DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Saturday, October 15, 2022
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.
1:00 KEE 1st MR. TIP (#1, 12-1) is 5-0-0-2 with a little over $27K in earnings this year - it's no wonder connections end the N1X quest and try $32K claiming. Was dreadful when last seen on dirt in July, but that start immediately followed by a layoff, and he has older main-track form to fit the spot. If he's as high as the 12-1 morning line it'll be a bad sign. -Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race
1:52 GP 4th COPPERMASTER (#4, 8-1) raced greenly, took dirt, looks like a horse who'll improve leaps and bounds from the experience and on stretch to a mile. Galloped out willingly after that last one. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race
2:22 WO 3rd KIMONO KATE (#4, 6-1) led along the inside before fading to fourth over an outside-biased track when boosted up to this OS/$40K class off a $25K claim Sept. 22. Her trainer is 1 for 9 (11%) second time off a claim over the past five years ($1.47 ROI). -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race
2:24 GP 5th GO MIKE (#6, 8-1) back to dirt for first time since early in career but getting ample class relief and switch to Vasquez should be a plus. Might offer some value in wide open affair. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race
2:41 LRL 5th ANTIPOISON (#7, 8-1) must prove himself against open claimers, but he outran his odds against conditioned nickels last Saturday. Prompted 40-1 Alpha Queue (ran eighth), took over turning into the stretch, and held well for a minor award. His last two wins have come in similar route to sprint fashion. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race
3:01 GP 6th WHEATSHEAF (#6, 15-1) broke poorly, raced wide, ran on willingly enough last time now dons shades and could be ready for best yet making third start of his form cycle. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race
3:30 WO 5th BUTTERED TOAST (#6, 8-1) blew away NW2 distaffers after racing quite wide all the way when switching from the inner turf to the main track in her latest. She would be dangerous on a repeat in this NW3 on the Tapeta. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race
3:30 YR (Harness) 10th IGNATIUS A (#5, 20-1) gets a chance to race at an extended distance here, something he's very familiar with from his time in Australia. I think he'll offer some value too and is worth a shot. – Greg Reinhart | Get PPs for this race
3:33 GP 7th YOUR INHERITANCE (#8, 6-1) working extremely well for new connections off the claim. Stepping up in company but barn seems to excel with this kind. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race
4:12 KEE 7th DARYL'S BOLT (#8, 15-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh). | Get PPs for this race
4:17 LRL 8th BACKWOODS BOOGIE (#5, 6-1) couldn't obtain forward position last time at Colonial after being bumped hard at the start. He settled for a ground-saving midpack trip behind a moderate pace, altered course back to the fence in the drive and was second to the chalky winner. He has prior winning experience over this course and distance. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race
4:45 FNO 2nd HUNTERS GHOST (#3, 6-1) was a troubled fourth in a restricted $20,000 claimer at six furlongs on Oct. 9, unable to overcome a poor start. He did close some ground through the stretch. If he breaks well, Hunters Ghost is likely to race as a stalker. -Steve Andersen | Get PPs for this race
5:05 WO 8th FRENCH FRANC (#7, 6-1) is making her local debut and second synthetic start off a fifth-place finish vs. $35K NW2 rivals on the Saratoga sod. She's worked thrice on the Tapeta leading up this engagement and could be taking an edge in this $25K NW2 route. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race
5:16 KEE 9th The 2022 QE II has a total pace void, and the horse who could step forth and lead is - the Irish invader? Yep - PARIS PEACOCK (#7, 10-1) came from a few lengths off the lead last out, but she was the pacesetter in her previous two starts and seems just fine out in front. The filly took forever to clear the maiden ranks but has substantially improved in recent starts, rising to become a G3 winner over this nine-furlong trip, which looks like her best distance, in her most recent start. -Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race
5:35 SA 4th EVER SMART (#2, 5-1) returns to his favorite turf course (SA), returns to the mile-and-one-eighth distance of her N1X win in June, and meets a field relatively light on pace. She could get a cozy trip sitting second behind the likely pacesetter directly to her outside. -Brad Free | Get PPs for this race
5:48 KEE 10th This race is ridiculously top heavy with pace factors, and it's hard to see anyone on the vanguard hanging on to win. In such cases I'd prefer a stalker to a deep closer at a track like Keeneland's, and perhaps ALEXANDROS (#2, 12-1) is the right one. Twice in his last form cycle he ran races that would win this, doing so with the sort of trip I'd like to see here. -Marcus Hersh | Get PPs for this race
6:10 SA 5th The fourth-place finish by REEF CITY (#7, 8-1) last out was better than it looks, the 2yo can win this Cal-bred maiden-50 stretching to six furlongs. He was knocked sideways at the break last out, dropped to the back half of the field, lost ground while wide, then finished willingly and galloped out with run past the finish. -Brad Free | Get PPs for this race
7:20 WBS (Harness) 2nd TUSCAN PRINCE (#2, 7-2) looked good steamrolling down the middle of the track to take a new life’s mark last time now he draws better; call to repeat. – Garnet Barnsdale | Get PPs for this race
7:55 FNO 8th This is the third start of the year for the four-time winner WARM SUMMER (#8, 5-1) who was a troubled sixth in a $20,000 claimer at Del Mar on Aug. 26 for trainer O.J Jauregui. Warm Summer was bumped at the start and raced wide, unable to overcome those issues. Since that race, Warm Summer has worked well at Golden Gate Fields. -Steve Andersen | Get PPs for this race
8:05 HST 7th BELLAROO (#8, 5-1) has not been worse than third in her career and finished with a rush to get up for second in a similar spot Sept. 18. There should be speed coming back to her she could get up in time if things fall her way. -Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race
9:03 RP 3rd HELLO HOT ROD (#6, 5-1) cuts back to one turn after showing speed around two, and that can be a winning move with a horse. He's also a stakes winner at one turn at Aqueduct. -Mary Rampellini | Get PPs for this race