Woodbine Mohawk Park: Analysis for Monday 9/16

Top Pick Stats: 496 - 1438 / $2,658.80 (-$214.20)

Best Bets: 70 - 133 / $221.30 (-$44.70)

Spot Plays: 31 - 131 / $286.40 (+$24.40)

Best Bet: THE VICAR (4TH)

Spot Play: SPORTS ACTIVATOR (2ND)

Early Pick 5: 4,5,6/4,5/6,7/6/2,4,5 = $7.20

Late Pick 5: 2,4/7,8/6,7,8/4,6/1,6,9 = $14.40

Early Pick 4: 6/2,4,5/2,4/7,8 = $2.40

Late Pick 4: 7,8/6,7,8/4,6/1,6,9 = $7.20

Race 1: Winners of 3 (F&M4) but not more than 6 or $80,000 LT **Gtd. $100,000 Pick 5**.

(5) MASSTERCRAFT just finished 2nd to the top sophomore trotter in the country after leaving from the 9-hole. He should be tough vs. these. (4) SAFE CONDUCT motored late last week despite having missed four weeks. He should be the main threat here. (6) MADE OF MAGIC gets off the rail after two narrow defeats from that post and he is another possibility for the Pick 5 leaving from the best post tonight. (2) SOAR HIGHER comes off two good efforts in a row at this level. He should be part of the exotics again.

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Race 2: ONTARIO SIRES STAKES: GRASSROOTS LEG 5. 3 YEAR OLD PACING COLTS & GELDINGS

(5) SPORTS ACTIVATOR’s last Grassroots try at Grand River on 8/5 was terrific where he was out the mile and still finished a close 2nd. Since then, he has been kept sharp racing against salty older horses in Ottawa and he gets top billing here. (4) MCPLEASANT is right there every week and he firs well in this spot. He’s hard to leave off the Pick 5. (6) STONEBRIDGE THRILL can be a threat here if he stays flat, but I prefer to use him underneath. (2) WHY WOULDNT YA disappointed as the odds-on chalk last week and this is a tougher field; using on the bottom.

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Race 3: POP UP SERIES FINAL

(6) ALL GAS NO BRAKES has been dominant in this series at 1 to 9 both times and he is the one to beat here. (7) FLY BEYOND comes in off a sharp win in leg two and he should give the choice a race here; using. (4) LINDYS IRISHCREAM passes horses in most starts. She should come on late here to take a share. (1) BULLDOG raced well when he blew up the board last week but that was the weaker division. A small share is likely for him tonight.

Race 4: ONTARIO SIRES STAKES: GRASSROOTS LEG 5. 3 YEAR OLD PACING COLTS & GELDINGS - Pick 4

(6) THE VICAR raced first up against the two best sophomore pacing colts in North America last week and he only lost 1 1/2 lengths in the final 1/4. This is a big drop into the Grassroots, and he will be a single for me. (9) CENTURY KOMODO fits great at the Grassroots level, and he should be the main threat here. (5) BEST NIGHT EVER was the first leader, took a shuffle when there were a couple of leader changes, then finished with pace but got racing room too late. He can get a good piece of this with a better trip. (2) ALWAYS A THRILL raced well the last two times he raced in Grassroots, and he can take a share here likely racing close to the front throughout.

Race 5: Horses that have started for a purse of $9,000 or less in 1 of L3 AE: NW $1,100 L3 or N/A $1,435 P/S IN 2023/24

(5) BLOCKBUSTER TRADE didn’t show much in his first start here, but that was a much tougher field than tonight’s. He gets Henry in the bike tonight and he should improve sharply in this spot. (4) WOODMERE DENNY produced a nice back 1/2 last week against Capitano Italiano who would probably be favored in this field. He should be the late threat; using. (2) CRUISE HANOVER gets plenty of changes for this start: He gets trainer and driver switches, adds Lasix, and he comes in off a good qualifying effort vs. top sophomore pacing colt Captains Quarters. Give him a price look for the multis. (6) DR JOE fits better here and he is another in with a shot in a wide-open race.

Race 6: NW $4,000 L5 AE: N/A $2,190 P/S IN 2024 - Pick 5

(2) MACALLAN drops to a spot where he should be able to control the pace from the outset and he is the one to catch and beat here. (4) TUSCAN PRINCE got a clean line now he drops, and he has the class and speed to beat these if he stays flat; using. (5) DERF HANOVER raced okay last week despite having missed a week and he should be in the exotics mix here racing close to the front. (6) VICTOR INVICTUS has taken slices in his last four races, and he can close for another share here.

Race 7: 5YO and younger NW3 (F&M4) or $50,000 LT AE: 4YO N/A $1,660 P/S IN 2023/24 - Pick 4

(7) DEVILS ARCH turned a good trip into an easy win last week and this spot isn’t much tougher; call to repeat. (8) NORTHERN LOOKER was a predictable winner coming off a good effort in Gold company and I don’t mind the widest post for him here. He is the other one that I’ll use on multi-race tickets. (5) MYFRIENDJOSE got Macdonald in the bike and converted with a nice win immediately, but these are tougher; using underneath. (3) WOLINAK is in the mix every week and he should be part of the Tri or Super again.

Race 8: NW $4,000 L5 AE: N/A $1,900 P/S IN 2023 OR 2024

This is the lowest (8) LARCENY has raced since shipping north in January. He gets Macdonald here and he drove him to a win at a higher level earlier this year. He should be tough if he gets put into the race tonight. (6) RESPECT OUR FLAG raced well in defeat to the odds-on chalk last week and he should be the main threat here. (7) HUNGRY TO SUCCEED comes in off two solid first-over wins at Grand River and he gets McNair tonight. He is another to consider for the late multi-race tickets. (3) COLIN YOUR BLUFF was first up as the chalk last week and that didn’t work. I think he sits back and rallies late for a share this time.

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Race 9: NW $11,700 L5 AE: OPT. CLM. $50,000. AE: N/A $1,700 P/S IN 2023/24

(4) FRANKS ANGEL takes a big drop here and he will likely look to go right down the road in this spot. He will likely prove tough to catch. (6) STORM TROTTER steps up off the Riley claim, but he is in terrific form and last week’s effort in defeat was excellent. He is the other one I’ll use on late multi-race tickets. (3) PIKACHU HANOVER steps up off a win but he is sharp now and he should contend for a good share. (1) YO MISTER drops and gets Macdonald back and he should improve enough to land in the exotics tonight.

Race 10: NW $18,500 L5 AE: NW 4 RACES IN 2024 AE: NW $29,000 LAST 5 STARTS TO DRAW OUTSIDE

(9) RICKY RESOLVE drops, and he lands in a spot where he can float out, find a spot in mid pack, and pounce on the leaders late; top call. (1) HANDSOME SEBASTIAN drops and gets Henry who will likely move him to the front early in this mile and he will likely be the one to catch when they turn for home; using. I thought (6) GIGONDAS raced well last week, and he lacked room at one point in the lane. He is another in with a shot here. (10) QUEBEC HANOVER is on a good roll, but there are other leavers in here that might make it hard for him to clear to the front. I’ll play to beat him here. (5) ROBERTSON DE’s local debut was good, and he can take another slice here.