself on the lead or possibly in a stalking position. My only concern is the 8-panels distance. The gelding’s jockey, Dylan Davis, will need to ration out this Yes It’s True-bred’s speed. I should mention that this is this gelding’s 3rd start off a layoff.
BIG THICKET took part in one of the plethora of higher-priced, non-graded stakes claiming events that were carded on March 30. This colt finished a weakening 3rd in that 7-panels race. And here’s “the rub,” at least when it comes to this 4-year old: “Can he ‘get’ the 8-panels distance?” I wouldn’t rule it out, yet his pilot, Rajiv Maragh, is going to have to do some serious rationing. This is this Union Rags (Dixie Union)-bred’s 2nd start for his trainer, Jim Ferraro. Ferraro is just one-for-9 with horses making their second start under his tutelage. I’m not thinking so much about a win bet; yet this colt is capable of “mopping up” a gimmick.
3 O Shea Can You See would appear to be out of his element in this one-mile route. This Curlin-bred has been doing his best running in sprints. The added two furlongs of today’s race appears to be imposing. I find this owner-trainer Eduardo Jones’ entrant difficult to recommend. Oscar Gomez is in the irons.
4- Stretch’s Stone appears to do some of his best running on wet tracks (not forthcoming). This 5-year old was beaten by weaker in his last (this gelding went off as a 2-to-1 shot). He finished 3rd. This Bustin Stones-bred was claimed out of his last race by the Noda Brothers. Orlando Noda trains. Irad Ortiz, Jr. is in the irons. It’s possible that this gelding could earn a minor award in this nondescript field.
HERE COMES TOMMY is what I call a “back-ender”. By that I mean a horse that is capable of hitting the tote, but one who usually ends up finishing 2nd or 3rd as opposed to winning. This 9-year old Freud-bred fits that definition to a tee. In fact, this Storm Cat-bred only won out his lifetime conditions last year as an 8-year old. I will say this on his behalf, this Rubiano-bred has faced better. I certainly wouldn’t rule him out. This gelding is capable of getting the one-mile distance. I believe he would move up if there were any moisture (recent weather forecasts appear to make that scenario, unlikely). The veteran reinsman, Mike Luzzi, is in the stirrups for the capable John Morrison.
FLEET IRISH is another gelding who would have benefitted from a wet track (apparently that is not going to happen, today). It’s the Joel Sone-Rachel Sells combination. Frankly, at first blush, I am inclined to dismiss this Dublin-bred’s chances, but I believe that, at his best, this Afleet Alex-bred can garner a position on the infield tote. I should note that this gelding hasn’t raced in well over a month. Yet, tucked away, in plain sight (sounds like an oxymoron) is a morning work in which this 5-year old turned in a one-minute, 5-panels “bullet” on March 16 at the Belmont training track. If that effort were to manifest itself on the racetrack…. I see this horse, in my own parlance, as “a sleeper” who might just add value to an exotic.
