Woodbine Mile, Race 9
Post Time 5:39 ET going 8 furlongs on Turf
#1 March To The Arch 5/2
Owns the best Top Final of the field of 86.6 as a foundation as well as the Top Last Final for turf with an 81.7 victory right here at Woodbine. Rebounded from a forward trip 3 back to post a pair of performances in the +16 turf spread range (Final minus 4F) to accompany Finals that can win here.
#2 Armistice Day 20/1
Has been consistently running Finals a notch too low for this group with no indicators a breakout improvement could be shown here.
#3 Shirl's Speight 8/1
The debut 73/74 came sprinting at 7 furlongs in a soft spot. That race was wrapped up early as part of an 8-length rout. The switch to dirt with a 68/78 REV is a nice combo showing good distribution of late energy, important for today's switch back to turf. Signs point to a Final Figure improvement with today's stretchout. We'll have to weigh what value we want to get in order to ask runner to run hard against worthy competition late for the first time.
#4 Starship Jubilee 4/1
Like the versatility of this one scoring in 6 of last 8 runs and able to adjust running off the pace from 4F Figures in the low 50s to near the pace with a 4F Figure as high as 70. Runner is cutting back to a distance not seen in a while so needs to be ready to accelerate earlier than used to.
#5 Olympic Runner 15/1
Has some turf route experience from last year that was much too slow for today. Has been working the form on synthetic with a few turf sprints since then but enters off an 83/83 DTOP from the main track. DTOPs, especially when being the culmination of an active campaign, are often signs of regression as they are tough to sustain next out much less improve on, but you will get big odds if you elect to back those top numbers holding as well as translating to the grass.
#6 Admiralty Pier 10/1
Forward-running type comes off a 70/80, competitive figures that could give this one position to try and steal the race from the front end. There are no other 80 Finals in the last year to act as a foundation for recent form so we'll need some value on the board to bank on this one holding that quick recent form. Eventual winners for today's surface and distance wired the field 11% of the time at the current meet.
#7 Value Proposition 6/1
Late runner may have a lot of work to do with all but one run featuring 4F Figures in the 50s range while only breaking a 70 Final once. At 6/1, this looks like a “no value proposition.”
#8 War Of Will 2/1
Last year's Preakness winner has found a new career path going to the turf for the 4-year old campaign. Was a bit geared up and still in a dirt racing mindset when fading from a forward 84/80 turf debut but relaxed better 2nd try to a 69/77 win last out. Runner can certainly take another step forward. Possesses plenty of natural speed, and he could relax a bit more here to shift some energy to a bigger Final Figure. However, he is up against some tough career grass runners while just developing into one himself so favoritism might seem a bit too short on odds to back currently.
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