Daily Handicapping

#6 JOE’S WITNESS hasn’t missed the board yet and has been closing late at shorter distances at about this level at LAD, he should benefit from the added distance and long FG stretch. #1 D.C. NINER runs first off of the Bret Calhoun claim, but he was claimed back in March and just shows up now-not the most positive sign although one of his better races could get the job done here. #4 SHOULDOFBEENANOKIE drops in class after a couple of even efforts in maiden special weight company.

#5 GROUP gets back on a fast main track, where he does his best running, and figures to be overlooked in this unusual gathering of back class, class droppers, and layoff runners. #11 LOUIE ES is in good current form and will likely be rolling late. #10 MONEY HAVEN races off of a 2 length win and makes his 2nd start since being switched over to the high percentage Keith Bourgeois barn.

#7 APPLE HEAD has run a couple of even races, adds blinkers today, and note that in his last race the winner drew off by 10 lengths. #12 GREAT PLANET gets in with state-breds for the first time, cuts back in distance, goes synthetic to dirt and hasn’t missed a trifecta yet. #10 LEESIANA BLUES is one of two Pat Mouton runners in here but this one has a better recent work and although he showed nothing in his debut, is the one that E.J. Perrodin decides to ride.

#6 WILD SLIDE makes his second start off of a 9 month break, usually runs a game race, gets reunited with James Graham and has been working very well in the mornings. #5 THE GREAT CARUSO drops in class, puts the blinkers back on and could very well prove the one to catch. #3 CYA LATER BERT was flying too late in three straight grass sprints here last season but today tries at a lighter class level while making his second start off of a 5 month break.

#1 COLOR COMING IN appears overdue as in 6 lifetime races she’s only been worse than 3rd one time. #6 IT’S A ECHO RUMOR is another who’s had a series of closes calls and she could end up overlooked today as she makes her 14th lifetime start in what looks to be a pretty competitive race. #11 CALLIOPE JANE runs today off of three straight bullet works for trainer Bret Calhoun, but she makes only her 2nd start since the FG meet wrapped up last season most recently finishing up 3rd behind COLOR COMING IN at LAD in September.

#6 RANDOM MOVE never really seemed to get into it in her debut, a 1 mile and 70 yard race at Hawthorne a month ago. She gets on the grass today, has been working well and should improve 2nd time around as Empire Makers tend to do. #4 FACTION makes her first start since Woodbine and gets to go long on the grass for the first time which is just what she’s bred to do best. #8 WHY NOT BE PERFECT should improve getting back on the turf, which appears to be her preferred surface, after three straight races that were rained off the grass at LAD.

#1 RACHELSFINESTHOUR makes her first start of this FG meet and her first start since July, but she’s been working well and if she’s anywhere near as tough as she was before the break, she could be awfully tough today. #2 IDE BETTER RUN hasn’t won a race since her allowance win here last season, but she has turned in some even performances and she has been working forwardly. #8 STORM BATE makes her 2nd start of the meet already as we saw her here last weekend setting the pace and just tiring late against tougher.

#1 MORE THAN TACTICS runs today off of four solid races at LAD, looks like the one to catch, and has been working well with bullets and near bullet in the mornings. #4 CASPIAN has raced on synthetic and has raced on grass, has run long and short, but today gets to sprint on the grass for the very first time as he makes his first start outside of Southern California. #8 DRYDEN gets the mystery horse label. He hasn’t run since ’08 when he was racing in stakes at Woodbine, twice finishing in back of eventual Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, before heading to Calder where something obviously went wrong right off the bat and he ended up vanned off. He tries the grass today for his first start of the year.

#3 MASTER LINK looks like the one to beat in this LA Champions Day preview. Last season’s Lassie winner has only been beaten once since then, and that was a 2nd place finish, and races here off of a Champions Day win at LAD. #6 WANNA CUDDLE was very consistent last season but she does raise the ‘where has she been’ question as she has not been seen since her Sarah Lanes Oates victory here last February. #7 YARE is another consistent type with 4 wins on the year already and a good effort over a fast track here last season.

#4 SERPENTINE landed in what appears to be a relatively light spot for his debut today and if he has the ability could be a contender making his first start for last year’s meet leaders, Heiligbrodt Racing Stables and Steve Asmussen. #7 PRETTY DRINK has had three lifetime starts, at as many tracks, but today gets to run over a fast dirt track for the first time on the class drop and with 2nd time lasix. #10 WAR SMOKE drops in class off of some sharp works for his second lifetime start today.