A bit of a slow week overall in thoroughbred racing, but not at Turfway Park where the action continues on Wednesday evening after a big night there for the Inaugural Synthetic Championships last Saturday. As always, full fields galore over the 9-race card.
Race 3:
There is not a lot of early speed signed on in this open $16k claimer at one-mile. This should benefit #2 English Charm. The daughter of English Channel was a disappointment early in her career for Whitham Thoroughbreds, but appears to have found a home over the Turfway Park all-weather evidenced by her 3 for 6-record over the surface. Trainer Joe Sharp claimed her with his own money back in March and shows a bit of confidence in placing her at this level despite failing as the public choice 2 1/2 months ago at Presque Isle. Sharp puts the blinkers back on and legs up Adam Beschizza for the first time. Hopefully she breaks well and “the Biscuit” takes advantage of the lack of early zip.
Play: #2 English Charm (4-1 ML)
Race 6:
Some big-name barns and ownership groups are represented in this MSW event at 1 1/16-miles that kicks off the late Pick 4. This includes a pair of Godolphin runners drawn to the rail and the far outside and a Brad Cox/Gary & Mary West first-time starter as the ones likeliest to draw the most public support. They can win, but I prefer the chances of a filly that hopefully gets lost in the shuffle in #5 Getting After It.
No doubt, it has not been a great year for trainer Michael Puhlich, but he is more than capable of getting a horse ready in the right spot. The veteran conditioner brings this daughter of Violence into her first two-turn try after breaking slowly and struggling to keep up early, but putting in a strong late run from well out of it to earn third. That looked like more of a prep to me in Louisville last month since the usually aggressive Martin Garcia did little to motivate this gal to keep up early. Hopefully, they got what they wanted out of this $50k EAS May 2024 purchase in her first career start and she is more prominent early on in her initial effort at a route of ground. The price should be right to find out.
Play: #5 Getting After It (8-1 ML)
Race 8:
The second of two first-level allowance events towards the back part of the Wednesday card is for fillies and mares at 6-furlongs where I like the chances of #1 High Fashion Kate. The Demarchelier filly really appears to be figuring things out of late for trainer Wayne Minnock. Minnock has not win at a high-percentage (8%) at Turfway Park over the years, but when he does, he makes it count ($2.46 ROI). His trainee is not going to be a huge price, but I am hopeful the low-profile barn and rider help out a touch. She certainly appears to be coming into this spot in the best form of her career after losing by a nose to even-money favorite Fantastical over the Churchill Downs lawn in her first start off the freshening. The rail draw could present a challenge for jockey Alberto Burgos, but if he can find a way to relax kindly in the pocket instead of getting caught up in an early duel, she has a big shot to earn her second win in Florence.
Play: #1 High Fashion Kate (4-1 ML)
Best of luck to kick off the racing week!
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