Top Pick Stats: 315/904 (-$329.00) Best Bets: 40/82 ($8.10); Spot Plays: 17/81 (-$42.00) Best Bet: COCCO PUFF POWER (Race 13) Value Play: STYLISH STELLA (Race 12) Spot Play: SEACLUSION N (Race 10) Early Pick-5: 3,4,6/5,6,7/5/1,7/3,8   $7.20 Middle Pick-5: 2,5,6,9,10/3/1,2/3,6/1,8   $8.00 Late Pick-5: 3,6/1,8/2,5/1,5,7/9   $4.80 Race 1: FILLIES & MARES, NW $6,000 LAST 4 STARTS OR NW $17,000 LAST 8 STARTS.  AE: OPT. CLM. $30,000. (6) STYLE FOR A MILE is the best mare in this field when she is on her game. The drop in class should allow her to make her middle move much more effective this week. (3) CARRERA SUNSET N makes her first start outside of Australia after a strong morning prep around the Mohawk oval. She looks like a mare that should fit quite well with the upper conditioned ranks. I’ll give her some support right away. (4) GENTRIFY hasn’t raced in nearly a month, but could be freshened up with the addition of Lasix. She will have a chance to add value to exotics. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: POP UP SERIES FINAL: OS 3 YEAR OLD FILLIES NW $100,000 IN 2025 AS OF OCT 1ST. (6) COLD CREEK FUEGO went a huge mile to be second last week. She was mired at the back just after the quarter, but made a three wide move around horses and ended up first over. She sustained that bid all the way to the wire and was a very good second. I think she gets the right trip in tonight’s final. (5) SIMPLY THE BEST was a measured winner last week and has the gate speed to make her trustworthy. She has less of a chance of getting into traffic trouble and is a logical filly. (7) ALL MY WISHES was another filly who didn’t get the best of trips last week. When she eventually shook free with 20 strides left, it was far too late. J-Mac could easily work out a winning trip with her. Race 3: 2 YEAR OLD COLTS & GELDINGS: NW 1 RACE OR $8,000 LIFETIME. NO ALLOWANCES. (5) LASTDRIVEDOWNMAIN was a very strong second in his career debut. He finished best of the rest behind a wrapped up Solar Voltage, but was moving very well. I like his chances to step forward and get to the winner’s circle. (7) MANDESTINY was just even when adding Lasix last week, but gets Jody Jamieson back in the bike who could give him an aggressive steer. He is a potential threat to trip out at a price. (3) BARBADIAN BREEZE showed a good amount in his first morning prep and is likely to take some support on potential alone. We’ve seen Cattlewash progeny do well at Mohawk in the past. Race 4: FILLIES & MARES, NW $2,500 LAST 4 STARTS OR NW $7,000 LAST 8 STARTS. (W/O $17,500 LAST 8 STARTS N/E). AE: OPT. CLM. $20,000. AE: NW $15,000 IN 2025. (1) CHICKABELL gets leading driver James Macdonald back in the bike who piloted her to a third place finish two starts ago. She likely would have won that race if she found room, but nothing materialized. I’ll look for those two to team up for a win at a square price. (7) MIKKI SIXX produced two sharp qualifiers and looks ready to roll after six months off. She is likely to be the horse to catch. (10) SUPERIOR DELIGHT has won three in a row and continues to show that she has one of the best noses for the wire on the grounds. Post ten will be a challenge, but she has been too good this season to not use. Race 5: FILLIES & MARES, NW $9,000 LAST 4 STARTS OR NW $18,000 LAST 8 STARTS. AE: OPT. CLM. $50,000. AE: N/A $2,740 P/S IN 2024-2025. AE: 3 YO NW $75,000 IN 2025. (3) BLINDED BY DELIGHT has been pacing her tail off trying to pick up checks against tougher competition. She is much better when following from up close, and Borth could oblige her with an aggressive steer. I think she provides a chance at value to close out the early Pick-5. (2) BLUE POINT nearly got to One Last Wish last week after that rival was all in on the front end. She appears to fit much better against these horses, but don’t be surprised if she comes up short at a short price. (8) SHES GOT IT ALL is one of a few mares that can be counted on to jump up with a big effort at this level every now and then. She gets Scott Zeron in the bike tonight and should be in contention when turning for home. Race 6: BREEDERS CROWN: FINAL: (GR 1). 2 YEAR OLD FILLIES. (PURSE $700,000 USD). (5) STORYBOOK LOVE beat odds on favorite Setyoursightshigh on the square last week and looked like she had more in the tank. She clearly gets around the Mohawk oval well. The price is gone, but the potential for a Breeders Crown trophy looms. (6) BINGO NIGHT went a big trip last week which included multiple moves and taking early pressure. For her to only lose by two lengths in the end was impressive. She has the gate speed to establish a good early position. (2) NEZUKO KAMADO S will probably go off as the favorite given how impressive she looked and how motionless Zeron was, but that race set up perfectly for her to win from off the pace. This race will be different, and I think she could be too big of an underlay. (10) R RO looked solid when closing along the inside. That came after she worked around horses who were going backwards. I think she can provide some value in exotics, especially if things get wicked up front. Race 7: BREEDERS CROWN: FINAL: (GR 1). 2 YEAR OLD FILLIES. (PURSE $700,000 USD). (3) LOUA DIPA is one of the best pacing fillies I have ever seen. I’m young, mind you, but still. She has gears that the rest of this division just does not have. (9) IM A LOU LOU went a big trip from the back to work into contention and finish second. I’ll go right back to that Burke cold exacta tonight. (5) DAYA has proven herself as a top filly in Canada, and now gets another shot at the Grand Circuit fillies. She was a strong second to Loua Dipa in the Shes A Great Lady. (8) SEASIDE SHUFFLE was a fringe player at the top level in Kentucky, but has as good of a chance as any to complete the bottom of the ticket. Race 8: BREEDERS CROWN: FINAL: (GR 1). 2 YEAR OLD COLTS & GELDINGS. (PURSE $700,000 USD). (1) APEX returns to Mohawk to try and add to his seven figure season after winning last month’s Mohawk Million. He will need to bring his best against the trio just to his outside, but he has answered the call in nearly every start in his career. (2) SPENCER HANOVER was a strong winner in his elimination. He was closing best of all down the center of the track and outsprinted the pack. He should get away in decent order off the car and look to sustain that bid once again. (3) DIABOLIC HILL became the de facto favorite when Endurance was scratched, but he took care of business and looked like a real contender, albeit against four flat horses. He needs to stay out of his own way. (4) NIX NACKEN did what he could to cut into Diabolic Hill’s margin of victory, but it was far too late by that point. I don’t mind the thought of using him in exactas, but I have a hard time seeing the pace collapse like it has the potential to in race six. Race 9: BREEDERS CROWN: FINAL: (GR 1). 2 YEAR OLD COLTS & GELDINGS. (PURSE $700,000 USD). (6) BEAU JANGLES has answered every single call and every single rival that has been thrown at him. This is an excellent division, but one that he currently stands on top of. (3) MELILLO is a colt that I have yet to give up on, and after watching his race last week, I have to keep trying. He got away last before coming up on a wall of horses that were fanning wide because the pace was collapsing. He stepped on a wheel when looking for room, stayed on stride, and was coming up on the top trio in the final strides. I still have confidence that he could be the second best horse in this crop, and will use him as such. (2) BRANDON BLVD was able to get to the outside from third and edged away to a wrapped up win. He is another main contender here, but I wonder how the trip will set up for him. (4) AL PAPI was tracking an extremely hot pace and ended up making a second move to the outside when Dad packed it in. He is another with early gate speed. The opening quarter should be very interesting for trip purposes. Race 10: FILLIES & MARES OPEN. (8) SEACLUSION N looked to have some pace in the late stages after racing from last in her Canadian debut. She is one of many who comes out of last week’s Open that can step forward in a big way. (1) TALK CURDY TO ME is another, and she gets the benefit of keeping Louis Roy in the bike tonight. Now, the race did fall apart once Sylvia Hanover came up empty on the front, but she still paced home very well and deserves respect. (5) ONE LAST WISH gets a new pilot this week, and it’s one who can get speed out of pretty much anything he sits behind. There is only really one way for her to go, and that’s forward. Race 11: NW $6,000 LAST 4 STARTS OR NW $12,000 LAST 8 STARTS. (5) P L ROBERT G was a solid second behind big favorite Phoenix last week. He made a first over move against that rival and was able to tuck into the pocket before watching that rival trot away. His strides were shortening late, but nobody got to him for second, and he comes right back this week. If he can mind his manners, I like his chances to pull off an upset. (2) TRUFFLES TOO comes off a break in stride, but gets a sizable drop in class, and J-Mac tends to get the most out of him. His form is obviously not what it was, but he has a chance to rebound. (4) PERFETTO finished best of the rest in his return in a race that had incredibly fast fractions set up front. I can see him stepping forward in his second start back and getting a piece. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 12: FILLIES & MARES, 5 YEAR OLDS & YOUNGER, NW 2 RACES OR $30,000 (OS $37,500) LIFETIME. AE: 3 YEAR OLDS NW $6,500 LAST 8 STARTS. (7) STYLISH STELLA was outsprinted from jump, but I thought she was moving forward at the end of her mile when saving ground. It will be hard for her to get away further back than last week. We could see her be handled a bit more aggressively tonight. (1) STONE SAWYER pulled off a huge upset last week at nearly 50-1 in what was her first start in nearly a month. She has the ability to work into the race with any trip. (5) BETTERDOUBLEDOWN took the step up to NW2 decently, finishing fourth from off the pace. She also has gate speed which could be used. Race 13: FILLIES & MARES, NW $1,000 LAST 4 STARTS OR NW $5,500 LAST 8 STARTS. AE: OPT. CLM. $12,500. (9) COCCO PUFF POWER was a mare who I thought deserved some respect last week, and I thought she raced well from post ten. Now, she gets another drop to the bottom level, and I think this is her time to do some serious damage. (3) WIFEY SAID SO is another lower level claimer who is having an excellent season and knows where the wire is. I’ll count on her grinding into the race and sustaining that move. (2) CATCH MY PASSION gets her nose back on the gate after a couple of efforts against tougher competition. She has shown some pop from off the pace, and could add some value to exotics if she sits close enough. (7) JOB HUNTER makes her return after a few months off. Her qualifier was decent enough, and now she picks up Trevor Henry for the first start back. She can find herself on the ticket tonight. (4) LADY GET LUCKY may have an edge on Job Hunter considering she has a start under her belt since the qualifier. Doug McNair gets back in the bike; I’ll use her to round out the Hi-5.