BEST BET: 5 – MY SUNNY VALENTINE – RACE 4
LONGSHOT: 4 – GARNET AND GOLD – RACE 6
RACE 1: 5 – ELLA IT IS; 2 – BEDTIME; 1 – ZIPPY GAMBLE; 3 – BONITA MUNDO
Florida-trained Ella It Is, from the Mark Casse barn, was stakes placed twice last year as a juvenile in sprints. The likely front runner is Bedtime, who raced in Florida in a very fast, tough turf dash. She is the one to catch.
RACE 2: 6 – SUMMER SNOW; 2- QUIET MADDELENA; 3 – STOLEN; 4- KATHERINE’S GEM
Summer Snow is one of the quickest horses in the claiming rank locally, at least for distances up to 5 furlongs. She won her 2024 opener.
RACE 3: 5- ZEENA SWIFT; 6 – MAGICAL TRICK; 1 – GAMBLE ON LOVE; 3 – SHAMELESS AFFAIR
RACE 4: 5 – MY SUNNY VALENTINE; 3 – CAPTAIN COURTNEY; 1 – SILENT SKY; 6 – SOUPER SUPREME
I’m not sure what to do with Captain Courtney, who has not raced in almost 2 years/ She won three of four races, and had an 87 Beyer Figure in her last appearance. Instead, the pick is the plucky mare My Sunny Valentine, who won four races last year, one of this barn, and she is back at her favourite track.
RACE 5: 5- LUZ DE LA LUNA; 2 – OLIVIA ROSE; 3- GIVE ME THE BOOTS; 4 – CARA CARA
Five horse field with three speed types and all three are working fast – albeit on a Woodbine main track that yielded sizzling times in the mornings for the last 10 days. Luz de la Luna is 1 for 1 at 5 1/2 furlongs but she will have to hurry. She trained all winter in Florida.
RACE 6: 4- GARNET AND GOLD; 7 – ENCHANTED FOREST; 1 – PRIMA; 5- BEDAZZLE ME
Is Garnet and Gold the main front runner in this 6 furlong race? She is the only winter-raced horse in the field and that outing in Florida on Feb. 9 when 5th beaten 1 1/2 in an allowance (key) race, was very good. She chased a hot pace on the rail in her lone Turfway try last time and the blinker experiment is over as she races for a new barn. I like the prep times on Enchanted Forest and Prima.
RACE 7: 2- WILLIAM T. – 3 – LUCKY GUEST; 6 – GARDEN OF WAR; 1 – COPPER GHOST
Might be a King’s Plate starter in this maiden field. William T had a pleasing debut outing in December, adds Lasix. Lucky Guest returns as a gelding for owner Nancy Guest and his June debut was okay. Garden of War debuted in a stakes race in Florida a year ago and ran well. He adds Lasix and has been gelded. Any of the three are players.
RACE 8: 1 – EARHART (Fr) – 3 – GAL IN A RUSH; 5 – STAR CANDY; 4- TICKER TAPE HOME
Just five in the Grade 3 Whimsical and we get to see the fleet filly Earhart back in town. The one stakes try in Kentucky didn’t work out as she had a difficult trip in a two-turn race, trapped down on the rail. Gal might need a bit more distance, the Casse pair are okay and Ms. Tart is up from Florida where she has improved a lot in recent races.
RACE 9; 6 – CONNOR; 5 – PIN BOY; 7- BOURBON NORTH; 8 – BACKONTHECHAINGANG
I like to play 4-year-olds in the early maiden races of the season. This race seems to have quite a bit of early speed in the field. Connor came close to winning his maiden last year.
RACE 10: 5 – PUNKIN BOY; 9 – ADAPTED; 4- TIGER TOWN; 2 – ISAAC LEO; 3 – AWE INSPIRED
