Race Analysis for June 26

Analysis by Randy Goulding

RACE ONE: LEGAL LEGACY got off to a poor start and then showed a lot of run while finishing third in her debut with colts and geldings for this price May 29. She has had two strong works since, adds Lasix and comes out of a barn that has had success with their babies in the past few years. COCULA is a full-sister to 2-year-old stakes winner Dawn of Fame and comes out of a barn that has had tremendous success with their 2-year-olds here the past couple of years. Her works are just average but it wouldn't be surprising to see another baby come out running for Olmos. STELLA MILLIONS is by a sire that is below average with 2-year-old first time starters but her works have been decent enough and Alvarado is attracted. Her trainer has only had a couple of first time starters but one of them won and the other finished third. She could be live first time out.

RACE TWO: KATELLIENA is the only horse in the field with a win this year and she looked good doing it going this distance in her last start. She also has the best Beyer Speed Figure at the distance and once again she should be able to be up close to what figures to be a moderate pace. VELOCITRON just missed in her latest sprint and she should appreciate the move to the distance both of her wins came at. Her trainer also has solid stats with horses going from a sprint to a route - 17 percent over the past five years. RAYITO DE LUNA comes out of the same race as KATELLIENA and she set the pace before tiring to finish a close third. She figures to move forward in her second straight route but so does the top pick.

RACE THREE: NOTIS ME was heavily favored to win her last race but she had her head turned when they sprung the latch and she never left the starting gate. She came back with a decent enough work and while this would seem to be a tougher spot with a bit more speed signed on, she still looks like the one to catch and beat. BEAUTIFUL BREEZE inherited the favorite's role in when Notis Me was declared a non-starter and she ran a solid race to just miss. She should get a nice trip from a stalking position and could easily be the winner. She has been a beaten favorite in three of her last five starts, though. ARCHERY showed more speed in her latest and gets some weight off with Franco taking the call. She can stalk so it will be interesting to see if she tries to run with Notis Me early or try and sit just off of her.

RACE FOUR: GOLDEN RATIO didn't show much in her initial start this year but she came back with a decent work and should be more competitive with a race under her belt. She was good enough to place in a couple of stakes last year and if she has any interest left she should show it here. SHEL B QUICK comes out of the same race and she showed more early speed than she had in her first two races this year. She had a sharp interim work on June 19 and could be ready for a big effort. The drop to a bottom level conditional claimer won't hurt as well. NITE TIME NEWS will have a hard time making up a lot of ground in a race where they probably won't be going very fast up front. Nonetheless, she seems to try every time they lead her over and she could get up in time to be part of the exotics.

RACE FIVE: ROYAL RAGS adds blinkers and he ran pretty well using them last year. He showed more speed in his latest and could be coming up to a peak effort in the third start of his current form cycle. There doesn't appear to be a lot of other confirmed speed and it won't hurt that the leading rider is attracted. SOCK PUPPET has improved his Beyer Speed Figures in every start this year and he made a nice move to finish just in front of the top pick in his latest. Not sure if he'll get the same kind of set up, however. NORTHERN INTENT ran a good race to finish first at this level May 23 but he had his number taken down because he came over and caused a couple of horses to lose their riders coming by the stands the first time. He would look a lot better if he wasn't a vet scratch when he was entered in a similar race on June 1. He did come back with a sharp work June 19, however, and he is in very good hands. Perez does abandon him to ride ROYAL RAGS, though.

RACE SIX: HARLEM probably wants more distance but he has won sprinting and he is tied with HENRY WEST for the best Beyer Speed Figure at the distance. He picked it up quite a bit in his most recent work and he is starting out the season at a reduced level. Condilenios can also have them ready to go coming off of this type of layoff - 14 percent over the past five years. SOLIDAGO stepped up to this level following his win two back and he ran a big race to finish second behind an odds-on winner that was taking a big drop. There are some obvious concerns with Harlem starting out at this level and it wouldn't be hard to play this guy if they jump all over the top pick. DREXEL ran a big race when he stretched out for his latest and he has won going 3 1/2 and six-furlongs so he shouldn't mind the move back to a sprint. There should also be an honest enough pace for him to work with.

RACE SEVEN: FULL POWER AHEAD comes off of a good effort sprinting and he shouldn't mind the move to a route where he figures to be a lot closer to the pace. He won going this distance last October and he easily has the best Beyer Speed Figure going this far. He could be the one in what appears to be a wide-open event. RIGHT HONORABLE hasn't won going this far but he has placed and has put up decent figures while facing considerably tougher. He drew the rail where he should get a ground saving trip from a forward position and he should appreciate the easier company he is facing today. GREAT PRINCE is on a roll with three straight wins and certainly has to be respected despite the jump in price. Hard not to notice Alvarado abandons him to ride ITLEE, but he his new rider is fitting in quite nicely here and should have him in a good position early. He'll also be carrying five pounds less than he was in his latest win.

RACE EIGHT: BERNIE THE BANDIT probably needed his first start this year and it didn't help that he got hung out pretty wide going around the stretch turn while he was making what looked like a winning move that started at the quarter-pole. He should be tighter for this and it won't hurt that he is shedding eight pounds. SIMPLY SAM figures to be favored off of his very good third behind Woodshed in a $30K maiden race June 4. He may have been trying to come back too soon when he was a vet scratch on June 12 but he has worked decently since and Perez keeps the faith. DUBA ran a big race in his debut and then ran evenly in a race where the horses that were 1,2,3 at the first call stayed that way the whole race. At least he made up a bit of ground and the only concern here is they might not be going all that fast up front again. PETRO BULL just missed in the same race BERNIE THE BANDIT exits but he got through along the rail while Bernie was running in the middle of the track. He could move forward with a race under his belt and has to be considered a major player in just the third start of his career.