Top Pick Stats: 296/918 (-$386.20) Best Bets: 36/83 (-$19.40); Spot Plays: 19/85 (-$56.50) Best Bet: A CLEAN DEAL (Race 6) Spot Play: ALWAYS B NAUGHTY (Race 8) Early Pick-5: ALL/4/2/6/3   $2.00 Middle Pick-5: 4/6/1,2/7/4,5   $0.80 Late Pick-5: 7/4,5/1,4/3,9/2,3,4   $4.80 Race 1: NW $9,000 LAST 4 STARTS OR NW $19,750 LAST 8 STARTS. AE: OPT. CLM. $50,000. AE: NW 8 RACES LIFETIME. (10) DUBLIN DASHER who doesn’t have the burst of others in this field, but his consistent speed I think makes him a threat if he is blasted off the car. This is the stereotypical Mohawk sub-1:50 opener on a big stakes night, but you’re not sure if it comes down the road or from off the pace. (4) JORDY N is sort of a chaos play, but he’s been out of position in his last two and I think looms as an overlay in this spot. If he finds a live helmet, he could be dangerous. (6) WAFFLE BLUE CHIP is logical from this post and in his second start on Lasix. Roy should be blasting and is likely to secure the lead or a pocket trip. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: FAN HANOVER: ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLD FILLIES. STARTING FEE; $3,000 CDN $2,300 USD. (4) SEASIDE CHARM was a good second in her lone sophomore start and Sassy By The Sea came right back to win another stake. Her qualifiers show that she can carry high speed. Looking to catch Gingras at a price. (2) TOPVILLE LUCKY is clearly capable of being a top filly in this division, but nobody can love what they saw in her lone start of the year. Can she get back to form? Easily. Will she also be odds on? Yes. (6) LAVENDER SEELSTER could make things interesting if she gets to the lead with relative ease. If she doesn’t, she’ll be looking for a repeat of her latest. Race 3: 5 YEAR OLDS & YOUNGER, WINNERS OF 3 BUT NOT MORE THAN 5 RACES OR $100,000 (OS $125,000) LIFETIME. (2) FIGMENT absolutely cruised in his latest against basically the same field. His career-best form shouldn’t be ignored. I think it will continue tonight. (7) AXIAL posted a nice win in his latest and returns to the level where he was second to Figment just two starts ago. (9) CAPTAIN HURLEY could throw a wrench into things if he blasts. He has the speed to go with these, but he won’t win it from ninth. Race 4: FAN HANOVER: ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLD FILLIES. STARTING FEE; $3,000 CDN $2,300 USD. (6) BE PERFECT BG looks like something special. Now, that’s an easy assessment to make when a horse is undefeated in eight starts, but the way she has made it look rather effortless is something that most horses don’t do. (2) GALA looks like a real threat to end that unbeaten streak, especially if she trips out behind the heavy favorite. We’ll see if she is just a Lexington lover or not. (4) SANGRIA SUMMER has shown vicious kick against conditioned types, but is clearly improving with each start this year and should be in the mix. Race 5: OPEN. (3) ERVIN HANOVER is more than ready to go after two excellent qualifiers. Last year’s Breeders Crown champion looks to pick up right where he left off. (4) BRUE HANOVER was mired at the back in the Camluck Classic but still managed to close for a check. He should be positioned much better this week drawing just to the outside of the heavy favorite. (9) REMEMBER THE ALAMO has come through for yours truly in back-to-back weeks and is clearly in top form at the moment. The high draw makes it a tougher task, but he has the gate speed to roll right out and secure a seat up close. Race 6: FAN HANOVER: ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLD FILLIES. STARTING FEE; $3,000 CDN $2,300 USD. (4) A CLEAN DEAL is 3-for-3 this year and is another filly who really looks the part. Last week saw her on cruise control as she was coming to the line. This division is shaping up to be deep and extremely competitive. (5) LOUA DIPA is a filly who I am very fond of, but just having the one start this year under her belt could have her a step short. I would expect her to be fully torqued for the final. (2) SHES A BULLDOG gets reunited with Dexter Dunn who drove her to a win in her freshman finale in the Three Diamonds. Last week was a much better mile for her. She deserves a look. Race 7: PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XLIII: ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLD OPEN. STARTING FEE: $8,000 CDN $6,100 USD. (6) SWEET LOVIN LOU was just a step behind the top pacers last season, but last week’s second place finish re-establishes that he possesses the speed to potentially make a run at the top trio. He avoids all of them here, so he gets the nod almost by default. (5) AL PAPI has yet to really be tried in three starts this year, though I would first simply argue “Why not?”, especially in stakes competition, and also that it might continue in an elimination format. Regardless of that, he possesses high speed and talent that made him a top contender in this division last year. (3) AZRAEL BLUE CHIP has been holding his own in NJSS company and has gotten himself in the mix with multiple different styles. He has as good of a shot as anyone to hit the board. Race 8: ROSES ARE RED: ELIMINATION - FILLIES & MARES - 3 YEAR OLDS & OLDER. STARTING FEE $2,000 CDN $1,525 USD. (2) ALWAYS B NAUGHTY makes her first start back at Mohawk since dominating the Breeders Crown Final, albeit without Twin B Joe Fresh in the field. Her Open tries in Ohio and Kentucky have been very sharp. I expect her to keep that going. (1) LOUIES GIRL N rebounded with an excellent mile in the Betsy Ross that shattered her previous career mark. Assuming her effort two back was just a blip on the radar, she should be extremely tough in this spot. (4) TWIN B JOE FRESH returns to action after two solid qualifiers. She is the best pacing mare in the sport when she is on top of her game, and I expect to see it often assuming she remains sound. However, in her first start back, I’ll play against and hope to snag a price. Race 9: PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XLIII: ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLD OPEN. STARTING FEE: $8,000 CDN $6,100 USD. Well, well, well. The most anticipated race of the year so far… is an elimination. Plenty of storylines here. (7) BEAU JANGLES puts his undefeated record on the line in what is his biggest test since the Breeders Crown. I personally think he gets the job done here. He has looked just as good, if not better, to start his sophomore campaign. If he wins tonight and next week… Well, we won’t get into that quite yet. (8) BRANDON BLVD made headlines the other day. Not because of the cracking mile he paced in the Somebeachsomewhere, but because Dexter Dunn chose him over the Hoosier wunderkind. He should be firing early, no question. (3) MELILLO is a colt I continue to be wishy-washy on. He looks like a colt that I overhyped last season, but then rips a sub-1:49 mile in his latest to make him look like the best of Burke’s chances. Race 10: ROSES ARE RED: ELIMINATION - FILLIES & MARES - 3 YEAR OLDS & OLDER. STARTING FEE $2,000 CDN $1,525 USD. (4) TALK CURDY TO ME was sneaky good in the Open two back. She had a strong burst of speed when racing between horses and took a clear step forward there. She wound up second over in the Forest City pace but was just even there. I don’t think she deserves that much scrutiny for that mile. The half mile track just isn’t her cup of tea. I think she could surprise here with a stalking trip. (5) MIKI AND MINNIE was a good third in the Betsy Ross, considering she had to make a wide move. That wasn’t going to stick on a speed favoring day at Philly. She looms large second back, obviously. (2) THE LAST MARTINI hasn’t quite fired back how many would have liked her to, but she returns to familiar territory where she took a sharp life’s mark last season. Race 11: 5 YEAR OLDS & YOUNGER, NW 2 RACES OR $35,000 LIFETIME. (1) ILLICIT BEHAVIOR posted a sharp win last week when dropping to the Grassroots level. We got used to seeing that stretch kick last season when he was sound. He finds a conditioned group that he doesn’t need to beat, but I think he will. (4) DAD is back to action after just one qualifier, albeit it was a good one. It wouldn’t surprise me if he got the jump on the field with an easy lead. (5) DR DAVE just missed in his latest after getting the kind of trip that suits him. He should find himself right in the mix again this week. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 12: NW $6,000 LAST 4 STARTS OR NW $12,000 LAST 8 STARTS (W/O $23,500 LAST 8 STARTS N/E). AE: $29,000 OR N/A $2,460 P/S IN 2026 (MIN 10 STARTS). (9) PREMIER FIRST STAR did exactly what he was supposed to when dropping to the bottom level. He had been sitting on a mile like that, but was usually way out of position. I’m hoping that Cullen leaves out a bit after last week’s jogburger, because he finds a group that isn’t in the greatest form. (3) HUNGRY MAN is the perfect type of horse for a class like this. It’s kind of hard to explain, but the trip he got two back was the quintessential Hungry Man trip. He has won in his last two tries at this level. (1) WHATCHULOOKIN AT couldn’t quite catch Livinthebeachlife last week after that rival successfully bottomed out the field, though he put in a sharp rally from off the pace. Mohawk has played “front end or chaos” as of late, so he may need a setup again. Race 13: 4 YEAR OLDS & YOUNGER NW $15,000 (ON SIRED $18,750) LIFETIME. (3) DYLANS VETT gets an interesting driver switch considering he has been a stone cold closer. I’m wondering if Roy puts him in play a little bit, which makes his sharp stretch rally all the more dangerous at a price. (2) WINDSUN GUNNER made an early miscue in his latest that took him out of contention. He has been knocking at the door at the maiden level and now adds Lasix. (4) SOLAR VOLTAGE retains J-Mac after an okay effort in his first start back. I think he can improve off that effort and get a piece tonight. It’s wide open enough where a win from him wouldn’t surprise me.