Harrah's Philadelphia: Analysis for Friday 7/17

Meet Stats: 25 - 70 (35.7%), $103.00 (-$37.00)
Best Bets: 4 - 5, $10.20 (+$0.20)
Spot Plays: 0 - 5, $0.00 (-$10.00)
Best Bet: Moon Bridge (Race 13)
Spot Play: Knightofvictory (Race 3)

Race 1 - Non-Winners $7,000 Last 5 Starts

5 - INAPERFECTWORLD cleared, yielded, and kept up enough for third at this level last out. Improvement over his return effort noted; kinder draw can keep him shaper for longer still. 1 - BROADWAY PROMISE rises after grinding it out first-over to a second-level win last Thursday. He's finished well in both starts since returning. 3 - ALLINDOTIME was boxed at this level on June 26, but he held even amid traffic at 21-1. Even slight improvement coming back can help him hit the ticket at healthy odds.

Race 2 - F&M Non-Winners 1 Race

1 - WATERBOARD chased for minors in two PA Sire Stakes events thus far, and now she finds a significantly easier group. A third straight pole should keep her prominent with ease, but she tackles older. 3 - FIRESIDE may yield a bit better value given the lack of class relief, but she's proven herself amply in two maiden tries so far by way of sustained closing bids into second. She'll need a bit more pace pressure afore for bests results. 6 - WESTMONT Z TAM chased for minors in two of three starts so far, with her lone miss coming due to an early break at Yonkers. These wider turns proved helpful for raw speed, note.

Race 3 - Non-Winners $4,000 Last 5 Starts

1 - SUM FOR ALL closed a ton of ground into Chucky De Vie as the pace weakened last out. Another second-out starter looking to improve in a fairly manageable spot. 8 - KNIGHTOFVICTORY parried pressure on the far turn to score at 34-1 last week ... after being my third choice in the race! He routinely outperforms his odds, and he's looked good in both outings so far this meeting. 3 - DEO didn't lack for staying power in either of his summer tries at Yonkers, but was too far astern to threaten. Post relief and the switch to three turns can both aid.

Race 4 - Non-Winners 3 Races or $30,000

3 - PRICELESS RULER was softened up by a third-quarter duel on debut, but figures to be stronger second out. Woodbine lines with comparable groups encourage; expect better. 5 - TUIS SHADOW won well over Khedive last week in a race that boiled down to those two. He's turned out much better this season than his rookie lines might have otherwise indicated. 1 - EXPLOSIVE MOTION faltered early last week, but won stoutly against maidens in his return outing. Worth a chance to rebound, at least for a minor, in a field where others simply aren't that promising.

Race 5 - 2-Year-Old Fillies, Non-Winners 2 Races

2 - LOVE MUFFIN reached from a hard earned pocket to win her Stallion Series debut at The Meadows. This group shapes up as a good bit easier, and she draws much better. Credible Hi-5 banker. 5 - MISS CLEOPATRICK broke on the first turn of her PASS debut, but caught the field and passed tired foes late. A cleaner start makes her a player in this softer group. 6 - ALPINE, like Love Muffin, won her career debut over Stallion Series foes, but she cedes almost a three-second speed edge. Still, a similar finishing effort from her victory puts her in the mix again.

Race 6 - Non-Winners $7,000 Last 5 Starts

6 - JK MUSICMAN pressed hard through a stout middle half in his last, and only regressed to miss by two lengths. Class relief and the introduction of Napolitano should both aid on his arrival from Pocono. 4 - LIFEONTHEBEACH A makes a similar step down after kicking cover to take third in a fourth-level race on arrival last week. Staying power can improve even more on this fourth straight drop. 2 - MY DELIGHT just missed from thee pocket two back and passed tired rivals from astern more recently. Post relief will surely cut down on the distance he'll have to travel to make an impact; solid mid-price option.

Race 7 - Non-Winners 1 Race

2 - DEVIL OR ANGEL almost made it on the lead at Pocono last out and battled gamely here two back after brushing at race's midpoint. Raw speed is good; grit under pressure is improving. 1 - SWEET ANGEL BOY tackles older after chasing evenly in his PASS assignment two weeks ago. This group shapes up as far kinder than the likes of Always A Miki. 5 - BUCKWELL has hit the board in seven of his 13 assignments to date, including his last five, all here and against comparable company. He can set the pace, press it, or close from just off the front flight.

Race 8 - 2-Year-Olds, Non-Winners 2 Races

4 - DEE'S RED DELICIOUS is one of many with a credible chance in this field by way of his mild chasing effort for third in a NYSS event at Yonkers on July 7. Switch to three turns gives him a further speed boost. 2 - JACK FIRE won locally from the pocket and held his ground from a late challenger to prevail. Stout mile to build from; inside draw keeps him close again. 3 - REFINER just missed from the pocket in his Excelsior event at Yonkers, a level below the top Sire Stakes competition. Similarly, he can build off that solid debut effort.

Race 9 - Non-Winners $10,000 Last 5 Starts

2 - CAVIART STETSON pressed out of third to force a :27 1/5 third quarter at Pocono last out, only to fade on the far turn. Give him a pass for that race as such. He showed well locally in a tougher upper-winners event before that. Can bounce. 1 - GINGER TREE MARTY hit the board in three straight since coming back, and he demonstrated pressing and mild closing ability twice at this level. Solid. 4 - SOLO STORY passed tired foes in his last couple high-dollar claiming starts at M1, and three back, he circled boldly into second briefly before levelling off. Easier await.

Race 10 - Non-Winners 1 Race

5 - I AM THE STORM improved markedly in his second start back, chasing evenly to hold third behind a tough pair in Tuis Shadow and Khedive. Now, he picks up Tetrick off that respectable mile. 1 - PIT MASTER debuts after two decent qualifiers. Inside draw keeps him close with ease. 7 - BEAUTIFUL MRS A failed to fire last out, but pressed her way into a tie for second on June 24. Similar await; joint speed edge noted.

Race 11 - Non-Winners $7,000 Last 5 Starts

1 - NOMO VOLO sustained overland gains OK in his last, but was outkicked narrowly in a battle for the minors nearing the line. Slight step down can help her rebound; that Pocono win from an earned pocket on June 29 encourages yet. 5 - CARRICK just missed tougher at M1 after chasing from a cosy pocket. He's one of five to step down, but he boasts the strongest form of them. Mind value. 3 - DI OGGI battled back to beat similar at Pocono on June 21 after being headed into the final turn. Since then, he chased evenly for fifth against tougher. Debuts for Adams on arrival; can share with favourable trip conditions.

Race 12 - Non-Winners $4,000 Last 5 Starts

2 - ROLL WITH FRED debuts for DeFrancesco after circling to within a length of Speedling in his last. He's ramping up; gains Nap on the lateral move. 8 - DEALMAKER steps up mildly after a pair of runner-up tries with first-level foes. Miller opts aboard the veteran. 5 - HERE COMES TEDDY showed :27 4/5 third-quarter speed to push the pace at 13-1 last out before flattening off the home corner. Value player in exotics if he performs similarly.

Race 13 - Non-Winners 3 Races or $30,000

5 - MOON BRIDGE won the OSS Super Final as a rookie, and his only three occasions missing the top three last year were in Grand Circuit events. Significant class relief awaits him on arrival. 8 - KREDIT KARMA chased well from pocket journeys to hit the board in his last two after wiring N2L foes in March. Solid stayer; wide draw is his biggest obstacle today. 1 - ROGER RABBIT makes his third start back and has already demonstrated improved closing ability. He worked into a no-match second on arrival last week, and another pole figures to yield him a reasonably close starting spot for a similar late push.

Race 14 - Non-Winners $2,500 Last 5 Starts

8 - DRAGON STRIKES shows enough upside to threaten here. He rallied twice off deep cover to hit the super in third-level company, and he closed similarly from astern at Pocono more recently. Post is his biggest obstacle. 2 - WAVES OF FIRE A circled boldly into the lead last out before Cheyenne Reijane eclipsed him. The drop to this level freshened him up in a big way. 5 - DONAU tired under pressure two weeks ago, but held up OK in the breeze for third before that. Can share again with similar.