Turfway Park’s Mike Battaglia provides daily selections and comments for the Tribune during the live racing meets.
Battaglia
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019
RACE 1
GOING TO TEMPLE drops in class for Brian Lynch after an even effort on the turf in Indiana. She has the tactical speed to be in contention throughout under apprentice Crystal Conning and if she likes the Poly she should win this one. BOOK OF LOVE is a lightly raced filly from the barn of Dane Kobiskie. Look for improvement in her third career start. PRICKLY KITTEN fits with these.
RACE 2
I GOT IT hasn’t won since posting back-to-back scores over this track early last year but she figures to be running late in a race with plenty of early speed. Give her the slight edge. TRIPLE KAPALUA may be the best of the early runners. She comes off a front-running win at Ellis back in August and is the one to catch. BAR RAG drops in class and is a solid threat with Prescott up.
RACE 3
ELEVENTENTEETIME ran poorly last out but was claimed from that one by Steve Asmussen. She had a work over this track on Friday and can be expected to run much better tonight. VEGAN GOES BEST couldn’t hold on last out as the favorite at Churchill but has the speed to be on or near the lead again tonight. She is the one to catch with Joe Rocco picking up the mount for Larry Jones. NO VA MAS rates a chance.
RACE 4
STUART HALL is another runner who makes his first start since being claimed by Asmussen at Churchill. This one moves up in class after an impressive win and can make it two in a row with Jimenez aboard. TESTY KITTEN was eased after dropping far back on a muddy Churchill track last out. He will love the move back to Turfway where he has won 4 of 5 races and can run well at nice odds. JUNKET was claimed last out by Kim Hammond, who also does well with her first claims. This one posted a bullet work here last month and is a solid threat.
RACE 5
This is a well matched maiden race with several solid contenders; taking a shot with SHE’S HOT TODAY, who breaks from the outside post but figures to be running late in a race with plenty of speed. WHOS TO BLAME should get a good trip from the inside post for Darren Miller. She had to need her last race after a long layoff and figures to improve. BETWEEN THE HEDGES is a definite contender.
RACE 6
NAUGHTY JOKER has been first or second in four of her five career races. She won the Bourbonette over this track back in March but has been idle since a dull effort in the Gr. 2 Appalachian in April. Wes Ward does very well with runners coming off long layoffs and he figures to have her ready to get back to the winner’s circle tonight. INTO TROUBLE hasn’t won this year but has been running well against some tough company and is the one to beat. FLAT MEADOW rates a chance.
RACE 7
GUEST SUITE ran a huge race last out at Churchill, losing by a short nose but moved up for a bumping incident near the wire. Concerned that this will be his third race in the last 34 days but anything close to that last one would make him a winner in here. LANIER loves this track. He woke up last out at Presque Isle and looks dangerous tonight. UNDRAFTED is a nine-year-old veteran from the Ward barn. He has had a stellar career sprinting but did win a couple of races going a mile as a three-year-old. Don’t dismiss him in here.
RACE 8
DRAGON DREW gets the nod in the nightcap. KNIGHT DISRUPTOR figures to be the main competition. HONDURAS is a contender.
