Race Analysis - Saturday, May 28

By Randy Goulding

RACE ONE:  CRIMSON QUEEN has been away for 11-months but she has been working smartly and her trainer can have them ready to go coming off of this type of layoff. She also has the best speed in the field and could be tough to catch if she breaks alertly with the leading rider accepting the call. SCANDNASIANSENSATN goes for her third in a row and she is in the right spot after getting her non-winners of two for a higher price. She came back with a solid interim move May 23 and she appears to have the best chance of picking up the pieces if the top pick needs a race. LINDEN'S LADY just missed at this level two back and then ran broke poorly when she ran into a tough one in a pricier non-winners of three. She fits better here and could do some damage if she gets away cleanly.

RACE TWO:  DIVA BALLERINA should appreciate the chance to stretch out for the first time this year and her trainer has solid stats in the sprint to route category - 16 percent the last five years. She is also dropping into a conditional claimer after facing a couple of tough ones in open races. PRINCESS RAINIER comes off of two sharp sprints to start the year and acts like a horse that will handle a middle distance. No route-winning sibs to report and her dam didn't win going long. Nonetheless, she should get plenty of stamina from her sire and she is a very sharp horse right now. MAIDA VALE could be the one they are chasing and she ran well in a couple of routes last year. She couldn't keep up when she tried restricted stakes company but the horse she finished second to in her first two tries at a middle distance would easily handle this field.

RACE THREE:  SENSE OF HUMOR took a big step forward in his second start back and could be ready for a peak performance in the third start of his current form cycle. It also looks like he'll have an easy time establishing a clear lead and if he does he will be very tough to catch. ROCKET ROAN got hung out pretty wide going around the second turn in his first start of the year and with his decent tactical speed he should be able to work out a lot better trip in this small field. Not sure why he skipped a similar race May 13 but he continues to work well and should be ready for a strong effort. MAJESTICALITY makes his first start since he upset the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby and although he wants more distance, he may have tipped his hand with a bullet five-furlong move in :59.60 seconds over a good track May 11.

RACE FOUR:  DINA LIGHT showed some talent in her two starts as a baby but nothing to suggest she would come out as a 3-year-old and run the kind of race she did in her first race as a 3-year-old. It is never easy facing winners for the first time but she is eligible to improve in her second start following a lengthy layoff and right now the barn is on a bit of a roll. JOEY'S JEWEL ran into a couple of tough ones when she tried first-level $50K optional horses in her latest and fits better here. She also has decent tactical speed and could pick up the pieces if DINA LIGHT and MASS FLORA get involved in a duel. AMAZING ROSE figures to move forward with a race under her belt and she will also appreciate the easier company.

RACE FIVE:  DUELLING PISTOL ran evenly in a similar spot a couple of weeks ago and could take a big step forward in his second straight route. He has enough tactical speed to stay in touch with what should be an honest pace and he will save a lot of ground leaving from his inside post. WINDY DAY is usually in the mix and he won't mind the move to a distance he has won nine races at following two solid sprints. He has been a beaten favorite in eight of his last 12 races and he will likely take most of the money again. CAT BRANDO has a solid record at the distance and should be set to go with a couple of sprints behind him. He broke a half-step slow and then got hung out pretty wide on the first turn in his latest sprint. JIMBO'S BOY is a threat to take them all the way in his first try at a middle distance. His sire won a Grade 1 going 1 1/8 miles and his dam placed the only time she tried to go long.

RACE SIX:  LUISINA has been right there in all four of her starts and was unlucky to have her number taken down in her debut last year. Unless one of the first time starters has good speed she should be able to clear early and take them all the way. PRINCESSES RULE fired a couple of bullets leading into her debut and is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Tierra Del Feugo. Barn not noted for having them ready to go first time but they did win with Cassia who paid $27.50 when she surprised a few people in her debut May 1. Don't expect to get that kind of price here. BANK could take a big step forward in her second start. She broke okay but then dropped back and maybe she didn't care for the slop hitting her in the face. She made a strong late move along the rail and it wouldn't be surprising to see Dunn have her forwardly placed leaving from an outside post. QUEEN'S VICAR could also move up quite a bit in her second start following a layoff.

RACE SEVEN:  PERFECT HOSTESS easily has the best speed in the field and should have little trouble clearing early. She just missed to a mare with a lot of back class in her latest and if she runs the same race they probably aren't going to beat her. MCGILL got hung out four-wide on the first turn in the same race and should get a better trip leaving from the rail. She does have some speed and shouldn't be too far off of Perfect Hostess early. MAHATY JO looked like she might do some damage when she made a strong move approaching the quarter-pole but then hung in the stretch in the same race. Her lack of speed isn't going to help her here but she has picked up slices in her last two at this level and at the least should be part of any exotics ticket. EMMITT'S GIRL is another one that is going to need some help up front but she has had two solid races this year and could get up in time to get a piece of it. Use her in the exotics.

RACE EIGHT:  CLASSY KIRIDASHI has been working like she can run a bit and Taylor can have them ready to go first time out of the box. She is by a sire that has decent number with first time starting 2-year-olds and the barn's main rider lands here. She is coupled with HERESCOMELUCKY who has also been working well and the past five years his trainer has had a couple of wins from seven first time starting 2-year-olds. UNDO IT is by an excellent debut sire and is the first foal out of a mare that won her 2-year-old debut as well as a couple of stakes at two. Works are just average but her trainer can have them ready to go first time at a price. MENSA is a half-brother to six winners and the only sibling that hasn't won was stakes placed at two. He has been working well enough for a trainer that can have them ready to go.