DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Friday, April 29, 2022

Daily Racing Form has served as the most trusted source of news and information about the sport since 1894, and moving forward we have decided to provide a free daily playbook – something that both hardcore horseplayers and casual observers can reference to get informed of each day’s action.

1:05 GP 1st TWELVE O'CLOCK (#9, 6-1) has encountered trouble in both previous starts now drops another notch, returns to main, expecting best yet for barn in good form at the present time. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race

1:15 LRL 2nd Although the blacktype earners in BUSTER BRUNO's (#5, 10-1) family did their best on dirt, it's worth noting that he is kin to three turf winners out of a dam that won sprinting on grass in Japan. This barn is 3 for the last 10 (30%, $2.15 ROI) with horses shipping into Laurel (two of those wins in turf sprints) and have sent out two "Lasix on" winners this year. Third-finisher from last start returned to run third for $16,000 at Penn National with a 48 Beyer before graduating there for $12,500 with a 37. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

1:32 KEE 3rd WILLAMINA (#10, 6-1) who shows a $15K auction price, made her first two starts in $50K maiden-claimers at FG, now goes into a meaningfully easier $30K MCL. Out of her last race, the winner returned to win a KEE N2L starter by more than seven lengths, the third -place finisher coming back with a five-length $50K maiden-claiming win 4/23 at KEE. There is a 4/1 - 4/16 gap in works. Outside draw a plus going 7f. -Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race

2:26 TAM 5th MOONLIGHT GRAHAM (#7, 8-1) was claimed out of his latest, his first start off the long layoff, and he now makes his first start for trainer Rafael Schistl, who wins at a high rate with both new faces and with horses making their 2nd starts off the layoff; goes long and switches to turf but the dam was best on the main track, albeit on dirt, and she did produce four winners, all of them at their best on the grass. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race

2:34 KEE 5th SERGEANT RECKLESS (#9, 12-1) flashed a hint of ability at Fair Grounds, though I thought he'd wind up being better turf sprinting than his last start turned out. Couple somewhat suggestive works since being moved into the Stall barn to travel north. Good outside draw and will be a price despite this field looking somewhat modest. -Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race

2:43 GP 4th AWESOME BIRDIE (#4, 8-1) obviously a question mark switching to Tapeta but showed promise at first asking when setting contested pace before fading late trying to get seven panels in debut. Runner-up won for $35K with 58 Beyer next out. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race

2:50 LRL 5th NORDIC RHYTHM (#7, 6-1) must deal with 189-day layoff, but he had an absolutely miserable trip in final start of 2021. Was completely unprepared for the start and missed the break, then was held up in last along the rail as the favored winner pressed glacial fractions. In behind horses in the stretch, he split horses late and was actually gaining some ground. ELUSIVE KNIGHT (1,166 lbs. on April 7), likely needed his last run - his first start in 600 days - and gets the Lasix and blinkers makeover for surface switch. Stakes-placed on synthetic in 2019 and that form often translates positively to turf. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

3:05 KEE 6th XAVEY DAVE (#8, 8-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh). | Get PPs for this race

3:28 TAM 7th NIP OF BOURBON (#10, 4-1) was off the board in his last try on the green but that wasn't the smoothest of trips, steadying early on and then getting caught wide on the urn, but he did show some interest late after the issue was decided; may be a factor from the bell today, if he can get away cleanly from the gate. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race

3:43 GP 6th CENTSATIONAL (#8, 5-1) drops to weakest level yet, might not look back if able to clear off, slow things down on front end. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race

3:54 BEL 6th WRITE THIS DOWN (#4, 6-1) got very unlucky when dropped and cut back on this surface last summer, then came right back to win her next start on a cut back; first three turf starts vs. other winners all came in the allowance ranks, and she ran pretty well in the first of those at a big price; returns to turf at the right level. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

4:01 TAM 8th ELLAS MY LOVE (#6, 7-2) is a DRF Best Bet (Kenny Peck). | Get PPs for this race

4:32 TAM 9th Siding with the closers in this nightcap, which features a decent amount of pace. GOODBYE CAROLINA (#4, 7-2) makes the mandatory class rise after beating claiming non-winners of two in her latest but she has room to take a step forward, as she's making her third start off the layoff and she figures to get a faster pace than she did in her last, and she was an easy winner there. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race

4:58 LRL 9th GOLD GUY (#6, 6-1) has some turf pedigree as a half-brother to a grass winner out of a stakes-winning turf router. Wheels back in a week for new barn that scored "off-the-claim" with Lantau on April 2 and receives a significant weight break with capable apprentice named to ride. Should show some positional speed. A LOT LIKE XMAS returns from 262-day layoff as a new gelding and faced a solid field in Colonial maiden last summer (Wish Me Home returned to run third in the Rosie's Stakes at Colonial with a 55 Beyer, then placed third in the Laurel Futurity with a 69). -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

5:09 KEE 10th At first glance one might not think SPIN WHEEL (#10, 12-1) ran very very well in his career debut, his lone previous start in a turf route. But while that was far from a knockout performance, he actually showed quite a bit of spark that day. His win chance essentially ended at the start, where he was away very poorly and ceded several lengths even to the next-slowest horse. He posted the race's fastest final 2 1/2 furlongs and actually made good ground in deep stretch. Drops from stakes competition in races likely shorter than ideal and should come with a contending run going 9 1/2 furlongs. -Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race

5:23 GP 9th WEIGHT OF GLORY (#9, 9-2) plunges back to level at which he posted runaway maiden win last summer and a good fit if able to avoid potential early duel with next door neighbor Personal Meadow. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race

5:32 BEL 9th LUCA AT THE SPA (#3, 8-1) debuted vs. much better on dirt and had little to offer after a wide trip at a big price; Freud gelding has the pedigree to handle this surface switch while dropping in class, and Klesaris tends to do better with his young horses after a race - past five years, maiden, second career start: 12 for 42, 29%, $2.98 ROI, 4 for 9 on turf in that sample (44%, $3.75 ROI). -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

5:39 OP 8th CUMBERLAND AVENUE (#2, 6-1) was third two back to Greeley and Ben, who has since run third in the Grade 3 Whitmore at Oaklawn and also won a $62,500 optional claiming sprint with a Beyer Speed Figure of 94. -Mary Rampellini | Get PPs for this race

8:03 LS 2nd STRIKING OIL (#5, 5-1) set quick fractions under pressure and kept rolling when he came back from a lengthy layoff for his second start and has a right to move forward with a race under his belt. It is never easy facing winners first time, but he was the only speed in the field that did not fade and being lightly raced he should have some upside. -Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race

10:51 LS 8th EAGLE EXPRESS (#8, 5-1) ran well in both of her starts over the local surface last year and following her romp in the $75K Texas Stallion Pan Zerata, Asmussen thought enough of her to give her a shot against some heavy hitters in the Grade 3 Schuylerville. Did not see any obvious excuses for her latest in Houston, but it might not have been her day, and she just might like it here better. -Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race

7:55 YR (Harness) 4th BLATANTLY BEST (#3, 7-2) returns to Yonkers off a weak effort at Philly but his race two back was decent and he meets a very questionable field of four rivals; veteran is loaded with back class. – Matt Rose | Get PPs for this race

8:25 MED (Harness) 6th B A SUPERHERO (#3, 3-1) had the looks of a good horse as a 2-year-old but never quite put it all together. The comeback qualifier was solid and while there is a chance he’ll get a conservative steer here, I do think he is best and at least it is a short field. – Derick Giwner | Get PPs for this race

10:00 WBS (Harness) 10th PRIVATE SCOTT (#7, 9-2) could be sitting on a win after cutting some big fractions and hanging around last week. The barn has been hot, too, so he gets the nod. – Garnet Barnsdale | Get PPs for this race