King's preview: Surface change fine for Jimmy Simms

Tuesday, April 29 preview

Following heavy rain Monday and Tuesday morning, the races scheduled for turf on Tuesday – the sixth and the ninth – are going to be run on the main track, which was being called fast after being harrowed at the break this morning.

The change from turf to dirt in the sixth race shouldn’t bother Jimmy Simms, the morning-line favorite. He won over a muddy Churchill strip last fall, and also won this winter on fast dirt track at Fair Grounds.

It Happened Again also figures prominently with the race now on dirt. Now 8, he has lost a step compared to his younger days, but he is still a solid runner and races for winning connections.

The complexion of the ninth race is different with the change in surface. Absolute Crackers and Dame Dally – the two favorites – were among the scratches due to the change in surface, and this leaves Awesome Flower and main-track-only entrant Honey Hues as the leading contenders.

Awesome Flower is preferred. She has more staying power than Honey Hues, who can get leg weary at times.

Those looking for a horse with upset potential on the card should consider In Kelly’s Defense in race 3. She comes to Churchill with strong form, having been second in two straight allowances off the claim, and will be overlooked with the public jumping all over Heaven’s Touch and Tres Belle.

Seemingly the best single for multi-race gimmicks is Gettem Up Girl in race 5. She is the class of this starter allowance.

Harbor Bound is also an intriguing play in race 7. He returned to form with a second-place finish at Oaklawn recently in the slop, and ran well over the Churchill strip earlier in his career.

He will be a fair price with the public strongly backing the chronically keen front-runner Thunder’s Rollin’, who usually backs up in the lane.