Post time: 1 p.m. Lock of the day: Elle's Lil Diva (3rd race). Value play of the day: King of the Kids (4th race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket—Race 4 (3,5,6/3/4,6,8/2,6,7/2,3,4,6), $54.
1. 1 mile. State bred. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $32,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Mystifier (Wade, Rosin) 123/9-2
2: Kal El (Berrios-Lopez, Bethke) 118/8-1
3: Burning Leaves (Quinonez, Berndt) 119/2-1
4: Win Over Wyatt (Bridgmohan, McDaniel) 119/4-1
5: Ramblingamblinman (Hernandez, Riecken) 119/5-1
6: Leaoflittlefaith (Gallardo, Robertson) 119/3-1
BURNING LEAVES (3) won his last race as the heavy favorite beating winners. Tries a dirt route for the first time but genes suggest he should like the added distance. Leading barn remains hot. RAMBLINGAMBLINMAN (5) got his diploma two back beating special weights by 10 lengths before trying stakes company. This is a more realistic level. LEAOFLITTLEFAITH (6) tries for three in a row and has speed but faces much tougher.
2. 5 furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Starter optional claiming: $5,000. Purse: $15,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Supreme Capo (Harr, Peters) 121/12-1
2: Samurai Mike (Hernandez, McDaniel) 121/7-2
3: Optimal Courage (Barajas, Silva) 121/6-5
4: Twentyone N Change (Berrios-Lopez, Silva) 116/2-1
5: Gentleman's Secret (Roman, Rhone) 121/6-1
OPTIMAL COURAGE (3) dances every dance making his 13th start in 2023. Adores the local lawn with five wins in eight attempts, but the quick nine-day turnaround is a concern. TWENTYONE N CHANGE (4) is trained by Silva, who also has the top pick. Has early speed and could control the early pace if his stablemate falters. GENTLEMAN'S SECRET (5) has only tried grass once but has had success on artificial surface, which sometime translates to turf success.
3. 6 furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $10,500.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Balimos (Wade, Rosin) 123/9-2
2: Pat's Gal (Harr, Cline) 119/5-1
3: Diamond Missy (Hernandez, Rhone) 119/12-1
4: Chaparrita (Berrios-Lopez, Silva) 114/5-2
5: Voodoo Fire (Ulloa, Hanson) 123/10-1
6: Elle's Lil Diva (Barajas, Silva) 119/2-1
7: Alqwani (Roman, Padilla) 123/8-1
ELLE'S LIL DIVA (6) couldn't get the lead as the heavy favorite in last and had to settle for second. Will try to clear the field here to dictate the early pace and dare them to catch her. CHAPARRITA (4) returns to the dirt after an unsuccessful turf try. Has early speed and drops half in claiming price for a sneaky good barn. BALIMOS (1) cuts back in distance and wants a sizzling early pace to setup his closing kick.
4. 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $16,000. Purse: $28,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Runaway Ready (Roman, Robertson) 123/5-1
2: Make Noise (Harr, Cline) 121/12-1
3: King of the Kids (Bridgmohan, Berndt) 121/4-1
4: Loring Park (Wade, Bethke) 123/9-2
5: Bigfoot City (Berrios-Lopez, Silva Jr.) 118/2-1
6: Inesperado (Quinonez, Eikleberry) 121/5-2
KING OF THE KIDS (3) has run into paceless races recently, but there should be enough speed in here to set up his closing move. Switches to Bridgmohan, who knows how to navigate the grass. BIGFOOT CITY (5) will be playing catch me if you can. Will try to get an easy lead and challenge them to pass him late. INESPERADO (6) is in great form having won four of past five on the weeds. Has a versatile running style.
5. 6 furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $11,500.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Ain'tnosweetie (Hernandez, McDaniel) 123/3-1
2: Brahms Is Who (Gallardo, Tranquilino) 123/8-1
3: Royal Bonus (Roman, Espinoza) 123/5-2
4: Sundance Star (Lindsay, Van Winkle) 123/6-1
5: Lyrical (Sosa, Rarick) 118/4-1
6: Diva de Kela (Ulloa, Hanson) 123/8-1
7: Celtics Wildcat (Berrios-Lopez, Donlin) 118/12-1
8: Peppermint Sister (Hernandez, Biehler) 119/10-1
ROYAL BONUS (3) won two consecutive dirt sprints before failing in a turf route in last. Returns to her preferred surface/distance and there appears to be enough speed to provide an honest pace for her late kick. LYRICAL (5) has been knocking at the door this summer and she has the tactical speed to stalk and pounce. AIN'TNOSWEETIE (1) went wire-to-wire in last but will be starting for a different barn here.
6. 7½ furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $7,500. Purse: $12,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Our Valley (Berrios-Lopez, Williams) 116/9-2
2: Smooth Scat (Santos, Rosin) 117/10-1
3: Ghost Strategy (Hernandez, McDaniel) 121/3-1
4: Speitful Sam (Gallardo, Robertson) 121/8-1
5: Riding the Train (Wade, Spencer) 121/4-1
6: O Dogg (Bridgmohan, Riecken) 121/5-1
7: Grunder (Hernandez, Rengstorf) 121/10-1
8: Run Lea Run (Sosa, Rarick) 116/9-2
O DOGG (6) has only tried the turf once in his 16-race career but he showed promise in that start. Is bred for the surface, has comparable speed figures and has a good grass pilot in the saddle. RUN LEA RUN (8) flashed some early speed when last seen on the local lawn. Has already proven he likes the surface with a win on his résumé. SPEITFUL SAM (4) drops drastically in class for a high-percentage barn.
7. 6 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $10,500.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Tap That Dial (Berrios-Lopez, Rosin) 114/10-1
2: Sam Sez (Roman, Biehler) 119/5-1
3: Eyes Flying Bye (Hernandez, Livingston) 123/6-1
4: Holdentight (Hernandez, Biehler) 123/10-1
5: Water to Wine (Harr, Cline) 119/15-1
6: Direct Action (Barajas, Silva) 123/5-2
7: Jrue Breeze (Murray, Scherer) 123/4-1
8: Risky Situation (Lindsay, Cline) 123/15-1
9: Not a Dance (Wade, Wolff) 123/20-1
10: West Bay (Carmona, Deshazo) 114/20-1
11: Quarantena Bambino (Gallardo, Robertson) 119/8-1
SAM SEZ (2) moves from turf to dirt which is his preferred surface. Drops substantially down the class ladder and has speed. If Roman breaks alertly and get's an easy lead, watch out. DIRECT ACTION (6) drops in class and has tactical speed to be involved early. Will try to track the early leaders and wear them down late. JRUE BREEZE (7) was competitive at Gulfstream last winter but is trying to regain that lost form.
8. 7½ furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $16,000. Purse: $15,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Just Blaze (Murray, Scherer) 123/8-1
2: I'm Noble (Roman, Martinez) 119/8-1
3: Board Certified (Quinonez, Rhone) 123/5-1
4: Skippy's Strike (Bridgmohan, Bedford) 123/4-1
5: Citrus Bay (Gallardo, Tranquilino) 123/12-1
6: Kid's Inheritance (Wade, Bethke) 123/3-1
7: Hot Shot Kid (Hernandez, Robertson) 123/2-1
SKIPPY'S STRIKE (4) does his best running when allowed to relax in the back and make one late run. Should get that setup today with many need-the-lead types signed on here. KID'S INHERITANCE (6) would benefit from getting an easy lead but that may be difficult today with other speed in the race. Hasn't won since being claimed in August 2022. I'M NOBLE (2) won two back while stalking the early lead. Will try similar tactics.