Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
How to play
RACE 6:
GOODBYE DAL is still a maiden after six starts, but he actually fits well in this Muckleshoot Derby as he has some of the better Beyers in the field and fits the expected pace scenario perfectly as a closer, given the presence of several speeds to his outside. He’s also an upgrade candidate off his last, a paceless race where the speeds held the edge (Note the bold “S” symbol in the running line, indicating a speed-favoring race flow). (1)
RACE 7:
The fact that the majority of the entrants in the Emerald Distaff are exiting sprints makes it very difficult to plot, not to mention to handicap in general, as the ability to handle this extra distance is in question for most of the fillies in the race. But it does seem a quick pace is on tap, and that would work against likely favorite Aloha Breeze, so she may be one to try to beat. I’ll use TIZZY TWISTER, DAFFODIL SWEET, and JAMIES INHERITANCE, as those three have all shown an ability to close ground late and they could be well set up. (3)
RACE 8:
The Washington Oaks is another race that’s very tough to plot in terms of pace, with all 11 entrants coming out of sprint races and most of them never having even tried two turns. This is a classic spread race for the purposes of pick X wagers, and given the fact that other races in the sequence appear (at least on paper) to be more manageable, it does seem that this is the event in which to cast the widest net possible. Using them all. (11)
RACE 9:
Looking for a stretch-runner in the Longacres Mile, as it does seem likely to set up for the closers. SLEW’S TIZ WHIZ comes off a win in the Governor’s Stakes, and while that was a sprint he has won going long, he closed well enough to get the show in this race last year behind FIVE STAR GENERAL and beat that rival in the 2022 Mile. Five Star General likes to be close up in the early stages, but he showed in his win in the 2023 edition of this race that he doesn’t necessarily need the lead to win. IL BELLATOR was second in the Longacres Mile last year, and he’s another who stands to benefit from the likely race flow. PRINCE ABU DHABI rallied to get third in the Pleasanton Mile in his latest, and he should be running late. He is dangerous if he can run back to that career-best 90 Beyer. (4)
THE PLAY: 1 / 1, 8, 9 / ALL / 3, 6, 9, 11 = $66 Ticket