DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Sunday, February 18, 2024

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.

1:48 TAM 3rd ROYAL TO BE (#4, 10-1) goes from a shorter sprint to a six-furlong race that's light on obvious pace and that could well mean she's able to shake loose in the opening stages; if she can establish a loose lead and back down the fractions she could prove tough to reel in late. -Kenny Peck | Bet this race with DRF Bets

1:50 AQU 3rd STREET COP OFFICER (#5, 6-1) returned to dirt for this trainer at Finger Lakes last summer and improved immediately to hit the board in six straight routes (two wins), notably while showing tactical speed; faced much tougher fields in his first two Aqueduct starts, then tried going shorter last time and wound up wide in a race that was dominated by the favorite; at the right level looking for a better trip this time. -Mike Beer | Bet this race with DRF Bets

2:03 OP 2nd MISS ANALYZED (#3, 4-1) moves back to two turns for her second start off the layoff and she has put up her best Beyer Figures to date in route races. -Mary Rampellini | Bet this race with DRF Bets

2:08 GP 5th MR. AMERICAN (#1, 4-1) is a new turf horse. He goes third off the layoff which is another plus. The rail draw on the turf going this distance is fine and all while race flow ditto. This colt is often a good price and his most recent was a turf top. -Scott Ehlers | Bet this race with DRF Bets

2:20 AQU 4th HOT CANDY (#1, 6-1) sprinted in the Tampa debut and never got involved while looking very green in a wide trip; has a distance pedigree and drew perfectly at the rail for Pletcher after bouncing out of the debut to fire a bullet half-mile. -Mike Beer | Bet this race with DRF Bets

2:48 TAM 5th BRUSH RUSH (#4, 10-1) is out of a stakes-winning dam who was graded stakes placed, and she's produced five winners; she and her offspring were all best on the main track; trainer Robert Smith scored with two of six firsters in 2023, including K's Pick, who won over this turf course. -Kenny Peck | Bet this race with DRF Bets

2:51 AQU 5th PAUCILOQUENT (#7, 6-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer). | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:22 AQU 6th JEFFERSONS OCEAN (#2, 50-1) might not be able to run at all, though there is at least some chance that he is better than the first three lines make him look. He was bothered early after a slow start, and then got caught behind horses while having little chance in the MSW debut sprinting; has caught two wet tracks since, including that last one when wide and out-paced on a day when speed was dominant. -Mike Beer | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:26 LRL 7th PEPPERMINT CLASS (#4, 6-1), listed as a Laurel vet scratch on 12/17 and 2/2, earned respectable Beyer two back when beating two next-out winners at Delaware. Sat the pocket that day, eased outside to go after the favorite over three furlongs out, then gamely held off the closer. Steadied hard going into the first turn last time out, she saved ground in midpack, then only finished evenly behind the gate-to-wire winner. -Dan Illman | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:49 TAM 7th AIN'T NONCENTS (#4, 20-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Kenny Peck). | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:58 LRL 8th AKEMI (#2, 15-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Dan Illman). | Bet this race with DRF Bets

4:37 GP 10th WE GOT THIS (#5, 12-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers). | Bet this race with DRF Bets

5:14 GG 3rd In each of his three wins, BIG DON'S SMILING (#6, 6-1) has led or disputed the pace and has an excellent chance to beat this field of eight with the same style. Big Don's Smiling won a conditional $3,200 claimer at five furlongs on Jan. 21 that does not count against his eligibility in this conditional $5,000 claimer. While he does have a substantial class jump, Big Don's Smiling seems the quickest in the group. -Steve Andersen | Bet this race with DRF Bets

5:17 OP 8th FAITH ALONE (#10, 6-1) moves back into the overnight ranks after the stakes-placing last out at Remington Park. She has natural speed in an asset that should serve her well in mile race that ends at the sixteenth pole. -Mary Rampellini | Bet this race with DRF Bets

5:44 GG 4th The $8,000 claim of CROWN OF HOPE (#1, 5-1) from a maiden race on Feb. 4 may have been a shrewd purchase by trainer Rod Cone. Crown of Hope, who starts from the inside post in this $12,500 claimer for 3-year-old fillies at 5 1-2 furlongs, stalked the pace on Feb. 4 before pulling clear to win by two lengths in her second start. She was given a Beyer Speed Figure of 63, a much higher number than any of her five rivals in this field. -Steve Andersen | Bet this race with DRF Bets

7:14 GG 7th A return to a one-mile race may put SENOR DEL CAMPO (#3, 10-1) in the winner's circle for the first time since April 2022 in this $6,250 claimer for non-winners of two. Senor Del Campo, a sick scratch on Feb. 4, returned from a 17-month layoff in late December and has finished third in the first two starts of his comeback. The latter race, at this level at six furlongs on Jan. 20, was encouraging, considering that Senor Del Campo overcame a touch of trouble to finish with interest. -Steve Andersen | Bet this race with DRF Bets

7:29 SA 9th EL REY REY (#7, 5-1) stretches out to his preferred mile trip after finishing seventh in a turf sprint; the maiden clearly wants two turns based on his runner-up two starts back. In that Del Mar race, EL REY REY ran each successive quarter-mile faster than the previous. -Brad Free | Bet this race with DRF Bets