RACE 1
4-Declan Seelster – Big Jim colt with a freshman mark of 1:51.4, ships south into the Mark Harder barn, qualified well after missing five months & draws nicely to contend in a camera-shy field
1-Ode To Gray – Grey colt by Roll With Joe was a pretty solid third while pace compromised in his Big M, lands the rail for only his fifth start with a chance stalking again & improve
5-Captain America – Twice beaten favorite & runner up in two of his last three, nosed out in :27.3 on Nov. 23, tried to steal it on the engine last week, now one for 21 is a concern
RACE 2
1A-New Talent – Invitation type from Hoosier Park ran into the raging K Ryan Bluechip after missing a month, tougher draw, but the Cullipher horses are eligible to improve after acclimating
5-Constntlysidwys A – Stablemate to the streaking Threeofthebest A easily made the double class hike with a career best 1:49.1, can tackle another jump with major upside & his barn can do no wrong so far
2-Bushwacker – Beaten favorite blasted off & carved it out in his last two, classy gelding has found his best stride & finally moves inside to give him some options
RACE 3
5-Obscene Blue Chip – Looked like one to fear last week when he launched a premature late move & settled for third behind Magnum Mike, strong in the win column & dangerous with the right set up
1-Magnum Mike – Red-hot Mike was reclaimed by Nick Surick & just missed to an equally sharp CC Big Boy Sam last week, has a big chance to work out his ideal stalking trip from the rail
4-Beachchip Hanover – Left hard, got shuffled & paced strongly through the wire in :27.3 last week, had the winning habit @ Plainridge where he was able to control the pace, now he has acclimated & draws well
RACE 4
4-Dreamfair Mesa – Gelding has really stepped up since the 1:49.1 career best on 11-17, game first over chasing the standout Threeofthebest A last week & his barn is on a roll
1-Bell I No – That was some wire-to-wire blowout in his sparkling 1:49.4 debut here, battled bitterly with Maroma Beach & just missed when asked for more last week & now lands the rail
7-Maroma Beach – Left hard in :26.4 & was used to soften up Bell I No, beaten favorite before that when he was stung as well, Burke trainee tighter now & due for some better luck
RACE 5
4-Iwillmakeyousaywow – Tried to overpower them first over & just missed by a neck in a sharp return to the Big M, 1:49.3 performer & ten-time winner this season draws inside again
5-Jacksrluckytoo – Too far out of range last week, blitzed by a 1:49.1 winner before that, drops back to the level of that overdue win on 11-23 for Team Harmon
2-Limelight Beach – Classy millionaire with only six starts this season & twice beaten favorite for Team Burke, some positive signs recently & inside draw in a field ripe for the taking
RACE 6
4-Mindtrip – Gunned down by the razor sharp Dreamfair Mesa as the beaten chalk two starts back, no chance chasing a streaking Threeofthebest A last week, gets class & post relief
5-Mcthriller – Beaten favorite just missed to the repeating Larry Karr last week, gets the midpack draw again to gear up his preferred stalking style
2-K-Lees Shakenbake – Badly beaten favorite in his comeback @ Harrah’s Philadelphia clearly had an off day for Team Burke, classy gelding qualified well here, loves this track & lands inside
RACE 7
1-Tact Tate N – Got off to an inexplicably slow start, sat in too long & was airborne late last week, NZ import makes his third US start from the rail & clearly has untapped talent
5-Geez Joe – Still buzzing over that 1:48.1 sparkler on 11-17, follow up with an impressive 1:49 tally, then miscued in the Potomac, has a big chance to rebound back on the mile track
4-K Ryan Bluechip – Took full advantage of the grand speed target & exploded home in :26.3 to repeat last week, can capitalize further on his current form spree for a barn that do no wrong
RACE 8
3-Century Churchill – Completely blocked behind a wall down the stretch last week, only three for 39 this season, but rates the nod with class & post relief in this wide-open field
7-Seel The Deal N – Exploded home off cover & sick scratch to just miss despite a 26-day gap, back up in class from a tougher post, yet he’s a revived prospect & with a big kick
2-CC Big Boy Sam – Overpowering winner two starts back, dug in to hold off a revved up Magnum Mike to repeat from the same post last week, Robert Lounsbury poised to step up
RACE 9
2-Cheyenne Reider – Stormed home from a tough spot to just miss by a neck again last week, steady veteran draws an improved post in raging form for Robert Lounsbury
3-Duke Of Delray – Came up with a much-improved effort & late surge to be right there in the photo last week & draws inside again to prove it was no fluke
1-Twincreeks Jesse – Horse-for-the-course was on the move too late in his return to the Big M, now drops to the bottom condition & pushes off from the rail
RACE 10
1-Play Jet Ray – Burke trainee ran into the impressive Wise Image last week, note the close second from post ten back on 11-10, lands the rail in a very weak N/W $8,500 field
2-Messi N – Freshened up by Andrew Harris, qualified well from the same inside post & returns at a reduced level, but his two for 21 record this season is a concern
3-Tie Your Shoe Ed – Right there with a mighty :26.4 surge two starts back, landed on the fringe fourth with the bump up in class last week, draws inside again in a softer version of N/W $8,500
RACE 11
7-Rolling Sea – Sports a 1:52.1 mark here this season with two solid starts off the bench, drops from N/W 3 into a wide-open bottom condition, chance to step up despite the demanding draw
3-Life Happened – Flashed some positive speed after missing a couple of weeks, 3YO facing much tougher recently, continues his luck with the post draw & barn is overdue
2-Rock On The Hill – Beaten favorite was simply too far out of range last week, hit the board from a tough spot before that, in line for a stalking trip to set up his big kick from another inside post
RACE 12
6-Alta Shelby N – No factor in his US debut off a sick scratch, so we’ll give him that much-needed acclimating mile, qualified against Rockin Ron & eligible to improve
4-Wise Image – Went all the way in a very impressive Big M debut & repeated in well-rated style last week for Team Harmon, draws better as the one to catch again
3-Barbados – Consistent 3YO gelding well driven by Bill Mann, a solid third to Wise Image last week, draws just inside that one to play a stalking opportunist role again
