DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Saturday, July 1, 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.
2:09 BEL 3rd MR. SWAGGER (#8, 15-1) Found this N1X mile somewhat inscrutable but MR. SWAGGER would hold appeal at anything approaching his 15-1 morning line. Won decently over the winter at 6 1/2f, which might be about as short as he really wants to run, given the look of his Monmouth 6f start last out. The two stakes flops are tosses. He's drawn well for an ideal trip and could be set for a career best at a great price. – Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race
2:18 WO 3rd COMMANDER AT SEA (#3, 6-1) worked nicely from the gate the other day on the main track and could be loaded for bear in this five-furlong inner turf tilt. The 4yo son of European champion 2yo Air Force Blue is out of a stakes-winning turf miler who dropped two winners from three grass starters. – Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race
2:20 GP 4th LUCAGO (#8, 8-1) encountered a good deal of trouble from his rail draw last time now gets to begin from outside, figures to be with or perhaps even set the pace in a race lacking much in the way of any real early speed. – Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race
2:59 MTH 6th MAD MAGIC (#6, 3-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers). | Get PPs for this race
3:09 BEL 5th An expensive colt named Capensis came from Saratoga to make his career debut for trainer Todd Pletcher in a turf route MSW July 2, 2022 at Belmont and won by five lengths at odds of 5-1. This is essentially the same race, a half-furlong shorter, and could it happen all over again with MEMPHIS (#7, 8-1)? No holes in the work pattern since he made it to the track from WinStar and they appeared to ascertain some time ago he'd be a turf horse. Ample turf in pedigree both shallow and digging deeper. – Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race
4:47 BEL 8th FORWARDLY (#5, 5-1) got eligible for this $50K starter when last seen racing in December. Connections ran him for a tag after tinkering and tinkering - 1 1/2 miles, blinkers, no blinkers, blinkers again. About a month after his most recent race they went beyond tinkering to gelding, and now Forwardly shows up not entered for a tag and with a long string of works for a monster layoff barn. While the race was at 11 furlongs and this is considerably shorter, expect the gelding to get back to if not exceed his BEL maiden-winning form from last summer - and expect that to suffice. – Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race
5:03 WO 8th SOUPER DORMY (#7, 8-1) was pounded down to favoritism and ran to his odds when taking a good conditioned allowance/optional claimer over this course and distance June 4. He should be prominent on a repeat in this wide open G2 fixture with Carroll replacing Husbands, who's sticking with a Casse entrant. – Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race
5:51 BEL 10th AULA (#1, 4-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh). | Get PPs for this race