DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Sunday, April 30, 2023

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.

12:40 GP 1st PARADISE DRIVE (#5, 8-1) finished behind STRAIGHT TIME in his latest but he did not have a great trip and seems to be trending in the right direction. Giving him the edge over STRAIGHT TIME who is coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes but is a 17-time maiden, which makes him hard to love on top. -Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race

12:48 TAM 1st JLO CAN DANCE (#3, 4-1) had a pace excuse in her latest, was off slowly two back and was in against better three and four back; perhaps this is finally the right spot for her, as she can make the last run if she runs back to that last figure. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race

1:48 TAM 3rd CALZONE (#4, 5-1) was off the board when in against several of these same runners in that last one but he ran a deceptively good race in defeat, running into some traffic in the lane after a middle move got him into contention; also moved prematurely in prior tries. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race

1:53 AQU 2nd VOLKERT (#9, 9-2) won his debut back in the summer of 2021 at a big price and is 0-7 since then on the grass, though he has actually improved quite a bit; just missed with a game late run in his final start of that campaign, then returned to run well again off the layoff last April vs. a solid field, after which his campaign was cut short; back to turf third off the layoff. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

2:18 TAM 4th CESAR (#1, 8-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Kenny Peck). | Get PPs for this race

2:51 TAM 5th BIG BUCKSALOT (#8, 9-2) is obviously going to be a threat here based on the Beyers he's posted thus far; he meets a field of largely unknown quality but he did impress in defeat in his sprints, even in the race two back, when he rallied without being pushed hard once it was clear he'd do no better than 5th. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race

3:38 GP 7th JET WINGS (#8, 9-2) came up short when favored in his first start as an older horse and could take them all the way with a race behind him. He is doubling his price but he owns the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, came back with a sharp interim work and goes for Maragh who has solid numbers first off the claim. -Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race

3:38 OP 5th LUCK OF THE DRAW (#2, 9-2) was a winner at this distance last season at Oaklawn. -Mary Rampellini | Get PPs for this race

4:45 WO 8th Which win-shy runner will take this NW3 OS/$40K contest? SOUPER CLASSY (#7, 7-2) made the board in two of his final three 2022 excursions and is making his first start for Armata, who's subbing for the suspended DePaulo. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race

5:10 AQU 8th MY BOY TATE (#4, 10-1) might not be as consistent as he once was but he showed that he is still capable when coming up with a strong effort to win the Hudson three back from just off the pace; landed in a couple of races after that which did not come back for him; freshened up and dangerous with his good race. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

7:22 GG 7th From a class standpoint, TOPANTICIPATION (#8, 4-1) should win her American debut in this allowance race-optional claimer at a mile on turf. Unraced since November, Topanticipation won twice in Britain in 2022 in turf marathon races in the spring, and later raced in tough handicaps and minor stakes. This is not that sort of race. Trainer Manny Badilla has a good record with imports, and the presence of Assael Espinoza is another plus for a mare likely to race as a stalker. -Steve Andersen | Get PPs for this race

8:24 GG 9th MOTHER'S PRAYER (#7, 6-1) will have his stakes and turf debut in this competitive field of 10 statebred 3-year-olds in the Silky Sullivan Stakes. Mother's Prayer will have no issue with the one-mile distance, having won three times at a mile since November. He has been sharp enough in recent allowance races to suggest the jump in class is a reasonable expectation. -Steve Andersen | Get PPs for this race