DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Friday, July 14, 2023
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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.
12:56 LRL 2nd MAYA PRINCE (#11, 3-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Dan Illman). | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
1:05 WO 1st GHOUL (#6, 4-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Ron Gierkink). | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
1:10 SAR 1st AWESOME CZECH (#6, 9-2) is the first foal from this dam, who was a debut winner as a 2yo, and she shows up with a series of progressive half-mile breezes showing for a capable first-out trainer; homebred is from the female family of Grade 1 winner Cara Rafaela, who is the dam of Bernardini. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
1:47 GP 3rd The stakes-placed BEANTOWN BABY (#4, 5-1) tries something new with the move to Tapeta. She's appealing as a seven-time winner from 19 starts. -Mary Rampellini | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
2:14 GP 4th COOLER KING (#4, 8-1) is moving back into the overnight ranks after the stakes start and also will be back on Lasix. He can be closer to the pace than he found himself last time, when he did not get the break. -Mary Rampellini | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
2:22 LRL 5th CLASSY CHICK (#2, 10-1) is a half-sister to juvenile debut winner Shell Belle as the well as the reliable Benandjoe ($340,816 in earnings; 89 dirt Beyer) and Arewehavingfunyet ($252,611; 77 dirt Beyer). The dam was a juvenile stakes-placed turf router (82 turf Beyer) from the family of Grade 1-winning turf router Annual Reunion. Solid Monmouth work tab for barn that went 9 for 23 (39%, $2.84 ROI) between 6/30 and 7/9. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
2:42 GP 5th LOVE RHAPSODY (#3, 9-2) and ONE SMOKIN' RITA exit the same key race. The fourth-place finisher, No Action, came back to take a Moc at GP with a Beyer of 63 and the sixth-place finisher, Hot Foot Susie, a $12.5K maiden claimer at GP, with a Beyer of 66. -Mary Rampellini | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
2:50 LRL 6th NAVAL EMPIRE (#13, 12-1) broke a beat slow, but wound up saving ground behind a quick and contested pace. Opted to stay inside in upper stretch, then altered course to the far outside. Rallied nicely for fourth, and might show more tactical speed and better focus with the addition of blinkers. Worked a bullet three-eighths four days ago, presumably with blinkers on. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
2:56 MTH 3rd EXPLOSIVE EXCHANGE (#7, 7-2) is a DRF Best Bet (Kenny Peck). | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
3:26 SAR 5th Would like to see an aggressive ride on HOLLA AT YOUR BOY (#1, 6-1) as he breaks from the rail vs. a suspect field in his return to NY; showed good speed last time when back to turf vs.open MSW rivals but was under pressure on the lead and weakened late; had an excuse two back on dirt, and he didn't run poorly when conservatively ridden and kept wide in the debut going longer; adds Lasix and should be on a send. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
4:00 SAR 6th OGLETHORPE (#8, 6-1) moved to the main track to get the maiden win two back at Keeneland, then was entered MTO last time in a race that was won by his entrymate; he is versatile but actually prefer his turf races, as he appeared to still be learning in those two starts, which are separated by a layoff; owns tactical speed from the outside and holds more upside than his rivals in this spot. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
4:17 WO 7th SMART COVERAGE (#3, 5-1) shook loose on the lead along the inside before tiring over an outside-favoring track when cheapening up to the basement off a break in his local debut. He was a front-running second in his lone inner turf excursion at first asking last summer, and could be rejuvenated off the Tiller claim with the bug getting the mount. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets
4:48 MTH 7th PLEASE BABY (#3, 7-2) just missed the place in his local debut last time out, a deceptively good try in that he was down inside for much of the running, and he battled gamely to the wire before galloping out nicely past the wire; also ran well in his prior try, when he was against a speed-friendly race flow and mild early fractions. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets