DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Thursday, August 6, 2020
. 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.
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12:00 GP 1st SOCIAL EQUALITY (#10, 20-1) is the first starter from the dam, who posted her lone win in a route, but this gelding has works that hint at some ability, and he does figure to be a square price; worth including on the strength of that work tab alone. -Kenny Peck
12:58 GP 3rd PLAY THAT TONE (#7, 12-1) has been running deceptively well in defeat of late, closing nicely for the show behind a pair of speeds two back and then rallying without being pushed hard when clearly off the board last time out, galloping out well past the wire; expecting an improved effort here given a clean trip and a quick, contested pace up front. -Kenny Peck
1:30 GP 4th NINJA (#4, 15-1) was no threat in his debut but that was on the turf, and her best sibling to race, Blonde Bomber, was best on the dirt, capturing a stakes race and earning nearly $300,000 on the main track; trainer stats provide the main appeal, however, as Luis Ramirez wins at a solid rate with new faces (38%, $5.35 ROI) as well as with runners moving from turf to dirt (29%, $5.57 ROI). -Kenny Peck
2:02 GP 5th MEADE (#6, 3-1) makes his first start off the claim and turns back from a route to a sprint, two solid angles for new trainer Mike Maker; this gelding figures to be ideally spotted off a lively pace and could benefit from some key rivals having trouble handling the distance of this slightly longer sprint race. -Kenny Peck
2:54 SAR 4th HONORABLE HERO (#3, 12-1) back quickly after facing much better at a big price here last week; overall turf form is solid when properly spotted and he ran better than it looks two back when compromised by a slow start followed by an unaggressive ride. -Mike Beer
3:30 SAR 5th HERALD ANGEL (#4, 6-1) the first foal from turf winner Holiday Wishes, and her second dam is a sister to solid turf influence Proud Citizen; Maker doesn't have great numbers with horses like this, but there is some randomness there - 2yo, first time starter, turf sprint: 2 for his last 23 with 6 2nds, several at prices - and he is having a great meet so far. -Mike Beer
3:52 WO 2nd DANCE ALONG DEDE (#9, 8-1) trailed the field after getting away slowly before checking in a distant fifth in her comeback on the inner turf, over which she graduated for $25K last fall. She's being reunited with second-leading rider Stein, who broke her maiden. -Ron Gierkink
4:10 LRL 8th Perhaps the removal of blinkers will allow ALWAYS FORGIVEN (#3, 5-2) to break better from the gate as he's been simply rotten leaving the stalls in all four starts this form cycle. Broke five lengths slow last week and had no shot trying to rally into slow splits. Takes a big drop in class and need only to leave the gate without issue to pose a strong threat at this level. -Dan Illman
4:41 SAR 7th TASS (#7, 12-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer).
4:58 WO 4th BIG EXECUTIVE (#7, 8-1) dueled for the lead before fading to third in both of his Tapeta excursions. His dam produced three turf winners, including stakes winner Cooler Mike, and he's a full-brother to the hard-knocking added-money winner Sav. -Ron Gierkink
6:43 WO 7th HARD N'SWEET (#8, 2-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Ron Gierkink).