DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Friday, June 25, 2021

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.

2:40 PIM 5th Trainer Justin Nixon went 3 for 6 (50%, $4.06 ROI) between June 12 and June 20, and his LAPOCHKA (#2, 5-1) likely received a good lung-opener when the beaten favorite in his first start following a 206-day layoff. That race was an off-the-turf heat so willing to treat the 11-length defeat with several grains of salt. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

3:34 BEL 6th WINDS OF CAPRI (#6, 8-1) ran pretty well first time out and has had some circumstances work against her since - eliminated by a spill in her second start, wet tracks since including a route attempt where she wound up very wide two back; dam is a sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Raven’s Pass and, while she only went 1 for 4 on turf in her career, she broke her maiden the first time she tried this surface and then earned Beyers of 90-87-84 in her final three starts, all on the grass. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

4:03 GP 5th WEISSER (#3, 10-1) back to the main off failed turf experiment for new connections off the claim. Looks like controlling speed in this one if away running from the outset. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race

4:08 BEL 7th SHOTSKI (#7, 9-2) has been beaten double-digit lengths in three of his four starts since returning from the extended layoff, not without some mitigating circumstances; was caught dueling a fast pace in a race that went to closers two back, and he tried a long, wide run after failing to break sharply last time, only to throw it in late; one more chance as he moves outside. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

4:34 GP 6th SKY INTEREST (#4, 5-1) turned in credible effort in her debut and could spring the moderate upset with expected improvement. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race

4:40 BEL 8th LINE DANCING (#5, 4-1) to her available condition for the first time since winning her debut last August, and she has run better than it looks in a couple of those stakes tries since then; Lasix on and getting a positive rider change for this after being ridden very conservatively in her three starts since the layoff. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

5:00 MTH 1st TALE LIGHTS (#8, 7-2) comes off a sprint prep in her first start off the layoff but she actually ran quite well there, saving the place after setting a pressured pace in the opening stages; figures to show speed here despite the outside post and the lack of obvious pace in this race should mean a forward trip will give her the edge on the stone closers. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race

5:04 GP 7th MONY (#10, 6-1) ran afoul of Easy Stride, who freaked to far and away career best 73 Beyer, when dropping to this level for first time. Was easily best of others, looks to be sitting on a win for this tag. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race

5:12 BEL 9th OUR TROUBADOUR (#7, 10-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer). | Get PPs for this race

6:18 WO 4th BARILKO (#1, 10-1) ran well when fresh in the past, and seems poised to fire one of his better shots off a long layoff in this $15K NW2 tilt. The 4yo has been working right along and retains leading rider Wilson, who was aboard when he crossed the wire on top in a $25K NW2 turf sprint in September. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race

7:30 MTH 6th CASH KID (#4, 6-1) was well behind a couple of these same runners in that seasonal debut last time but he was moving very well though the back of the field in the lane, while down inside, and he galloped out nicely through the wire; hoping for improvement with that race under his belt, and a dry strip could also help his cause. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race

8:17 WO 8th ST. PADDY’S DADDY (#12, 10-1) was third among two next-out winners the last time he saw action vs. $15K maidens on Turfway’s synthetic Tapeta surface March 13. The expensive son of Tiznow is bred to be a late bloomer and has been working like he’s ready to put it all together. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race