BEST BET: GIMPANZEE DANCER (5th) SPOT PLAY: GEOLOGIC (6th) Race 1: $50K Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4YO Pacing H&G - Pick 5 (1) CRACK SHOT dominated the scene up in Ontario and held his own in the Breeders Crown at the end of 2025. If he’s anywhere near his A game than a win is coming, and the qualifiers say he is ready. (7) AMERICAN SON prepped smartly in the morning and raced very well to be second versus older foes in his first start of the year. Then he came here from the outside and did little. Another bad post today but he has to fire out and give it a go to make the May 16 final. (3) DELRAY BEACH has early speed and form. Four-year-old could improve in his second start of the year. Race 2: $50K Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4YO Pacing Mares (1) CHAMPAGNE ROOM figures to be sitting either one the lead or in the pocket and that should have her in a prime spot to best the heavy chalk (5) UNREASONABLE, who really has no reason to be overly aggressive this week. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked if she came first over and blew past with little opposition. (2) SKYWALKER SEA was short in her 2026 debut but displayed some hops as a 3-year-old. She can definitely be better this week. Race 3: U.S. Harness Drivers Club - NW $4,000 in last 4 or $10,000 Clm. (3) ANNS MARINA DELRAY displayed nice improvement in her second start back from a long time on the sidelines. This looks like a prime spot to look for a down the road victory. (6) MANKAT finally got a start in on April 20 after a series of scratched lines and qualifiers. Notice they went an insane 1:51 3/5 in his lone race and that was simply too fast. This race should go seconds slower. (4) APRIL’S BIG GIRL is trip dependent but a horse that can get the job done if the journey is clean. Race 4: $50K Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4YO Pacing Mares (2) THREE TIMES BETTOR couldn’t have looked any better as she easily disposed of her competition in round one. Inside post today makes her very difficult to even consider playing against. (3) ROSE was an excellent second last week and she looks like the obvious candidate to complete a $4 exacta. (1) CAVIART DELIGHT has yet to miss the board this year. She can definitely be involved. Race 5: $50K Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4YO Trotting H&G (5) GIMPANZEE DANCER made one of the more visually impressive moves you’ll see in a harness race last week and finished second behind the standout horse to beat in this series. This could be his time to shine before another meeting with the big “Dog”. (3) MONSERRATE got away slowly from the cones and made a break when angled late in the mile. Moving out a few posts and picking up a new driver could mean a more aggressive steer is coming. With 20 horses vying for spots in the final, he needs a good showing to advance. (1) MY DEGENERATE coasted to an easy win without feeling much heat in leg one but might get away more slowly here from the pylons like he did two starts back. Race 6: $50K Oak Grove Trotting Derby Elim for 3YO C&G - $12,500 GTD Pick 5 w/$2,762 C/O (5) GEOLOGIC was a star in Massachusetts last year and now he takes a giant step forward to face a Breeders crown winner. The qualifiers are solid and you have to like that Kelley brought him here a week early to go around the track. I can see a scenario where This guy fires to the front and controls the race at nice odds. (2) CEO JOE is still a bit raw but seems to have some ability. The one issue is that he seems to lack quick acceleration so Wrenn will have to either put him in play off the gate or hope the field comes back to him. (3) SPENCER HANOVER is going to be 1-5 and I’m just not on board. His qualifiers have been just ok and all of his success has come on bigger ovals. I’ll pass and if he beats me, I can live with it. Race 7: $30K Oak Grove Trotting Oaks Elim for 3YO Fillies (1) CARVE is coming off a nice qualifier for a barn that tends to fire well fresh. This gal showed some talent last year and can brush to the front after the dust settles. (2) CLEMENCY closed well from an impossible spot in her first start of the year at Miami Valley. I can see her changing tactics and flashing big speed off the gate this time. (6) JAILBIRD JOG was impressive in her first try but really didn’t face much. She should at least be floating away from the gate and has a decent win chance with a smooth trip. (3) WISHUPONASTAR DEO is perfect in two starts this year; tested here. Race 8: $50K Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4YO Trotting H&G (5) GO DOG GO is much faster than the others in this field and as long as he minds his manners the result should be winner’s circle pictures. (4) VUGOO took back to last and fired a huge shot from third over to get second. He should be closer to the pack this time. (2) FIFTY RIVERS is fast off the gate and draws inside. That should put him in great position to succeed. Race 9: $50K Oak Grove Trotting Derby Elim for 3YO C&G There are a number of horses in here who like to be on the lead but I think (2) SILVERSTEIN will get the respect if Miller elects to choose that route. Regardless, unless one of these pick up their game, he’s fastest and should win from almost any trip. (1) CHAPEL seems to be on the small side but he’s impressed me this year with a good desire to fight through the wire. There could be value here, at least underneath. (3) KINGMEN kept good company at age 2 and has done nothing wrong in three appearances this year. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 10: $30K Oak Grove Trotting Oaks Elim for 3YO Fillies (7) VICTORIANAS SECRET kept up versus better foes in the Kentucky Sire Stakes last year and she looked awfully good overcoming post nine at The Meadows in her first start of the year. Tactical Landing-sired filly uncorked a 27 3/5 third quarter to circle the field in that Meadows win. My only question is trip today from the outside post. (2) ADIOS MY LINDY wasn’t quite as good as her male stablemate Geologic last year but seems to have closed the gap some judging by the most recent qualifier where she printed home in 27 4/5 to miss just a length to him. With her three qualifiers unseen it is hard to know for sure, but there could be more than meets the eye here. (8) DEGAS has won two straight with good trips. I expect we’ll see early speed but I’d want 5-1 or higher to even consider her. Race 11: $50K Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4YO Trotting Mares - $10,000 GTD Pick 4 w/$1,563 C/O (5) YO TILLIE had a hint of a scare in her 2026 debut but was able to seal the deal on a win. She should only be sharper with that race under her belt. (2) VOGUISH qualified well and finished up willingly in her first start of the year last week. (1) WINNPANZEE gave it to the top one last week and battled gamely right through the finish. She’s the logical exacta player under the top pick. Race 12: Open Pace (2) MUSKATEER HANOVER returns from a brief break and lands a new driver in Tetrick in the process. This guy has proven capable of big miles and that his main competition is on the outside of the gate helps. (9) TIP TOP CAT added Lasix last time and easily bested many of these as the heavy chalk. He only needs to work out a reasonable trip from the outside to have a win chance. (8) ADMIRAL HILL has been right there week after week in this class; adds Bartlett now! Race 13: $30K Oak Grove Trotting Oaks Elim for 3YO Fillies (4) SETYOURSIGHTSHIGH had a spectacular 2025 campaign and the return qualifiers look good. We’ve seen her race well from on or off the pace and I’m on board despite the likely short price. (2) CUSTOM was just ok in her first qualifier but more impressive in her second one. There is a real chance that she is a better horse now than last year when she wasn’t bad at all. (1) COUNTRY GLIDE bested the top pick in the KYSS final last year. My concern is that she may not be ready for a peak effort off a 1:57 4/5 qualifier and seven months on the sidelines. (8) GINGER TREE LEX lost for just the second time in her career last week but wasn’t exactly stressed late in the mile. She may’ve just needed the race after being off since September 2025. Race 14: $50K Oak Grove Trotting Derby Elim for 3YO C&G (2) ENDURANCE looked like a potential star last year before getting sidelined by a minor injury. He qualified back with a fine mile and while I probably don’t want under 4-5 here, I do think he is best. (7) BIG RANGER got aggressive and ran into the gate in his 2026 debut and the result was a break in stride. Ear plugs seemed to solve the problem in the recent qualifier and hopefully we’ll get to see how good this guy really is today. (3) NIX NACKEN displayed some ability last year and made a very impressive move in his qualifier. If things fall apart he could be coming at a big number. (6) AI has qualified very impressively as well but offers less value. Race 15: $50K Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4YO Pacing H&G (4) FUSION has steadily dropped time each race this year and finished with some late life last time. Four-year-old is going to pop a big mile soon. (3) BANDERAS brushed and crushed in the first Sire Stakes leg last time; big threat again. (2) HIGHER GROUND was also a first-leg winner as he came uncovered and just kept finding more.