Went West may be overlooked in Work All Week Handicap

Went West has traveled northwest from Horseshoe Indianapolis to Hawthorne and could pay north of $15 if he wins the $75,000 Work All Week Handicap on Thursday.

If bettors treat Went West as lightly as the Hawthorne handicapper, who assigned him just 114 pounds for the Work All Week, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt sprint, he’ll offer excellent value.

Top weighted at 122 pounds is Tape to Tape, who has solid credentials but, top race to top race, is far from eight pounds Went West’s superior. Tape to Tape also is a habitual front-runner and thus subject to a protracted pace battle with rail drawn Kavod and, to a lesser extent, Midnight Escape.

Tape to Tape has been racing every month or so since September and after two peak performances regressed somewhat in July 9 at Presque Isle. Even if he rebounds, he’s giving weight while racing at a distance almost certainly farther than ideal.

Kavod, who carries 119 pounds, makes his first start since March, and of the two main pace players is preferable to Tape to Tape at a longer price. Navy Seal and W W Kandy also rate a look but Went West is the play.

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Trained by Louie Roussel, Went West won’t get the betting he deserves after a tepid performance June 11 in a Hawthorne allowance, but Went West likely needed that race, his first since October, while the October start came after a six-month layoff. Obviously, the 6-year-old Union Rags gelding has been battling some issues, but he is only five races removed from a 96 Beyer that would win the Work All Week, and his stalking style ought to fit right into the race flow.

Because of extreme heat, Hawthorne has moved first post Thursday to 4:50 p.m. Central. The Work All Week, race 6, is scheduled for 7:20.

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