DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Friday, March 14, 2025
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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.
1:38 AQU 2nd ELYSIAN MEADOWS (#3, 7-2) will have to be ready off the layoff but think his form is dirtied up a bit and believe he still has a chance to be pretty good for Mott. His best form has come going shorter, and he might have wound up on the worst part of the track when steered down to the rail for the stretch run when last seen at Saratoga. - Mike Beer
2:32 GP 4th WHATTA WORLD (#1, 12-1) comes off career best from Beyer standpoint up at Tampa when chasing home red hot winner who came back to win off by 6 widening lengths against even better with 82 Beyer in next start. Third finisher Alcohol also flattered the race winning by herself with 78 Beyer at next asking. - Mike Welsch
2:51 TAM 5th DARK AND FITZY (#1, 4-1) makes his first start off the claim for trainer David VanWinkle after a speed and fade effort against similar on February 12. The Ghostzapper gelding was pressed much of the way before putting away the other speed in that start, but should have things a bit easier on the front end in this one. Not only does he draw much more favorably along the inside, but he meets a group that appears on paper to lack significant early zip. Hopefully jockey Chad Lindsay can ration out his speed and have enough left late to seal the deal - Scott Shapiro
4:22 OP 6th WITHOUT BORDERS (#3, 5-2) was third at this level last time and could be sitting on a peak effort in his third start since September. - Mary Rampellini
4:42 AQU 8th SOLVENCY (#2, 20-1) is out of five-time winner New Year's Wish, who possessed a lot of early speed and won her career debut with an 83 Beyer; second dam, Circuit Breaker, was also very fast and placed in several stakes sprinting on dirt while earning a 97 Beyer top; D'Alessandro is underrated with first-time starters and he appeared to pair this gelding with stablemate Turbo Train (second on debut last month at 15/1 odds) for several breezes early on. - Mike Beer
5:09 GP 9thDIAMOND VEGA (#3, 7-2), the day's best, got beat less than five lengths despite being bottled up in traffic along the rail nearly the entire way. One of only two in here with at least three wins on the resume'. Expect big improvement with a cleaner run - Mike Welsch
7:08 SA 7th EXCEL CALCULATOR (#7, 4-1), a 14-start maiden, gets the call on either surface. He has run well against similar maiden-claiming rivals, he ran okay one of his two starts on turf, and his races on dirt are even better. A switch to the main track would be beneficial, but 'CALCULATOR might wear them down on either surface. - Brad Free
7:38 SA 8th SPEED CRAZY (#4, 8-1) misfired last out on turf, but now returns to preferred footing and to the Cal-bred N1X/optional claiming dirt level at which he won both previous starts. He can be positioned relatively close to the pace in a mile race not exactly loaded with speed. If he reproduces his dirt win Jan. 16, which was his eighth career win, he can win with a pressing trip. - Brad Free