DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Thursday, September 23, 2021

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 LRL 1st Trainer Michael Trombetta is 4 for the last 10 (40%, $3.22 ROI) with turf sprinters racing third after a layoff of six months or greater and ZIP LINE TO HEAVEN (#6, 5-1) ran well in both starts this year at Colonial. Battled along the inside with the eventual winner all the way around last time out in a game try. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

12:50 GP 1st SWEETCANDYFACTORY (#3, 3-1) improved when she moved to the main track for her second start as she overcame hopping at the start before finishing strongly to get up for second. She showed she can pass horses and there should be speed coming back to her. -Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race

1:20 GP 2nd DANA GRACE (#2, 9-2) took a step backwards in her second start back but she may not have cared for the sloppy conditions. Her race coming off a layoff two back puts her right there and she makes her first start for Passley who has a couple of wins with two of the last eight he has claimed and six of them finished in the top three. -Randy Goulding | Get PPs for this race

1:35 LRL 3rd FRANCIS X. (#2, 8-1) disappointed as the favorite at Timonium, but willing to give him a mulligan as he might not have cared for the quirky two-turn configuration (the seventh-finisher from that race returned to graduate for $5,000 there with a 34 Beyer). Going to concentrate more on his race two back, his first start following a 128-day layoff. Off a beat slow that afternoon, he saved ground at the back, split horses turning for home and gave an even bid to finish ahead of three of today’s rivals. -Dan Illman | Get PPs for this race

2:15 WO 3rd AM PREPARED (#1, 6-1) is exiting a ground-saving fourth in a tough optional starter won by a hot Antigone, from which the third horse exited to finish first and second in his next two outings. -Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race

3:59 GP 7th RACE DAY SPEED (#6, 7-2) is a DRF Best Bet (Randy Goulding). | Get PPs for this race

4:11 BEL 5th SOMETHING MAJESTIC (#8, 12-1) debuted on dirt and chased a heavily-favored winner on the lead before weakening in the stretch; colt from a dam who won six times routing on turf if from the female family of multiple Grade 1 winning turf miler Leroidesanimaux. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

4:23 WO 7th DOMINANT FACTOR’s (#4, 8-1) best race was a fourth-place finish around two turns on the inner turf vs. OS/$40K maidens July 4. The addition of blinkers could put him over the top in this $15K inner turf mile. Ron Gierkink | Get PPs for this race

4:43 BEL 6th OUR TROUBADOUR (#8, 20-1) has not been that competitive in his five starts so far this year, though he did run pretty well when trying to rally into a slow pace over this distance three starts back; stretches back out a bit after getting bothered by a loose horse behind a front-running winner last time. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

4:53 WO 8th OVERSTATE (#7, 10-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Ron Gierkink). | Get PPs for this race

5:16 BEL 7th V PATTERN (#3, 9-2) didn’t break that sharply and then looked green in the early stages, before racing on without threat in his lone start as a 2yo; returned from the layoff in a tough spot vs. repeat winner Gold Panda over a sloppy track; bred to stretch out as he adds Lasix second off the layoff. -Mike Beer | Get PPs for this race

8:07 RP 1st AUTOCRATIC (#7, 5-1) is by a 11% debut sire (all sire stats are for 2YO’s only). His dam went 4-3-0-0 and banked 64K (won 2YO debut). This is dam’s first foal. Recent bullet work hints at speed which would go nicely with this outside post. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race

9:03 RP 3rd LAB RAT (#5, 12-1) is by a 12% debut sire (sire stats are for 2YO’s only). His dam went 13-1-1-3 and earned 91K. Lone sib is 15-7-2-2 and earned 189K. Recent fast work is interesting. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race

9:59 RP 5th LITTLE SURE SHOT (#3, 8-1) didn’t care for the sod last out or didn’t care for the rail draw. Turf breeding is OK so can’t fault connections for taking a shot. This filly is fully acclimated to new surroundings now and faces easier on the class drop. Main pace foe might be the 2. -Scott Ehlers | Get PPs for this race