Gierkink's preview: Turf racing winding down

Friday, Oct. 31, preview

Turf racing ends for the season this weekend. There is lots of rain in the forecast for Friday, and lane 1 will be used if the proceedings remain on the grass.

The featured eighth race is a terrific second-level optional claimer with an accomplished field of 14 older runners set to negotiate seven furlongs for a base purse of $62,300.

Really Sharp (3-1) can handle either local surface. Expect the classy stakes winner to attend the pace on the outside under Emma-Jayne Wilson, who has lots of live mounts on the card.

Angry Moon (4-1) wasn’t far behind runner-up Really Sharp in third when returning from a freshening in a recent Polytrack sprint. He took both of his outings in July on the front end, including a first-level allowance sprint. David Moran inherits the mount on him from Luis Contreras, who’s riding the struggling 20-1 shot Th Original Scotty.

Occasional View (8-1) should be a factor if he reverts to a closing style. He battled for the lead with Really Sharp before fading to fourth last time in his second race after a short layoff.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Occasional View’s trainer, Ken McPeek, has won at a 19 percent rate with synthetic/turf starters over the past five years, with a return on investment of $2.33. If you filter it down to those making their third start off a layoff, he’s 4 for 17 (24 percent), with an ROI of $2.52.

Other possibilities in the feature include Star Contender (10-1), Constantino (12-1), and Lafontaine (6-1).

No Jackpot Hi 5 carryover

The Jackpot Hi 5 was won Wednesday night, returning $37,514. It was also won outright on the previous Wednesday night for a whopping $235,983. Interestingly, Eurico Rosa Da Silva rode the winner on each occasion, and both horses were favored over a host of longshots.

Horse to Watch

RACKMAN
Trainer: Nick Nosowenko
Last race: Oct. 29, 7th
Finish: 2nd by 3/4
Beyer: 69
He attended a fast pace on the outside before getting nailed on the wire by a 48-1 bomb who came charging down the center of the track from far back. The 4-year-old is way overdue to clear the non-winners-of-two condition and can turn the trick next time in the fourth race of his form cycle.