Race 1
6 Feel Like A Woman better leaver than some, has speed. Shot
5 Steinbeck first time lasix, good form, good post. Bad value?
8 Felix Hanover slow starts, big speed appears there. Traffic trouble?
7 Green Grass Grows missed time, appears tight. Price is a factor.
3 Love Sensation improving. Price play contender but others better.
10 Up To No Gouda bad post, slow starter, looking for a slice
9 Coolcalmncollected good first effort, bad post hurts this time
1 Jonny Cracker project horse, coming along, but not yet.
2 Stormont Fullalife has to do a lot more and slow starter
4 Ilovemesometacos trying to just stay flat and show something
1 Jonny Cracker makes his 4th start for Etsell after a private purchase from Graham Kirby. The plan seems to be to take him back and let him learn how to race, to close, and then build speed from there. His breeding suggests he can be a hot potato if you let him start getting that idea, so Etsell continues to control the lines He isn't a toss but I would think he is still a work in progress, but one to watch to see if he can get away closer to the front at some point and use some of his ability to mow them down when he starts to become tactical. I will watch him another time here, but if I was inclined to play the pick 5 I would probably use him in case tonight is the night he puts it together. You would think a driver change would indicate that likelihood, but Etsell has fooled me before at boxcar odds.
2 Stormont Fullalife has 15 starts in the last two years at 3 and 4 but has yet to get the job done, although he only missed by a nose on February 23rd, albeit the winner was a very long time maiden in a suspect field to say the least. Other than that he seems to be hunting for 4th and 5th money most nights. He is consistently a very slow starter with limited means to recover, mostly depending on a front end collapse which almost worked out on February 23rd. That is not something you can count on, especially now that the real prospects are coming out of the woodwork this spring. Pass for me until I see something positive.
3 Love Sensation, a 3yo Walner filly who is 3rd time lasix, loses J Mac and thus picks up the 3rd MacDonald brother, but certainly no downgrade in picking up Mark MacDonald. You can make a decent case that the lasix has helped, as she has stayed closer to the contenders and last time that got her 3rd money, leaving a bit then closing in 28.2. I have had some issues with her gait in the post parade in the past, so I will want to see her. But if she appears good to go, I'd consider her one to use with a decent shot if the contenders don't produce.
5 Steinbeck is a Chapter Seven 3/4 brother to top shelf mare Special Way who seems to be finding his way now at 3, bit by bit, inch by inch. He gets first time lasix here after getting 2nd money twice against arguably two very nice prospects who appear that they will go forward as they move up the class ladder. He also picks up McNair, and for sure, that will drive the price down. I don't see 2-1 as good value here and that is likely what is coming as the 2nd choice to the probably heavy favorite Felix Hanover.
6 Feel Like A Woman made 6 starts at 2 and was 2nd once in this class in decent time. Her dam was a solid mid level condition mare at this track for a long time, but she did take a while to find her niche. P Mac is as patient as they come, both as a driver and a trainer, so you would expect him to take care of her here, although he did deploy the 2 qualifier tactic for her return when he didn't have to. Her good gait speed should play well here with the likely favorites not that anxious to gun out. I will call her in a minor upset, and either way, she is a contender if the intent is there.
7 Green Grass Grows seemed to be progressing towards winning form in the winter when he turned up sick. His qualifier shows he is tight and ready to go, but he does meet a few here who are not winter horses, but prospects to do a lot better things with races under their belts. He has a minor shot tonight, but I think that 3-1 ML quote is low and you are more likely to see 5-1 or even a bit higher on him. If he was in the 8-1 range, he is worth taking a shot on.
8 Felix Hanover has shown flashes of speed in his few starts to this point, and despite being a Greenshoe, he isn't one to go for the front like many of those want to. Maybe that is smart long term thinking or maybe he is just figuring it all out. He has been parked out a lot, so that might suggest that even when they take him back, he hasn't learned to follow well to this stage. He shows being parked out the entire mile last time even from the back of the pack, but he was not. He floated out but only parked because he stayed in the two path, then taken back to last, on the rail the entire 2nd quarter, and gapped, but by design. He was never asked a step by driver Borth who returns again, but nevertheless he closed 9 lengths from the 3/4 pole to the wire to get 2nd money. It appears he could have won that race if there was intent to do that. He almost did anyways. The issue here is the very short price coming and the possibility that he will have road trouble here. I will play to beat him out of the win spot, but if I were to play the multi legs I would have to use him. If he starts a bit better and avoids the traffic, he has the ability to simply overpower this bunch. It looks like there is a lot more there than they are showing to this point.
9 Coolcalmncollected draws poorly again in his 2nd lifetime start, but he left sharply last time and held his ground the entire way, no match for the winner who appears to be a Gold Level horse and the second place horse whom he meets again with a post disadvantage. I like others this time, but let's see if he builds on that good first lifetime start.
2 Southview Abraham returned to Mohawk last time and managed to do enough right to get 3rd money. It seems that is the best he can do, and now he will face some better ones. He has not impressed me to this stage and I like others until he shows a lot more than he has to this point at this track. He will pick up Cullen here so I guess that is a positive.
3 Loyal Leo shows a lot of breaks on the page, mostly near the end of the mile when he seems to be going well and then just loses it. Last time you could argue he found the right field and wasn't pushed to beat those, going much slower than you would expect he will need this time. If they have waited all this time to try and get him sorted out, I doubt they are going to push him here against some tough customers with high hopes for a big season and no reason to hold back here. Watching quite a few of them I am not a big fan of his sire Gimpanzee and this is another example where I think he might not go forward very quickly. Pass for me but I will keep my eye on him. He will find a way at some point at this level.
5 Delightful Yankee a very big ticket yearling for an owner that buys a lot of those, she took a long time to make the races, but she was ready to race when she did and won fairly easily at first asking. After reviewing the bunch she beat, I was not impressed with many of those, especially the 2nd and 3rd place finishers. To her credit, she beat them, and she beat them easily, so it isn't her fault she didn't have to do more. Now, she will have to do more. Will she? She had a substantial lead on Upgraded last time and only beat her by half a length. That would concern me taking a short price here, which is almost a certainty.
6 None Shall Pass surprised in a maiden 2 back, when he added the hopples back and had the trainer calling the shots, but last time he just was no good at all. He did go the same basic mile, so maybe he is just not ready to go forward, or he isn't much stock. Or, he had a bad night. It's very hard to tell with him at this stage, so, on the rebound, for a price, he is worth using. I have no clear read on him at this point.
7 Southwind Manhattn has been hanging around this class, showing some signs but not doing enough when it matters. The trainer will drive again tonight when there are good catch drivers out there to choose from. For that reason, I view her as a bit player at this stage. She isn't impossible, but I like others better in here. For now anyway. She needs to vastly improve on her slow starts.
2 Brain Power. It's early, but he was a big ticket yearling and things don't look too rosey at this point to get that money back. He took a while to make the races, shows breaks, then held it together, only to start very poorly last time and then do little to inspire any confidence he is close to winning form. Young trotters, they can turn on a dime, and he would have to. Only because of the lack of talent in this race does he have any shot on some possible reversal. On the page, he looks hard to like.
3 Talbot Patriot shows very little at this point to suggest he is competitive, even with a poor underperforming bunch like this. He gets Mark Mac here, so I guess that is something. But he's not the Wizard of Oz either, so he will have to show something positive to get me aboard his train for another day. Not today for moi. He looks the type that might welcome Kawartha opening at some point. His good leaving and mediocre speed will play better there.
4 Dulces Suenos Deo is no mystery. He clearly could handle this bunch if he was pushed to, but will they push him to do that? History suggests not. He is a 4yo maiden with 57k made. And a lot of starts where he is right there, but isn't there just quite enough. We have seen this story and form from more than a few from this barn, and as such, his continual short price continues to be bad value. I will have to find another. When he wins, and he will win, unless it's a very large price, he will beat me.
5 Century Massiah raced 11 times at 2 and made 6k. In his return qualifier he did just that, go evenly and qualify, which is all he has to do. He did show a bit of speed last year, and in a suspect field like this, he isn't the biggest stab to take. His post is an advantage and longshot Phil seems to get a lot of these across.
6 Sherlyn Hanover blew up last time, and that happens with young inexperienced trotters. She was good in her qualifier and drew the 10 hole for her debut, also racing good all things considered. She can certainly reverse her mistake last time, but she is also young and green. I want to see her parade to get some clues from her. Certainly, I would not take a short price here.
7 My Classy Queen is one on my watch list. And when I say watch list, I mean watch. I am watching her. She has upside. She has ability. She also has issues which make her tough to drive. She is likely to improve and put it together within the next few starts. That could be tonight. She continues to start very slowly, and that was going to happen drawing the rail last time, but she did close a bit to her credit. She needs to be more manageable, but she is likely to be in the near future. For a big price, she is usable here. Trying to board her train at the right time is the issue. Hoping not to see the train leave the station and go steaming down the tracks to a big win if all about timing with this one. She could easily bankrupt you if you backed her enough times and leave you dry when it's time to cash in.
8 Switch is a pacing bred trotter, but she does trot. Except when she does not, as she made 2 breaks and was forced to qualify, which she did, then raced okay last time. Just okay. To me, she seems the type that will do very well at Grand River and or Georgian, a bigger B track with less overall speed needed. I will wait for that. Hard to see her from the 8 hole start here.
9 Hp Fashionista appears to be a homebred who was bought back at the sale for 135k. I would presume at this stage that his owner would like a mulligan on that. 135k plus stakes payments and a year and a half of training bills and she is just now racing, barely, after 5 qualifiers and loses Borth, who has handled her all along but took another here. I can't back one like this unless she suddenly finds her groove and wakes up. From the 9 hole tonight, it's hard to see a scenario that happens.
2 Lifting Legend, while a racehorse, and can leave, he will need to show a lot more speed to compete with these. I don't see that at this stage, so I will watch him. He is a long way class wise to go with the top 3 or 4 contenders in here. He will have to step up.
3 Green Nineteen returned to the races last time after a winter off. He was decent at 2, starting 9 times, winning a grassroots at Sarnia when the back half was very slow, then finishing 2nd and 3rd right off that winning mile then racing poorly in the grassroots final, after which he was shut down. He raced good last time but the winner was just better. Today is another day. If he can repeat that mile and that winner regresses, he has a legit shot and his price might float up a touch here. He is in the mix.
4 Charlie Cheeks seems to have needed a race 2 back when he drew bad and had a new trainer. That was not the case last time as he shot to the front and wired them in very good time. He is 2 for 26 lifetime, so while he comes back to the same class and meets many of the ones he beat, he isn't the type in my opinion that doubles up and comes right back and does it again. I will go against him and his likely very short price this time.
5 Silvy reeled in a fading loose leader last time and got the jump on the chalk who didn't seem that interested in winning anyway. In any event, she got it done, and now moves up to face much tougher and faster winners. I don't see her dropping 4 seconds here, or 20 lengths, so lets see if she can trot in 57 and pick up a slice as she finds a way.
6 The Hitman Heart seems to be progressing now to his breeding destiny, being a half brother to both Logan Park and Willys Home Run. Lasix seems to have helped him and is good leaving ability gives him a shot as he moves up the ladder. He is one of a few in here that can win this off the right trip. Adding Trevor Henry doesnt hurt here. He meets two in here who beat him last time. So there is also that. Every day is a new day in racing though. He missed a month between starts last time, off a horrid line. This time, off a good line, he comes right back. That is a positive development.
7 Trudybird ended the year poorly last year and last time, in her return she was equally as bad. Until she shows something to suggest she is rectified she is a hard pass for me.
8 Kinnder Icecube kept it together last time after blowing up in the stretch the race before when he was likely to get 2nd money. Now he draws the 8 hole and fields are deeper and tougher, which means he meets the 3 again that beat him last time. I have to pass this time until he shows me he can go with the better horses that are coming out now.
Race 8
2 Hercules was impressive last time in this class, stalking the leaders, moving out then passing them fairly easily. He seems to be one of those who improves with age, and luckily for him, that means he hasn't made much in his career to this point, racing at the B's. The race office threw a condition on the end of nw2 that allows him to fit this class, and that makes him the one to beat here.
3 Shock Factor does not appear to be a Mohawk type horse, especially since he broke his maiden. Even then he was suspect, but he had a good night in the winter when they were very soft. That can and does happen, but what doesn't happen is going forward when the better ones come out, as they are now. I can't see him with these. Hard pass.
4 Calgary Morning had high hopes when he came out last year at 2, starting out with Gold colts but ultimately showing they were just too fast and tough for him. He was moved to the Grassroots level and he was marginally better before being shut down after a win. Did that ambitious high hopes start to his career take the starch out of him? We shall see. It does for some and it can take a long time before they get that desire and energy to race back. His two qualifiers have been just okay, so let's see what he brings to the table tonight. Hard to see him beating Hercules, Tomboy Strong and Wolfpack Crown, so I will pass on him tonight and just watch.
5 Tomboy Strong shipped here from Ohio where she debuted and beat the same horse that Hercules beat, but then drew the 10 hole and just raced, finishing well and taking her time down. She has a shot in this field, but she will have to be better than she was to sail by the leader that night who simply doesn't finish like some of these do.
6 Wolfpack Crown has two in a row now, the last one at this level, but he was all out to beat Check Master last time. In reality, he beat him because Check Master got wobbly and bad gaited when he was clearly going by Wolfpack Crown, who also did not look great on his own. I will gladly take Hercules and Tomboy Strong against him tonight. I think he was lucky to win last time.
7 Dont Chang My Naam earns a nice living for her connections picking up slices, and sometimes even 2nd money when things go her way. However, this is a far deeper bunch and she is chasing 3rd or 4th here.
2 Stormont Fullalife has 15 starts in the last two years at 3 and 4 but has yet to get the job done, although he only missed by a nose on February 23rd, albeit the winner was a very long time maiden in a suspect field to say the least. Other than that he seems to be hunting for 4th and 5th money most nights. He is consistently a very slow starter with limited means to recover, mostly depending on a front end collapse which almost worked out on February 23rd. That is not something you can count on, especially now that the real prospects are coming out of the woodwork this spring. Pass for me until I see something positive.
3 Love Sensation, a 3yo Walner filly who is 3rd time lasix, loses J Mac and thus picks up the 3rd MacDonald brother, but certainly no downgrade in picking up Mark MacDonald. You can make a decent case that the lasix has helped, as she has stayed closer to the contenders and last time that got her 3rd money, leaving a bit then closing in 28.2. I have had some issues with her gait in the post parade in the past, so I will want to see her. But if she appears good to go, I'd consider her one to use with a decent shot if the contenders don't produce.
4 Ilovemesometacos was a cheap yearling purchase by Six Pack who has had gait issues since showing up. He shows 3 of the 5 lines on the page with a break, and thus was on the list. Hughes got him around and now lists a catch driver, with a better post this time. But he hasn't trotted a flat mile in a real race yet, and I will pass on him until I see something positive....like say a flat mile where he closes and doesn't look like he is being held together to do it.
5 Steinbeck is a Chapter Seven 3/4 brother to top shelf mare Special Way who seems to be finding his way now at 3, bit by bit, inch by inch. He gets first time lasix here after getting 2nd money twice against arguably two very nice prospects who appear that they will go forward as they move up the class ladder. He also picks up McNair, and for sure, that will drive the price down. I don't see 2-1 as good value here and that is likely what is coming as the 2nd choice to the probably heavy favorite Felix Hanover.
6 Feel Like A Woman made 6 starts at 2 and was 2nd once in this class in decent time. Her dam was a solid mid level condition mare at this track for a long time, but she did take a while to find her niche. P Mac is as patient as they come, both as a driver and a trainer, so you would expect him to take care of her here, although he did deploy the 2 qualifier tactic for her return when he didn't have to. Her good gait speed should play well here with the likely favorites not that anxious to gun out. I will call her in a minor upset, and either way, she is a contender if the intent is there.
7 Green Grass Grows seemed to be progressing towards winning form in the winter when he turned up sick. His qualifier shows he is tight and ready to go, but he does meet a few here who are not winter horses, but prospects to do a lot better things with races under their belts. He has a minor shot tonight, but I think that 3-1 ML quote is low and you are more likely to see 5-1 or even a bit higher on him. If he was in the 8-1 range, he is worth taking a shot on.
8 Felix Hanover has shown flashes of speed in his few starts to this point, and despite being a Greenshoe, he isn't one to go for the front like many of those want to. Maybe that is smart long term thinking or maybe he is just figuring it all out. He has been parked out a lot, so that might suggest that even when they take him back, he hasn't learned to follow well to this stage. He shows being parked out the entire mile last time even from the back of the pack, but he was not. He floated out but only parked because he stayed in the two path, then taken back to last, on the rail the entire 2nd quarter, and gapped, but by design. He was never asked a step by driver Borth who returns again, but nevertheless he closed 9 lengths from the 3/4 pole to the wire to get 2nd money. It appears he could have won that race if there was intent to do that. He almost did anyways. The issue here is the very short price coming and the possibility that he will have road trouble here. I will play to beat him out of the win spot, but if I were to play the multi legs I would have to use him. If he starts a bit better and avoids the traffic, he has the ability to simply overpower this bunch. It looks like there is a lot more there than they are showing to this point.
9 Coolcalmncollected draws poorly again in his 2nd lifetime start, but he left sharply last time and held his ground the entire way, no match for the winner who appears to be a Gold Level horse and the second place horse whom he meets again with a post disadvantage. I like others this time, but let's see if he builds on that good first lifetime start.
10 Up To No Gouda made a break at the start last time, recovered, then closed well for 2nd money. The issue for me is the slower overall time and that is a consistent thing with him to this point. Add to that that he draws the 10 hole here and that he starts slowly from all posts at this stage of his development, and I'd say he could be spotting the contenders 15 lengths at the half. I don't see him making up that kind of ground on all of these. He has a shot at 4th money if he finds some flow and picks off the faders and hangers. Pass for the win.
Race 2
1 Rico Tubbs if he behaves, has ability. stakes winner. Barn brings them ready
5 Delightful Yankee long term prospect, need to adapt here? Price?
4 Hadley post switch, has some ability. Wide open race to give her a shot.
6 None Shall Pass possible rebounder for a price.
3 Loyal Leo moves up, makes breaks, these are tougher than he is used to
7 Southwind Manhattn slow starts, mediocre form, trainer driving
2 Southview Abraham needs to show a lot more to be win candidate
1 Rico Tubbs, a 3yo gelding by Father Patrick is a yearling purchase for The Stable who earned almost 40k USD last year hanging out at the lower levels of the PASS where he was reasonably good when he didn't jump it off. He finished his year at Delaware during Jug Week with a 3rd money showing for a pretty nice purse. Upon his return to the races, he jumped it off again in his first qualifier at Mohawk, but then held it together in the 2nd one and now races for a purse. With his propensity to make breaks, he will have to be seen parading. He has the speed if he can keep it together. He has a shot here. Note he didn't use the hopples in that return qualifier but put them back on in the 2nd one, so one would think that might explain why he jumped this time.
2 Southview Abraham returned to Mohawk last time and managed to do enough right to get 3rd money. It seems that is the best he can do, and now he will face some better ones. He has not impressed me to this stage and I like others until he shows a lot more than he has to this point at this track. He will pick up Cullen here so I guess that is a positive.
3 Loyal Leo shows a lot of breaks on the page, mostly near the end of the mile when he seems to be going well and then just loses it. Last time you could argue he found the right field and wasn't pushed to beat those, going much slower than you would expect he will need this time. If they have waited all this time to try and get him sorted out, I doubt they are going to push him here against some tough customers with high hopes for a big season and no reason to hold back here. Watching quite a few of them I am not a big fan of his sire Gimpanzee and this is another example where I think he might not go forward very quickly. Pass for me but I will keep my eye on him. He will find a way at some point at this level.
4 Hadley is a strikingly athletic mare, but she has been at this level a long time and only has one lifetime win in a lot of starts. My patience with her is wearing thin. She did trot faster last time, so I guess that is some progress and she gets off the rail this time. I have some questions about others in here, so for a big price, she is a viable stab to take with an aggressive driver like Thiessen in the bike.
5 Delightful Yankee a very big ticket yearling for an owner that buys a lot of those, she took a long time to make the races, but she was ready to race when she did and won fairly easily at first asking. After reviewing the bunch she beat, I was not impressed with many of those, especially the 2nd and 3rd place finishers. To her credit, she beat them, and she beat them easily, so it isn't her fault she didn't have to do more. Now, she will have to do more. Will she? She had a substantial lead on Upgraded last time and only beat her by half a length. That would concern me taking a short price here, which is almost a certainty.
6 None Shall Pass surprised in a maiden 2 back, when he added the hopples back and had the trainer calling the shots, but last time he just was no good at all. He did go the same basic mile, so maybe he is just not ready to go forward, or he isn't much stock. Or, he had a bad night. It's very hard to tell with him at this stage, so, on the rebound, for a price, he is worth using. I have no clear read on him at this point.
7 Southwind Manhattn has been hanging around this class, showing some signs but not doing enough when it matters. The trainer will drive again tonight when there are good catch drivers out there to choose from. For that reason, I view her as a bit player at this stage. She isn't impossible, but I like others better in here. For now anyway. She needs to vastly improve on her slow starts.
Race 4
5 Century Massiah has upside, right spot. Taking a flyer.
7 My Classy Queen taking a wild stab, One day. Today?
1 Gone With The Wine another who can win. Needs a lot to go right.
4 Dulces Suenos Deo professional maiden. month off. Intent.
6 Sherlyn Hanover good enough, but, issues, and green. Bad value?
8 Switch post will hurt, makes breaks. longshot
2 Brain Power hard to like until he gets his act together
3 Talbot Patriot he shows little to suggest he can compete
9 Hp Fashionista fts, took 5 qua just to get to this stage. 9 hole
1 Gone With The Wine drew the 9 hole last time and that did him in from the get go. He spotted them 8 and only got beat 3, so that is a deceptively decent showing for a young horse just finding his way at this track anyway. Now he draws the rail, better but still not great, and he will have to get a bit closer to the front and find some flow. That isn't impossible in this very suspect bunch. Borth ditched a Ben B prospect in here for this one, although the Ben B one has a bad post and has not shown much to this stage.
2 Brain Power. It's early, but he was a big ticket yearling and things don't look too rosey at this point to get that money back. He took a while to make the races, shows breaks, then held it together, only to start very poorly last time and then do little to inspire any confidence he is close to winning form. Young trotters, they can turn on a dime, and he would have to. Only because of the lack of talent in this race does he have any shot on some possible reversal. On the page, he looks hard to like.
3 Talbot Patriot shows very little at this point to suggest he is competitive, even with a poor underperforming bunch like this. He gets Mark Mac here, so I guess that is something. But he's not the Wizard of Oz either, so he will have to show something positive to get me aboard his train for another day. Not today for moi. He looks the type that might welcome Kawartha opening at some point. His good leaving and mediocre speed will play better there.
4 Dulces Suenos Deo is no mystery. He clearly could handle this bunch if he was pushed to, but will they push him to do that? History suggests not. He is a 4yo maiden with 57k made. And a lot of starts where he is right there, but isn't there just quite enough. We have seen this story and form from more than a few from this barn, and as such, his continual short price continues to be bad value. I will have to find another. When he wins, and he will win, unless it's a very large price, he will beat me.
5 Century Massiah raced 11 times at 2 and made 6k. In his return qualifier he did just that, go evenly and qualify, which is all he has to do. He did show a bit of speed last year, and in a suspect field like this, he isn't the biggest stab to take. His post is an advantage and longshot Phil seems to get a lot of these across.
6 Sherlyn Hanover blew up last time, and that happens with young inexperienced trotters. She was good in her qualifier and drew the 10 hole for her debut, also racing good all things considered. She can certainly reverse her mistake last time, but she is also young and green. I want to see her parade to get some clues from her. Certainly, I would not take a short price here.
7 My Classy Queen is one on my watch list. And when I say watch list, I mean watch. I am watching her. She has upside. She has ability. She also has issues which make her tough to drive. She is likely to improve and put it together within the next few starts. That could be tonight. She continues to start very slowly, and that was going to happen drawing the rail last time, but she did close a bit to her credit. She needs to be more manageable, but she is likely to be in the near future. For a big price, she is usable here. Trying to board her train at the right time is the issue. Hoping not to see the train leave the station and go steaming down the tracks to a big win if all about timing with this one. She could easily bankrupt you if you backed her enough times and leave you dry when it's time to cash in.
8 Switch is a pacing bred trotter, but she does trot. Except when she does not, as she made 2 breaks and was forced to qualify, which she did, then raced okay last time. Just okay. To me, she seems the type that will do very well at Grand River and or Georgian, a bigger B track with less overall speed needed. I will wait for that. Hard to see her from the 8 hole start here.
9 Hp Fashionista appears to be a homebred who was bought back at the sale for 135k. I would presume at this stage that his owner would like a mulligan on that. 135k plus stakes payments and a year and a half of training bills and she is just now racing, barely, after 5 qualifiers and loses Borth, who has handled her all along but took another here. I can't back one like this unless she suddenly finds her groove and wakes up. From the 9 hole tonight, it's hard to see a scenario that happens.
Race 6
6 The Hitman Heart comes back faster this time. Seems live.
3 Green Nineteen 2nd back. Good last time. In the mix.
4 Charlie Cheeks very good last time. Can he double up?
2 Lifting Legend will have to step up to compete, I don't see that.
5 Silvy large rise in class. Needs more. I don't see that yet.
8 Kinnder Icecube hard pass with these tonight.
1 Resolved Issues doesn't appear good enough against these
7 Trudybird currently is not usable as she appears
1 Resolved Issues won this class 3 back but appeared wildly overmatched in his next two when he moved up. He will get to drop back to that class that he won, but now the fields are deeper and tougher. He is hard to like against the contenders here.
2 Lifting Legend, while a racehorse, and can leave, he will need to show a lot more speed to compete with these. I don't see that at this stage, so I will watch him. He is a long way class wise to go with the top 3 or 4 contenders in here. He will have to step up.
3 Green Nineteen returned to the races last time after a winter off. He was decent at 2, starting 9 times, winning a grassroots at Sarnia when the back half was very slow, then finishing 2nd and 3rd right off that winning mile then racing poorly in the grassroots final, after which he was shut down. He raced good last time but the winner was just better. Today is another day. If he can repeat that mile and that winner regresses, he has a legit shot and his price might float up a touch here. He is in the mix.
4 Charlie Cheeks seems to have needed a race 2 back when he drew bad and had a new trainer. That was not the case last time as he shot to the front and wired them in very good time. He is 2 for 26 lifetime, so while he comes back to the same class and meets many of the ones he beat, he isn't the type in my opinion that doubles up and comes right back and does it again. I will go against him and his likely very short price this time.
5 Silvy reeled in a fading loose leader last time and got the jump on the chalk who didn't seem that interested in winning anyway. In any event, she got it done, and now moves up to face much tougher and faster winners. I don't see her dropping 4 seconds here, or 20 lengths, so lets see if she can trot in 57 and pick up a slice as she finds a way.
6 The Hitman Heart seems to be progressing now to his breeding destiny, being a half brother to both Logan Park and Willys Home Run. Lasix seems to have helped him and is good leaving ability gives him a shot as he moves up the ladder. He is one of a few in here that can win this off the right trip. Adding Trevor Henry doesnt hurt here. He meets two in here who beat him last time. So there is also that. Every day is a new day in racing though. He missed a month between starts last time, off a horrid line. This time, off a good line, he comes right back. That is a positive development.
7 Trudybird ended the year poorly last year and last time, in her return she was equally as bad. Until she shows something to suggest she is rectified she is a hard pass for me.
Race 8
2 Hercules hard to fault him. Improving and sharp horse.
5 Tomboy Strong possible, but top choice looks better.
6 Wolfpack Crown two in a row, but meets the acid test tonight
4 Calgary Morning return race. have to see how he stacks up
7 Dont Chang My Naam has a shot at the bottom of the ticket
3 Shock Factor completely outclassed by these
1 Pats Queen way over her head
1 Pats Queen looks like a mare that should be in a maiden. Even then, I doubt she beats some of the ones who have surfaced now. With these, she shows nothing to suggest she can make the ticket, let alone win.
2 Hercules was impressive last time in this class, stalking the leaders, moving out then passing them fairly easily. He seems to be one of those who improves with age, and luckily for him, that means he hasn't made much in his career to this point, racing at the B's. The race office threw a condition on the end of nw2 that allows him to fit this class, and that makes him the one to beat here.
3 Shock Factor does not appear to be a Mohawk type horse, especially since he broke his maiden. Even then he was suspect, but he had a good night in the winter when they were very soft. That can and does happen, but what doesn't happen is going forward when the better ones come out, as they are now. I can't see him with these. Hard pass.
4 Calgary Morning had high hopes when he came out last year at 2, starting out with Gold colts but ultimately showing they were just too fast and tough for him. He was moved to the Grassroots level and he was marginally better before being shut down after a win. Did that ambitious high hopes start to his career take the starch out of him? We shall see. It does for some and it can take a long time before they get that desire and energy to race back. His two qualifiers have been just okay, so let's see what he brings to the table tonight. Hard to see him beating Hercules, Tomboy Strong and Wolfpack Crown, so I will pass on him tonight and just watch.
5 Tomboy Strong shipped here from Ohio where she debuted and beat the same horse that Hercules beat, but then drew the 10 hole and just raced, finishing well and taking her time down. She has a shot in this field, but she will have to be better than she was to sail by the leader that night who simply doesn't finish like some of these do.
6 Wolfpack Crown has two in a row now, the last one at this level, but he was all out to beat Check Master last time. In reality, he beat him because Check Master got wobbly and bad gaited when he was clearly going by Wolfpack Crown, who also did not look great on his own. I will gladly take Hercules and Tomboy Strong against him tonight. I think he was lucky to win last time.
7 Dont Chang My Naam earns a nice living for her connections picking up slices, and sometimes even 2nd money when things go her way. However, this is a far deeper bunch and she is chasing 3rd or 4th here.
