Monday Mohawk:
-STRONG NW wind will assist outside posts a little on the first corner but is there a point in getting to the front unless you are the top horse in the race on paper and have speed off the gate? Its a cool night and windy
-because of this wind, it will be harder for horses that are 2nd over or first over to get past the leader just before the top of the stretch BUT, horses covered up and coming up the rail or with horsepower in final 1/8 as a closer might benefit
R1 - gritty young horse race with 6 horses possibly winning and shocker of the remaining horses not being out of the question.
Taking: 123568
R2 - take only 234 << #4 is a legit speed demon and tough down the lane ....will go to the front so legit KEY and might reconsider. My only issue is, there are 2 very strong drivers chasing this one with horses who are close and anything can happen
-good and regular payouts reward those that are bold
-headscratcher horse > #1 which is a horse that someone paid $400 000 for as a yearling so it has speed and racing pedigree, therefore I will play a P3 using this horse as a KEY along with Passarino
R3 - definitely #5 CODE CRACKER figures and could be a KEY but the horse has 1 win in 18 starts, bad posts recently and has been dropping down but doing nothing in the final 1/8 ...... I will also take #4 who was dangerous last week if he could find a hole ..... this horse did 148+ last year and on a 5 / 8 track!! Wow
- Jodi is fantastic driving speed horses
Longer shots - Lets Get Pickled #6 ? >> east course horse that Spence has driven before likely and now owns ....took him to B-track to tighten up and learn the horse and so I expect him to make ONE HARD MOVE for the lead
-#3 Lovemyrockingbird - Lou Roy driving and has a shot at driving in 151 with him based on time differentials of track....the horse is rarely out of a race in a B-track and with the race being a shorter field, flow should not be impeded here
-even a case can be made for #1-2
TAKING > horses 1 - 6 here, no definitive KEY in this race given the circumstances, just like the 1st race
R4 - based on the weather and gate speed, I DO NOT LIKE > #8 , #7 ..... in my opinion, a trotter will need both gate speed and closing final half speed to win if they cannot make the front two positions so that means these 3 horses fit the bill, and if #1 had at least one race made this season, I would be putting in Okeanos
TAKE: #3 and #5 ....strongly consider taking #6 also based on my criteria and the fact that Christoforou is driving better on trotters than anyone I have seen this season and knows how to press this horses buttons at the right time > gets the middle of the gate to gain position!
R5 - love #7 but will the horse face traffic? Inside 2 horses should go in, especially #2 since Lou Roy is fully capable to steer this one for a surprise win from the same stable as #7 if the race dynamic does not work out for the fave #7
LONGSHOT > excellent shoeing and driver change for #3 and this horse has good speed ...was winning races earlier but got stale with Tyler Jones driving
- would normally take #10 but I think the wind is too strong and this horse could not get to the front vs the others and if he does, will use too much horsepower doing so >> WILL BACK UP if I make it to that leg and alive with a nice ticket
Proving is hard. Talk is easy.