PICKS

Race 1:   4 - 1 - 2 - 8
Race 2:   4 - 3 - 1 - 5
Race 3:   1 - 5 - 3 - 2
Race 4:   2 - 1 - 4 - 6
Race 5:   5 - 4 - 9 - 2
Race 6:   3 - 6 - 8 - 9
Race 7:   6 - 3 - 4 - 2
Race 8:   10 - 1 - 5 - 9
Race 9:   1 - 3 - 2 - 6
Race 10:   8 - 1 - 5 - 11

TOP PLAYS

RACE 5: CAN’TWEALLGETALONG (#5)
There is very little turf form on which to base opinions in this race, so there is plenty of guesswork to be done. Singapore Trader is probably going to be the favorite. He didn't do much running when bet down to even-money in his debut at Belmont, but he is a half- brother to Voodoo Song, who is undefeated in three starts on turf. However, that runner is by English Channel, whereas Singapore Trader is sired by the mediocre turf influence Flatter. I wanted to go in a different direction, so I'm taking a shot with Can'tweallgetalong in his first start on turf. Violence is 2 for 6 with turf starters in his brief stallion career. This colt's dam won on turf, and he is a half-brother to one turf winner, so there is some pedigree for him to handle the surface. His last race was better than it looks, as he made a middle move up into contention before getting checked and steadied at the quarter pole. He could show more speed on the stretch-out in distance.

Win: 5
Exacta Key Box: 5 with 2,4,6,9

RACE 6: TIZ A KITTEN (#3)
Of the two Mike Maker horses, the one I prefer is Tiz a Kitten. Maker has great numbers first off the claim in turf routes, but I'm unconvinced that Nisha is actually a grass horse, and she may have distance limitations. Tiz a Kitten, on the other hand, has already proven herself at this distance and would be pretty formidable here if she were to run back to her efforts two and three back. I know that her last race was disappointing, but I think you can make excuses for that race. She was being ridden by a seven-pound bug rider and was placed too close to a fast pace that was falling apart late. Now she gets a positive rider switch to Jose Ortiz, and he should be able to revert to her preferred closing style since there is a fair amount of speed signed on for this affair.

Win: 3
Exacta Key Box: 3 with 6,8,9,10

RACE 7: VERDANT PASTURES (#6)
Three Eighty Eight was installed as the morning-line favorite, but I didn't like her last race, where she had no excuse not to catch the tiring runner-up. She probably will handle the distance, but she has some hang in her and doesn't figure to offer any value. I'm also against About That Base, who will get bet off her turf speed figures but has never run particularly well on dirt. The horse I want to bet is Verdant Pastures. I know she looks a bit too slow, but remember that all of her races came as a younger horse. She actually earned a competitive 98 TimeformUS Speed Figure when dominating a maiden race back in January and then was hindered by a two-wide trip over a rail-biased surface next time. Something probably happened that day since she didn’t return to the work tab for nearly three months after that start. I think this filly is better than she looks, and Charlton Baker has superb numbers off layoffs of this type. Over the past five years, he is 9 for 23 (39 percent, $2.86 ROI) with horses coming off layoffs of 90 to 180 days in dirt races on the NYRA circuit.

Win: 6
Exacta Key Box: 6 with 2,3,4
Trifecta: 6 with 3,4 with ALL

RACE 9: BLIND AMBITION (#1)
Generally, I prefer to give preference to the confirmed turf sprinters in spots like this, but I'm just not thrilled with any of them. Mongo Nation wasn't facing the toughest competition in his five-furlong races at Gulfstream last winter and was somewhat exposed in his race at Belmont two back. Malraux and Expedited Vision each ran well in their sole turf starts, but they have not yet proven that they're stakes-caliber runners. That's why I'm trying Blind Ambition on the cutback in distance. This colt's lone turf start at 7 1/2 furlongs wasn't a true turf sprint, as it was run around two turns. However, he was utterly dominant that day, making a premature move to the lead on the backstretch before drawing off with authority late. That field has proven to be decent, as the third-place finisher has won four of his last five starts, only losing to Blind Ambition during that stretch. This colt possesses high speed, and his dam, Starfish Bay, was a wickedly fast turf-sprint specialist, so I don't think he'll have any trouble with this distance.

Win: 1
Exacta Key Box: 1 with 2,3,6