DRF handicappers share their plays for the day, including best bets, for racing at Saratoga, Colonial Downs, and Canterbury.
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Post Time: 1:28 ET
Track: Colonial (3rd Race)
Horse: DOUBTING THOMAS (#10, 8-1)
DOUBTING THOMAS is an intriguing firster for Trombetta, as the colt has been doing solid work in the morning for Trombetta and seems to be pointed toward turf all the way; sire Caravaggio strikes with 21% of debuting juveniles, while dam Allwewantforxmas was a successful turf runner who earned more than $200,000 on the track; pieces are coming together quickly for this colt. -Patrick Moquin | Get PPs for this race
Post Time: 1:48
Track: Saratoga (2nd Race)
Horse: MITOLE’S GIRL (#2, 6-1)
MITOLE’S GIRL was the lone first-time starter in the field when showing brief speed and fading readily in the slop on debut; caught another wet track in her second start and only got a 58 Beyer in victory, but she earned that win while staving off pressure from start to finish; tried rating in her first start back from the extended layoff and gained late ground while racing over another wet, sealed surface; don’t love the horse she closed down in that last one, but she was comfortable tracking the pace early, before finishing gamely; needs to improve again but does catch her main rival starting back from a break. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race
Post Time: 2:56
Track: Colonial (6th Race)
Horse: SWEET SCIENCE (#6, 12-1)
SWEET SCIENCE is a DRF Best Bet (Patrick Moquin). | Get PPs for this race
Post Time: 3:24
Track: Colonial (7th Race)
Horse: FERAL’S JOY (#3, 6-1)
FERAL’S JOY was a super consistent runner in 2023 and 2024 but had to miss more than a year in Duarte’s barn; he returned largely unchanged earlier this month and finished second in a $40,000 claiming race at Monmouth, which is an excellent sign after so much time off; slightly better performances last summer suggest that he could even give a bit more. -Patrick Moquin | Get PPs for this race
Post Time: 3:52
Track: Colonial (8th Race)
Horse: FLAT TO DA MAT (#7, 10-1)
3:52 CNL 8th FLAT TO DA MAT has taken a couple of wild shots in recent months and almost landed one in a stakes at Aqueduct in May, when he finished second at 42-1 odds; that was his last start in a turf sprint and the Grade 3 Manila last time out was obviously too much for him; this is a far more reasonable group, even if they’re not exactly slouches. -Patrick Moquin | Get PPs for this race
Post Time: 4:06
Track: Saratoga (6th Race)
Horse: MACKINAC (#2, 5-1)
MACKINAC is a DRF Best Bet – Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race
Post Time: 7:40
Track: Canterbury (4th Race)
Horse: LUNAR SEAS (#8, 5-1)
LUNAR SEAS tried the turf for the first time last out and took them gate to wire at a nice 6-1. We loved that ride. Sure, this gal got tired late but she forced the big favorite to move early and that taxed that foes late energy also. We think this 4YO can improve second time on the green while two of four sibs are multiple grass winners. No one is better on the green at this meet than the Rosin barn. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race
Post Time: 8:40
Track: Canterbury (6th Race)
Horse: BARBSDREAMCOMETRUE (#5, 5-1)
BARBSDREAMCOMETRUE is by a 17% debut turf sire. Her dam went 2-0-0-0 on the grass and this is her first turf foal. Added distance is what we like best as this filly ran OK in her two prior route races while beating half the field home in both. Class drop plus surface and distance
switch all help shake things up. Form cycle hints at better as this 4YO puts three races together. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race
Post Time: 9:10
Track: Canterbury (7th Race)
Horse: VAQUERA (#7, 10-1)
VAQUERA is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers). 9:40 CBY 8th ASENA (#6, 6-1) just likes this distance. She got a 75 Beyer only three back when doing so. We bet that she needed her return try at least to some extent. Team Lund is 19% second off this type of layoff. There is good race flow in this race and this 6YO wants to pass runners. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race
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