DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Saturday, May 30, 2020

With most other North American sports being shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, we hope the sport of horse racing can entertain you during these trying times. 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.

12:35 TAM 1st CREDIT CYCLE (#4, 4-1) regressed some in that last sprint but a wide trip cost him position, and he weakened after making a mild mid-race bid; prior Beyers and efforts put him in the middle of this and he should get enough pace in this opener to set him up for a late run. -Kenny Peck

1:45 GP 3rd NOTHINS FREE (#3, 5-1) taking on much easier bunch then he faced first off the claim on 5/8 when catching likes of Enlisting, now in the midst of a three race win streak and in form Tiz Possible Dear. Might not look back in this spot. -Mike Welsch

2:10 LRL 4th HOLLY’S LADY (#1, 12-1) showed major improvement when switched to the lawn at Delaware last summer and finally gets a chance to strut her stuff on the green once again. In her most recent turf appearance, she was bumped at the start, made a premature three and four wide bid on the backstretch, angled inside the favored winner in the final sixteenth and made it close at the wire. The fifth-place finisher from that race returned to win two in a row with Beyers of 62 and 60, respectivel. -Dan Illman

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2:40 LRL 5th Admittedly, IWISHIWASPECIAL (#12, 15-1) is a stab in this spot as he breaks from a tough outside post going 5 1/2 furlongs while facing some big class droppers as well as several horses with a good amount of back ability. Think he’s run okay in his last two sprint attempts however, including the most recent start in which he worked out a decent trip tracking the pace inside before finishing evenly in between horses. Price will be right and perhaps he can get a bit closer to the pace than expected. -Dan Illman

2:40 TAM 5th MORGAN’S Z VA (#7, 8-1) meets males but she has been training very well toward her first start since January, and she could find herself in an ideal spot behind a contested pace in this one, as there are several confirmed frontrunners to her inside; price should be right, too. -Kenny Peck

3:16 GP 6th UNION LANE (#1, 8-1) dueled while trapped on dead rail last time making first start vs. winners on a sloppy track. Re-unites with Vasquez, who guided her to maiden win four weeks earlier. -Mike Welsch

3:40 LRL 7th It will be interesting to see if this 5 1/2-furlong distance is a bit sharp for JACK STRAIGHT (#3, 4-1), but he looked pretty good taking the long way around in beating $8,000 claimers last time at three-quarters. Tracked a fast pace four wide on the backstretch, attacked the leaders three wide on the turn and was getting away at the end. Listed as a vet scratch on March 7, he’s had time to regroup given the break. -Dan Illman

3:49 GP 7th SAY ADIOS (#7, 7-2) comes off arguably her best yet when second best behind class dropping R Kiss Em Goodbye. Not facing that kind on drop to this level. -Mike Welsch

4:02 SA 2nd This maiden-claiming sprint is a split of race 4. ROSSMAN (#1, 3-1) can win with a front-running trip. His last two starts at Santa Anita were respectable; he chased or set fast fractions in both including a runner-up finish vs. similar rivals three back. His mostrecent start was a decent third at Los Al, behind one-two finishers that returned to win by open lengths. ROSSMAN gets hot rider Abel Cedillo, he is quick enough to establish position from the inside post, this five and one-half furlong trip is perfect. -Brad Free

4:10 LRL 8th Can certainly understand anyone making the argument that NOT IN JEOPARDY (#5, 10-1) is using her seasonal debut as a prep for something longer as she showed marked improvement last year once she stretched her legs around two turns. She has won at this distance in the past, however, and shows a bullet workout leading up to her return from the November layoff. No real excuses in the All Along two back as she pushed the pacesetter through mild fractions and just couldn’t shove past in the stretch. Looms a price alternative and should be kicking on in the lane. -Dan Illman

4:21 GP 8th DOMINATE THEMOMENT (#4, 8-1) offered as a price alternative to likely favorite and logical choice VENEZUELAN HUG. Former did not get the best of trips in his last after posting pair of wins at the starter level and the lone 3 time winner in this field. -Mike Welsch

4:33 SA 3rd DESTINY’S JOURNEY (#2, 3-1) drops in for a tag, and returns to what might be her preferred footing (dirt). She has enough speed to be forwardly placed behind the stretch-out sprinters in the two outside posts. -Brad Free

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4:40 LRL 9th With horses like Chuck’s Dream and Distilled Spirit in this field, FIVE CARD DRAW (#2, 9-2) should get a good pace to attack when it counts. Last time out, he saved ground behind DISTILLED SPIRIT when that one shook loose, and showed some late interest while in a bit tight in between horses. If Distilled Spirit gets hooked, the Trombetta-trained colt can run them down. -Dan Illman

5:04 SA 4th This maiden-claiming sprint is a split of race 2. BEAUMONT BEAUX (#1, 4-1) might be better than his eighth-place debut indicates. That was six days ago in a maiden-40, he was not asked for speed, pulled himself into contention, then flattened out in the lane. He might have more zip than he was allowed to show. He drops from to the new bottom level (maiden-25), and should move up second out. Trainer Keith Desormeaux won with five of his last seven maiden-claiming starters in So Cal that wheeled back in a week or less. -Brad Free

5:35 SA 5th STIR THE POT (#9, 4-1) returns to the circumstances of his sharp runner-up finish two starts back. That was a Cal-bred maiden turf sprint just like this; he put away his pace rivals but was collared late by a horse that rallied from last. Super effort by ‘POT, who dueled and cracked two weeks ago in a dirt stakes race. Back on grass, back with maidens, speed of the field, the one to catch. -Brad Free

5:44 CD 10th PLUS QUE PARFAIT (#4, 6-1) needed his comeback race two back and isn’t a turf horse, accounting for his most recent performance. If the listed odds are close to accurate, and they might well be in this deep race, the value should be there. – Marcus Hersh

5:55 GP 11th POWER (#3, 10-1) lightly raced and certainly capable of moving forward again off promising show, this level, last time from compromising post position. Much more favorable drawn here. -Mike Welsch

7:38 SA 9th UNUSUALLY HANDSOME (#10, 8-1) ran well to be 3rd on GG synthetic last time but may prefer turf. He returns to his homebase and that was his first start in 8 months so he figures fitter and tougher. – Michael Hammersly