Shoemaker Mile Stakes (Race 6)
Purse: $400,000
1 Mile
3-Year-Olds and up
Grade 1 Stakes
Heart to Heart ships in after a creditable runner-up finish in a G1 in Kentucky, while facing a small field of local turf milers with only one other presser/front-runner. 'Heart won three successive graded stakes prior to a solid runner-up effort last time. Good horse in good form, and most likely winner if he avoids going head and head with his pace rival on the outside. Twentytwentyvision is rounding into form, and should appreciate a return to turf while making the third start of his campaign. He broke slowly last out in an "off turf" G3, yet rallied to second while missing by only a length. He will roll late in what should be his best race, third start back. Tourist ships from the East, where he has been battling top company. He finished a length and one-quarter behind the top choice two back, and last out was compromised by a wide trip running a mile and one eighth. He cuts back to a mile with enough speed to keep the top choice in his sights. Midnight Storm is the aforementioned pace rival for the top choice. He has run races that are fast enough, and could get a good trip setting or pressing a pace that could be slow.
1. Heart to Heart
2. Twentytwentyvision
3. Tourist
Starter Allowance (Race 8)
Purse: $30,000
About 6-1/2 Furlongs
3-Year-Olds and up
Schillairess has not been out since a dominating debut last year, a 2yo maiden-40/50 he won by open lengths and was claimed. Away since, he returns as a first-time gelding and moves to footing (turf) he is bred to like (by Artie Schiller). Three successive six-furlong works indicate he is fit. Trainer Peter Miller is 4-for-20 the past three years with turf sprinters off six months or more. Only one of the 20 was a favorite; none of the four winners was a favorite. Nat's Nation wheels back 16 days after a dominating Cal-bred maiden win. He is eligible to this starter allowance because he ran for a tag in February. The gelding has a forwardly placed running style adaptable to any pace scenario. Dream Police moves up in class while returning from a brief freshening. He ran okay both starts on this downhill course in fall 2014. Upset candidate?
1. Schillairess
2. Nat's Nation
3. Dream Police
Maiden Special Weight (Race 9)
Purse: $56,000
5-1/2 Furlongs
3-Year-Olds and up
Westfest improved a ton second out, runner-up in a six-furlong sprint that was run at a solid clip. Westfest earned a number (82 Beyer) good enough to win many special-weight sprints; he has three short works since and shortens to five and one-half furlongs. He is the obvious choice, with uncertain value. He was favored his first two starts, and likely to be favored again. Horse Greedy ran big in his second start, a runner-up finish while more than five lengths clear of third. Subsequently sidelined with a minor setback, he returns with a solid work pattern and speed to stay within contact. He might be overlooked in the betting. Americanize, stablemate of the top choice, debuts with a series of fast works. Sired by Concord Point, he was produced by a dam that won her debut and is a sibling to G1 winner Seventh Street. The point is, Americanize has pedigree and, based on his works, ability. Right Wing debuts with a solid work pattern; Jaw Dropper did not break well from the rail in his debut, and finished fifth. He is the third Bob Baffert-trained entrant, with a right to improve going inside to outside.
1. Westfest
2. Horse Greedy
3. Americanize