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Turfway Park selections for Friday; card includes $50,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes for 3-year-olds and up


Turfway Park’s Mike Battaglia provides daily selections and comments for the Tribune during the live racing meets.

Battaglia

RACE 1
SKY TIME NOW was a beaten favorite last out but drops to the bottom tonight and should get a good trip from the inside post. She rates the edge in the opener. I GOT IT will be running at the end and her best makes her the one to beat. ATRUEVISION has been off since November but has run well over this track in the past and Lebron picks up the mount.

RACE 2
POSEIDON’S WAY was a game winner in his Turfway debut. He cuts back to 5-1/2 furlongs but will be running late and is capable of the repeat score. NEIGHBORHOOD CAT ran against better last out and needed that race after a three-month layoff. Look for big improvement in here. HESAWRECKINGBALL is capable of a good performance at a decent price.

RACE 3
REPROVE drops in for a tag for the first time after hooking tough company at Churchill and Keeneland. He has the speed to be on or near the lead and rates a slight edge with Franklin picking up the mount for Tom Drury. LO’S JOURNEY is still winless after 16 tries but has been running well recently and has to be respected. MR. COMPASS is a lightly raced three year old who woke up last out for Mike Maker. Lebron is aboard and he is a definite threat.

RACE 4
NEW YORK BOY has been a consistent performer for Genaro Garcia. He drops back in against bottom claimers tonight and appears to be in a good spot to pick up the win. HOOSIER ZIP tries the Poly for the first time but has a good turf record and should be able to handle the move. DISCREETLY FIRM fits with these.

Fast and Accurate returns to the scene of his Spiral Stakes victory in the $50,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes at Turfway Park Friday (file photo).

RACE 5: THE PRAIRIE BAYOU STAKES
ROYAL SON won the Battaglia Memorial two years ago before a fifth-place finish in the Spiral. He looked very sharp winning here earlier this meet. He figures to get a good trip from just off of the pace and rates a slight edge over FAST AND ACCURATE in a tough renewal of the Prairie Bayou. FAST AND ACCURATE scored the upset win in the Spiral and is a perfect two for two on the Turfway surface. He came back after a four-month layoff to win last out at Gulfstream and has been training exceptionally well for Mike Maker, who figures to have him ready to go tonight. GLENVILLE GARDENS is a career winner of more than $500,000 and has to be respected.

RACE 6
ROYAL BY NATURE was an impressive winner over this track last out. The class drop in a reason for concern but a repeat of that last performance would be good enough to win again tonight. DUE TO HIS CHARM ran poorly last out but will appreciate tonight’s added distance and is the one to beat. FEET’S AFIRE moves up in class after winning two of his last three. He is a definite contender.

RACE 7
SEBA’S DANCER is a consistent runner in these bottom claimers. He hasn’t finished worse that fourth in his last 12 races and can break through to win this one with Lebron back aboard. FAITHFUL NEIGHBOR has the speed to make the lead and could be tough to catch. WINTER SPRINGS is an invader from Laurel with solid credentials. His best makes him dangerous.

RACE 8
LUNA MESA broke poorly in her debut and was never in contention. She figures to move forward off of that effort and could spring the upset with a better start tonight. SURELY A BULLET has the speed to be in contention throughout and looks like the one to beat. HEP TO GO showed improvement in her last two and has to be respected.


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