DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Sunday, May 22, 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.

1:13 MTH 3rd ROCK THE STARS (#9, 6-1) is easy to like after missing by just a neck in his latest (and in his career debut); he also ran well for the show two back, when he had to try to close from far back after racing well off the pace in he opening stages, and though he was off the board in his other start he had some trouble in the 1 1/8 mile race, which featured slow splits. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

1:32 BEL 2nd CLASSIC COLORS (#7, 4-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer). | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

2:11 MTH 5th FAIR CATCH (#7, 5-1) was off the board against a deep field in the King Leatherbury Stakes at Laurel last time out when he tried to rate off the pace and make one run but he figures to come out running in his Monmouth debut, and he should be an immediate factor; perhaps still quick enough to make the lead in the opening stages. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:03 LS 2nd PRINCESS PHONE (#6, 5-1) was second at this level last time and is a logical choice back. She's also appealing as a three-time winner facing some less-experienced foes. -Mary Rampellini | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:09 MTH 7th ON THE COUCH (#5, 7-2) was well off the pace in his first and only route try on the grass last time out but that was a race that featured several frontrunners, as evidenced by the inverted "C" in the DRF running line; he now lands in a race void of pace, and while he may or may not make the lead today he should be expected to be much closer to the pace, and that will be an edge if the tempo is in fact controlled. -Kenny Peck | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:13 LAD 2nd APPRECIABLE (#2, 6-1) gets the double whammy of the blinkers ON and a weight break with the apprentice up. Her return try wasn't anything to write home about but she did finish the race unlike her debut. Second time with this barn can only help. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:21 GP 5th VEIL (#8, 5-1) stays put off the claim and working well for very potent connections with new faces. -Mike Welsch | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:25 WO 5th SOBERANO (#4, 6-1) rallied towards the inside for second over an outside-favoring track when cutting back from a Tampa dirt route to a seven-furlong Tapeta sprint here May 6. Note that he earned his highest Beyers around two turns on synthetics. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:41 LAD 3rd ALYS EPISODE (#3, 12-1) did run well in her last two turf starts and they came here at this distance. Some of her Delta tries were decent and she is certainly in shape. We spy a local work and a good price to round out the appeal. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

3:56 WO 6th TUFF RAGS (#8, 8-1) is debuting with a quality stamina pedigree for a top trainer with a 14% strike rate with first-timers in synthetic routes during the past five years ($1.20 ROI). His works weren't bad and Hernandez has good numbers for KA. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

4:08 BEL 7th VIENNA CODE (#1, 8-1) has improved considerably dating back to the end of last year, though her development might be masked somewhat by a series of wet tracks; has won her last two allowance starts over fast dirt, including a dominant win over this distance in December with a 76 Beyer. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

4:59 WO 8th MASTER MCGRATH (#5, 10-1) was in tight between rivals early in the stretch before getting up for third in a May 1 N1X, his first start since beating $30K maidens over Turfway's Tapeta two months earlier. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

5:12 BEL 9th STARRYSTARRYKNIGHT (#3, 6-1) ran well going a mile vs. a tougher field in his turf debut., then cut back to sprint last time at Aqueduct and was no match from up on the pace with a horse who improved suddenly out of a dismal debut; drops for the first time and catches a race that might be run at a moderate pace. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

5:33 LAD 7th LET IT B (#8, 6-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Scott Ehlers). | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets

6:19 LS 9th MORE LIKE IT (#3, 5-1) goes from five-eighths to two turns and the last time he made such a distance move he ran one of the best races of his career. -Mary Rampellini | Get PPs for this race | Bet this race with DRF Bets