DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Saturday, May 8, 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.

12:20 GP 1st First-time gelding DIVERT (#9, 6-1) brings improving sprint form to his first one-mile race, and the son of Candy Ride is bred to be a router. Vasquez retains the mount for a trainer who’s had some success with stretchouts. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race

1:12 PIM 2nd PASCAL CHANT (#8, 9-2) won the only time he raced on turf. That was during the summer of 2019 at Monmouth and he showed good speed to prompt runner-up Bank Note’s pace from the outside. He dropped back a bit on the turn, but re-rallied to get up despite changing back to his left lead late. Think he has the tactical speed to get close to the pace and has been racing in good form on the main track. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

1:19 GP 3rd BLACK V. K. (#1, 8-1) attended an honest pace last time before fading to third vs. $25K NW2 stock in his first try outside the maiden ranks at Tampa, earning the highest lastout Beyer in this field by a large margin. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race

2:19 GP 5th DORA PRINCELLA (#1, 10-1) didn’t have the smoothest of starts before racing wide in both of her outings, finishing an improved fourth most recently when descending to this $16K maiden level. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race

2:45 PIM 5th SAINT MARCO (#10, 7-2) has only raced twice previously on grass, but both those starts were against tough competition. The third-place finisher of his debut at Saratoga, Get Smokin, is now a multiple graded winner while Buy Land and See, the winner on Sept. 21, returned to capture the Awad Stakes at Belmont with a 76 Beyer. Battled as the innermost of a three-ply pace battle in the latter race, rated back to prompt the winner from slightly off the rail and was no match for that runaway in the stretch. Should show fresh tactical speed in first start of the year. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

3:15 PIM 6th If JEBOLOGIST (#5, 4-1) can cure his recent gate issues, he can factor shipping back to the circuit for his third start of the year. Hopped up at the start last time before chasing the pace from the four path throughout. He had a look at it turning into the stretch but settled for second late. He’d likely appreciate a bit of pace help up front, especially if he’s off slowly once again. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

3:45 PIM 7th DIXIE’S FASCINATOR (#11, 5-1) ran her fastest race ever following a 253-day layoff last spring and now returns from 203-day break while switching to her preferred surface. Bumped several times in the early stages of most recent grass outing on July 25, she stalked a quick pace three wide and was second to an odds-on winner. Marquez departs for Rica Chica. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

4:03 LS 2nd MISSION REALITY (#5, 4-1) was overmatched in her latest and she may not have cared for the sloppy conditions. Focus on her solid effort two back which was in a super key race with four next-out winners and she was in the mix until the eighth pole while going around two turns for the first time in just her second start.-Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race

4:37 LAD 3rd EMPRESSIVE TAP (#3, 3-1) beat over half the field home in her debut and got some play in the process when sent off at 9-1 versus 9 foes. The layoff is short and connections find an easier spot for this filly’s second start. Lone sib is 14-2-3-2 and earned 86K. We like this post going this shortened sprint distance. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race

5:04 GP 10th BIONIC BOTTLE (#2, 10-1) has had a break since a flat third in a good N1X Jan. 10 at Tampa, from which the winner exited to land an N2X, and from which the eighth horse exited to capture an N1X. She appears to be snug fit in this $20K NW2 contest. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race

5:29 LAD 5th EMPRESS ELOISE (#1A, 5-1) is one half of the entry and we actually like both halves. This filly has tried nothing but the turf in her short career so bonus points for that along with awesome turf breeding. This filly broke dead last in both turf starts and that hurts when going short. After a layoff, connections return going two turns and we think that is a better fit. Lozada gets a leg up and is 23% for this barn. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race

5:55 LAD 6th UGOTTAGO (#1, 12-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers). | Get PPs for this race

7:19 LS 9th CURLIN’S JOURNEY (#4, 7-2) appeared to be full of run but was buried on the rail behind a wall of horses most of the way in the Miss Houston Turf. She tried to rally in the stretch, but had to steady. She has more than one race that would win this, has worked well in the interim, and the shape of the race should work for her. -Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race