FRIDAY WHERE THE TURF MEETS THE SURF

 Bank $769 minus 2 pick three tickets $36=733
Bank Friday August 20th $733

Race 1          Six Furlong Claimer 16K
I singled Sky Marni in my pick three her last race. She had pace to run at that day and she draws the inside position again. She is fit and meets a field of horses coming off a lay off coupled with a few off form horses. Moonlight Alice is coming off a lay off but she has hit the board 9 out of 12 races in her short career. She was claimed for 25K and looking at her Del Mar drill in the morning she might just fire at this level. Brookie Girl fires fresh and never has race this low.
Ultra Awesome moves up after getting claimed by half the trainers at Del Mar....... only one got her and that was Steve Knapp. She has been claimed in three straight races.......

      1. Sky Marni  2. Brookie Girl  3. Moonlight Alice




Race 2          Six Furlong Starter Allowance 2 yr. old
I have been a fan of Miss Nikki C which had a trouble trip to say the very least in her last race. Draw a line and give her a valid excuse. She has plenty of pace to sit off the lead and close down the lane. Joel Rosario knows her well........ and the morning line is a sweet 10 to 1....... No monsters in this competitive 2 year old starter allowance. She needs a do over in this condition.


         1. Miss Nikki C  2. Social Event  3. Desperate Measures


Race 3          Six Furlong Maiden Special Weight
Malibu Pier is climbing the class ladder and 2 horses come out of her maiden win. Onenightin Beijing who was well bet in her debut. She is trained by Bob Baffert which he adds blinkers today and I expect she will show more focus down to the wire. My concern is why no Del Mar works for her. She has been firing excellent drills at Hollywood. I will side to his knowledge on working her at Hollywood.  Come Home Lady exits the Malibu Pier race and finished a respectable second beating Beijing by 2 and a half.... Regress or improve is the key issue! Moonlight Ali closed on the field by 4....... and fired a bullet work out. I expect Moonlight to improve with the excellent tighter for a big dance during the late afternoon. Many first time starters Twenty Five Carat is a 5 year old blue blood with excellent pedigree....... works are modest..but they are long work outs which I love to see this pattern in the morning. The blue plate special is Neil French stable Steve's Blue Sky looks like she might just be a runner!

    1. Come Home Lady  2. Overnightin B  3. Moonlight Ali 

Pick Three  4,5,7 with 1,3 with 3,8,10


Race 4          One Mile Maiden 25K
Great betting race is this contentious mile 25K maiden claimer. Pocatello Wild Kat last 2 races at 32K has been disappointing to say the least. She ran into If I Knew Susie and has no valid excuses to see.... today the distance of a mile is ideal for her to make a closing kick while saving ground on the rail. She needs a speed melt down at the top of the lane and put her A game on......Corey is hungry for a win as Jerry Fanning needs a win!  My hunch bet is  Pocatello Wild Kat......... Indiara adds blinkers and just regress in her last race. I expect Martin and  Hardy to be the team to fear in this race!

       1. Pocatello Wild Kat  2. Indiara


Race 5          Five Furlong Optional Claimer
The pace will be hot and contested and the pace scenario sets up for a closer at the wire. After looking at this somewhat puzzler...... Dream Now had to need his last race and if and I say if he can improve and not regress I like Dream Now. Mensa Heat just might be racing into form. Get Funky pattern is that he runs huge then regress and then runs huge again. If this is the case beware of Funky today! Joel R the leading jockey climbs on......


         1. Dream Now  2.Mensa Heat 3. Get Funky
Pick Three  All with 6,7,9 with 8   Cost of Ticket $21

         
Race 6          Five Half Furlong Maiden 25K
All the early money was on Night Justice the horse that flipped out and hurt Tyler Blaze. P-Val stays on the ride and had a somewhat weird first start....... Harlan's Tune with Sea Viper will be the speed in this short sprint to the wire. Lookin for candy might just be candy for the bettors today........ drops to collect the candy. The first time starter Syllabus out of Smart Strike trained by Sise has excellent long furlong morning drills and looks live first time out


            1. Lookin For Candy 2. Harlan's Tune 3. Syllabus


Race 7          One Mile Turf Sandy Blue Stakes

1. Sweet Hanni ....I have always like this one but she gets the acid test but will save ground on a race with little speed or pace to run at!


2. Conniption hard not to like this one.......2 clicks off a Evening Jewel is not bad!


3. Go Forth North love how she won and faces winners for the first time. I'm looking elsewhere...... but......


4. Warren's Jitterbug has back class and loved how she won her last race. She is in form and fit to take on all challengers...... do not take lightly this daughter of Unbridled....


5. Got An Itch has hit the board  10 out of 14 trips and gets.... the hot jockey Bejarano.


6. Fortuna draw a line thru her last race and she looks like the best closers of the bunch....... A Major Contender.......


7. La Nez ran second to Tanda and is a filly with class and heart! I expect her to run big today.


8. True Religion....... gets the cool aid drink on class but she can step up and win this competitive field of runners. I watch her race again and she got hammer at the gate. She was seven wide at the top of the lane and then has traffic problems. She looks better on video then on past performance....... Mike Smith takes the mount for James Cassidy.... I know this is reaching but if Smith can get to the rail and save ground she has the right closing kick in this competitive race..... She is bred top to bottom for the turf and a daughter of Yes's It True can get the distance of a mile.



10. Excellent News was the favorite over La Nez her last race and raced a unexciting excuse-less race...... expect maybe better today. She has a hard post position going into the first turn. She just might be sent to the lead in a race void of early speed.  If this is the case she looks better on the lead here then a mid pack closer! Beware!

      1. True Religion 2. Warren's Jitterbug 3. Excellent News




Race 8          Five Half Furlong Maiden 25K
Let's try the Jay Totter method of picking the last and final race on Friday Night card..........

1. Cookin Expresso has speed which might be the only asset going for him....... Great Gate Jockey rides the rail......and one of these days he will not stop...... the question is: Is this the day! Check back with me later!
2. Happy Hedger as a two year old would have crushed this field... It looks like the wheels came off and a much needed get well then fit was in order....... if this one is fit watch out! everyone will be running for second place.....
3. Absolute Magnitude trained by Jeff Blonde ships in from up north and drops out of maiden special weight to tackle this field.... Has speed!
4.  Oly's Offspring lets see one first......gets weight off!
5.  Pious David gets the deadly team of Mitchell and Garcia.... had to need last race and almost won. The 25K question is this horse going to improve or regress....... A Major Player
6. Souvenir Summer what can we say.......... needs to add blinkers..... Pass! but can wake up with this equipment change.
7. Obess another head case like the head case before this one..... Pass!
8. Mikethedealer first time starter....... lets see one!
9. Kela's Assault looks live and love the sire for first time starter! beware....
10 Olympic Magic has a trouble start last race and looks like if this head case can break clean might out run the odds.
11. Pride of Wilshire adds blinkers and this one thing might put him oner the top in a modest field of suspect players. The one to beat!

        1. Happy Hedger  2. Pride of Wilshire  3. Kela's Assault