DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Friday, December 27, 2024

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.

2:07 AQU 5th DUSK (#6, 6-1) seemed cut out to be a turf horse early on while winning her debut on that surface easily, and then encountering a couple of troubled trips off the layoff this year; got caught dueling a fast pace over this distance the last time she ran on this surface; drops. SHE'S COOL rallied through trouble to get third vs a strong field at Churchill back in June, then finished well too late in her first start for Rice when shipped to Saratoga; dropping to the lowest level yet making her third start off the layoff. – Mike Beer

3:00 SA 1st JENNIFER'S D'LIGHT (#5, 8-1) drops in for a claim tag for the first time in this starter allowance turf sprint; the speed figures she earned here in winter and spring rank among the top numbers in the field. There is enough pace to flatter her closing kick; trainer Michael McCarthy won with four of his last five droppers first-time claiming. – Brad Free

3:03 GP 6th MY BLESSING (#5, 6-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers).

3:19 TAM 6th INOUAINTALKINTOME (#4, 15-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Shapiro).

4:00 SA 3rd CAROLE LOMBARD (#4, 6-1) returns from a layoff of nearly six months and drops in for a $25k claim tag in this turf mile. Her wide-trip eighth against better company on this course in June would probably be good enough; trainer Phil D'Amato and jockey Armando Ayuso are 5-for-12 together since fall. – Brad Free

4:10 GP 8th NANA'S CORN MUFFIN (#8, 8-1) exits the key common race where 2 of 6 returned to win and the only available Beyer is 61 (two more finished 2nd with figs of 79 and 63). This filly tried this Tapeta for the first time off the layoff and ran a solid third at 36-1. Now she drops a notch and goes second time here. She draws better today and is a hard trier in general. – Scott Ehlers<> 4:18 OP 7th RAM (#1, 12-1) ran a good third off the bench last out and now shortens up some to the distance of his last win. – Mary Rampellini

4:40 GP 9th LA SCALONETA (#4, 12-1) broke her maiden at Horseshoe Indy two back and the racing there is improving by the minute. This filly is a new turf horse that just ran well on this sod for the first time. Why can't she take another step forward second off the layoff? This barn is 23% second off this type of layoff. This filly has worked twice since her most recent and goes for a barn that is 18% on the turf. – Scott Ehlers

5:40 OP 10th ACTIN' UP (#12, 8-1) has both recency and racing experience on a number of these. – Mary Rampellini