The first week of racing at Turfway Park concludes on Saturday evening with a 9-race card headlined by a full-field second-level allowance event at 6 1/2 furlongs for 3YOs. As usual, connecting on horizontal and vertical wagers will be challenging in Florence, but it truly just takes one or two to make your winter. Here are a few horses I will be leaning on Saturday in hopes of one of those said scores:
Race 3:
#6 Anytime Anywhere appears to be a bit of a stand out in this $30k maiden claimer at six-furlongs after putting in a strong runner-up effort last out in his first start in for a tag for trainer John Ennis. In that run at Churchill Downs on November 8, the Honor Code colt battled early with #1 Tuscaloosa (who also returns here), put away the odds-on choice easily, but just did not have enough left late to hold off the eventual winner. He lost little in defeat though with it being over 14 lengths back to third. Luis Saez was aboard in the last try, but Ennis turns to a much more patient rider in Vincent Cheminaud. Look for Cheminaud to stalk just off the early pace and have plenty left in the tank to finish off this modest group of non-winners.
Play: #6 Anytime Anywhere (7-2 ML)
Race 5:
#10 Nyquist Frequency has simply faced better competition through his first five starts than he encounters in this MSW event that kicks off the late Pick 5. The Jordan Blair trainee raced against deep quality fields in his three 2YO races and made a solid account of himself at big prices. Blair opted to give the $240k OBS April 2023 purchase eleven months after his stalk and fade off the board effort on November 12 in Louisville. He returned in early October in a 7-furlong sprint where he clearly needed the race. However, it was encouraging that he bounced back nicely less than a month later with the addition of blinkers for the initial time. Now, he gets some class relief and should be ready to fire his best third off the bench assuming he takes to the surface switch.
Play; #10 Nyquist Frequency (4-1 ML)
Race 8:
The feature surprisingly has a lack of early speed types despite drawing a full field to compete for the $84k purse. I am hopeful longshot #8 Molto Vivace will be amongst the horses this benefits in his first start off the claim for trainer Eric Foster. Not only is the 6YO gelding the lone runner in the field to have earned multiple victories over the Turfway Park all-weather surface, but he should relax a lot better this time out after being keen and tough to handle on the backstretch in his first try off a five-month layoff on November 20. Hopefully, veteran Fernando De La Cruz can get him out of the gate in good order and find a perfect spot just off the early pace. If so, he should have no issue outrunning his 20-1 morning line odds at the very least.
Play: #8 Molto Vivace (20-1 ML)
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