Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Scott Ehlers handicaps the Wednesday, February 25 racing card at Turfway Park, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 5.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Jittier Girl (5th race)
Fifth Race
1. Jittier Girl
2. Princess Woejee
3. Crystal Frost
JITTIER GIRL ran evenly in her debut, even though 6 1/2 furlongs is no picnic for said debut. Connections wisely want this tricky distance right back. Two sibs beat winners and earned 168K/301K. Her only start came back key when 2 of 5 returned to win with figs of 75 and 53. Debut rider stays put while recent works over at Penn are just fine. PRINCESS WOEJEE has run well in both starts and shouldn’t be a maiden much longer. She goes second time this distance, draws fine, and hails from a high percentage barn. CRYSTAL FROST is feeling good and likes it here. Those maiden claiming lines are going to help the price more than is warranted. Form cycle hints at better, while regular rider tags along. FIRE’S OUT exits a key race where 2 of 7 returned to win with figs of 78 and 52 (another finished 2nd by a nose with a Beyer of 62). COLLEENS SONG exits a key race where 2 of 4 returned to win with figs of 64 and 60.
Here are Scott’s thoughts on the other nine races on Wednesday’s Turfway Park card.
First Race
1. Echo Road
2. Payrula
3. Classic Claire
Did ECHO ROAD learn to relax early and pass runners in her last two starts? There is good pace in this race, so a stalking trip would work best. New barn is 27% off the claim and they widely keep Achard. PAYRULA is feeling. A better price than our top pick we would think. This filly is only a 4YO and wants to pass runners. CLASSIC CLAIRE is capable of a big Beyer but only here and there. Yet to try this track, but she is capable when fresh. Her 399 distance Tommy hints at sprint ability.
Second Race
1. Cleopatra’s Nile
2. Ziggzappa
3. Spoils of War
CLEOPATRA’S NILE is capable of putting good tries together, just check out some of those Tampa races. This mare has speed but can stalk just as easily, and that is key, as there is some zip in here. Class jump helps price all for a barn that is 1-for-3 with horses that won their last race. ZIGGZAPPA fits at this level and just ran better. This mare likes to win in general, while race flow is more than fair. Once again, this mare gets in light. SPOILS OF WAR is a hard trier that might get first run on the speeds. Second out for new barn can’t hurt, and this horse likes it here well enough. Rodriguez keeps the call and is 22% for this barn locally.
Third Race
1. Chic N Da Wadda
2. Grace Candy
3. Eastern Star
CHIC N DA WADDA is simply feeling great. She just missed when last seen off a layoff. This mare took a while to break her maiden and then won two of four with a near miss thrown in. Some horses just get a taste of winning and like it. Belterra lines help the price. GRACE CANDY has all kinds of speed. Forget those Mountaineer 2 furlong races, as she didn’t break sharp. We love this outside post. Race flow is average, and this mare just might get an early breather. EASTERN STAR won going five furlongs only two back. She won two and four back and maybe, just maybe, that bodes well for today. Win rider returns in De La Cruz.
Fourth Race
1. Playing the Angles
2. American Wind
3. Governing Party
PLAYING THE ANGLES tried this distance for the first time three back and lost by a length when finishing 2nd at 9-1. That was also his first start here. Not sure what happened two back but most recent was a tad better. This gelding has some speed and now adds a half furlong which helps theft plans. AMERICAN WIND never got a breather last out while first out locally. He draws outside again and gets good race flow. Class drop is noted. GOVERNING PARTY tries sprinting for the first time. We are all for anything new at this level. Form cycle hints at better as this colt puts three races together.
Sixth Race
1. Birdiejuice
2. Eddie’s Angel
3. Loris Still Curlin
BIRDIEJUICE is still improving. That was a tough post in her most recent when stuck in the 11 hole. She was trying two turns for the first time on top of that. She draws better today and is more than likely to improve second time routing. EDDIE’S ANGEL has solid figs and puts three races together. Big class drop makes her the big chalk. LORIS STILL CURLIN pushed the pace last out but might be better with a target. That won’t be a problem if all stay in. A better price than many, we would think.
Seventh Race
1. Streetwhereyoulive
2. Virgin Colada
3. Befriended
STREETWHEREYOULIVE exits a super key race where 6 of 9 returned to either win or place. The win Beyer speed figures are 90, 91, 78, and 82. The place figs are 84 and 64. This mare loves it here and loves going 10 furlongs. Either of those local tries 4 or 5 back fit here. A ground-saving trip is another plus, all at what might be a good price. VIRGIN COLADA gutted out the win off the layoff. We thought this horse was a winner at the top of the stretch and then just the opposite, only to watch her re-rally for the win. Second time here can only help while recent works just right. BEFRIENDED ran OK off the layoff and is all set to take a step forward for team Cox. Added two furlongs is the X factor. Works are just very good. PEAK POPULARITY exits the key common race where 2 of 3 returned to win with figs of 88 and 85 (another finished 2nd with a 85 fig).
Eighth Race
1. Miss Blanco
2. Sudden Squall
3. Rhythm Lady
MISS BLANCO gets distance breeding from both sides of the family tree. Breaking 8th of 9 in her debut didn’t help matters, but she still ran evenly. January bred has an age advantage over many in here. She draws fine for first route race and goes for a barn that excels with these types. SUDDEN SQUALL just missed last out, and that was her first route race. She has some speed but can pass a runner. RHYTHM LADY didn’t do much in her debut, but she got needed race experience. We like that team Maker wastes little time finding this February bred more real estate.
Ninth Race
1. Wild Cotton
2. Itchy
3. Dispersion
WILD COTTON is by a 13% debut sire. His dam was unraced. Of 6 sibs to race, 5 won and 4 beat winners (108K, 63K, 165K (won 2YO debut), and 23K)). That December bullet best work of 70 tips hand. ITCHY ran well off the layoff, and that was only his second start. Now he goes second time here and adds a half furlong. Team Morey are 17% second off this type of layoff. We like the jock switch to Machado. DISPERSION was buried on the rail in his debut and then broke mid pack but still beat over half the field home. Now he drops a notch for a high percentage barn all with Lasix added. RACE FOR COVER is by a 8% debut sire. His dam went 12-4-0-0 and earned 85K. All 4 sibs won with 3 having beat winners (63K, 58K, and 84K). SOCO KID exits a key race where 2 of 5 returned to win with figs of 82 and 46.
Tenth Race
1. Dani Girl
2. Kyler
3. Taqdeer
DANI GIRL did get some play in both starts. Six of eight sibs beat winners. That December 6th work was a bullet best of seventy. Second time here can only help, while an elongated sprint might be a good fit. KYLER was stuck in the 11 hole in her debut. She made a nice middle move before calling it a day. This is dam’s first foal, so no help there. This filly draws best and has worked four times since her debut. TAQDEER has speed and is in good form. A penchant for less is the only knock.
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