Racing! Time to sharpen some handicapping skills

MAESTRO DEARTE saved ground stalking the pace, awaited room in midstretch, got out in deep stretch and surged under energetic handling and a crack of the whip to get up nearing the wire. COMBAT ZONE angled in and chased inside, waited briefly then got out to bid outside the pacesetter in midstretch, gained the advantage past the eighth pole and held on well but was caught late. GOSILENTLY pressed the pace three deep then fell back some early on the backstretch, bid again three wide leaving the backstretch, fell back again leaving the second turn, came three wide into the stretch and edged foes for third between horses. TANIKO chased outside a rival then three deep into and on the second turn and into the stretch and was edged for the show. INDOCTRINATION (IRE) had good early speed and set a pressured pace a bit off the rail into the first turn then inside, fought back along the rail in the stretch and was outfinished for a minor award. FRANKINCENSE chased outside rivals early then a bit off the rail, swung out into the stretch and was outfinished. MORNING CALL settled outside a rival chasing the pace, awaited room behind foes from upper to midstretch, came out and lacked the needed rally. BELLERIN prompted the pace between horses then outside a rival, dueled between foes again leaving the backstretch and into the second turn and outside a foe leaving that turn and into the stretch, was between horses in midstretch and weakened in the final furlong. DRUMMER D THE T settled inside, saved ground off the pace, dropped back into and on the second turn and gave way.

LIL BIT DANGEROUS stalked a bit off the rail then inside, came out on the turn and three deep into the stretch, drifted in nearing midstretch, bid outside the runner-up past the eighth pole, gained the lead under urging a sixteenth out and inched away late. SOUL SOUND had good early speed and dueled inside, inched clear on the turn, fought back along the rail through the final furlong but could not quite match the winner late. DEL MAR DIVA prompted the pace three deep on the backstretch and into the turn, stalked outside a rival on the turn, continued a bit off the rail in the stretch and weakened but held third. TOPAZ TIME dueled between horses, stalked a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, came out in upper stretch and weakened.

NERO dueled four wide then three deep on the turn and into the stretch, drifted in a bit in midstretch and gamely but narrowly prevailed under a couple taps with the whip turned down and confident handling. CURLY'S ROCKET a step slow to begin, went up inside to duel for the lead, battled along the rail on the turn, fought back inside the winner through the stretch and continued gamely to the end. CORE BELIEFS broke in and bumped a rival, raced wide early, chased outside then angled to the inside leaving the backstretch, came out leaving the turn and three deep into the stretch and finished willingly. JIMMY CHILA dueled between horses to the stretch, fell back some in midstretch and weakened. YOUR GRACE chased outside, angled to the inside on the turn and lacked a rally. BOTERO stalked the pace off the rail then three deep on the turn and into the stretch and weakened. KRIS' WILD KAT broke in and bobbled some, had speed between horses to duel for the lead, dropped back on the turn and had little left for the stretch. DYNAMIC DUO bumped at the start, dropped back and angled in on the backstretch, saved ground on the turn, came out some in the stretch and did not rally.

HAYABUSA ONE (FR) stalked between horses then a bit off the rail, came out leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch and rallied under urging to get up nearing the wire. PLAY HARD TO GET sped to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside then dueled along the rail, regained the advantage into the second turn, inched away in the stretch and held on well but was caught late. TWENTYTWENTYVISION chased just off the inside, also came out on the second turn and five wide into the stretch and gained the show. ROYAL ALBERT HALL (GB) a bit slow to begin, angled in and saved ground off the pace, cut the corner into the stretch and finished with some interest inside. GIO'S CALLING stalked the pace inside, came out into the stretch, was between horses through much of the drive and was outkicked late. UNAPOLOGETIC four wide early, stalked three deep then bid outside a rival to duel on a short lead, fought back on the second turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. A RED TIE DAY stalked between horses then outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. CAFE FLAVOR pulled between horses and steadied early, stalked three deep then outside a rival, angled in some leaving the second turn and weakened.

MUCHOS BESOS had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away off the rail in the stretch and drew clear under urging while drifting out. FREDDIES DREAM saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, angled back to the inside in upper stretch and continued inside to edged foes for second. DUKES UP stalked between horses, came out four wide into the stretch and was edged for the place. EL SUPER had speed three deep then dueled outside the winner, battled between horses on the second turn and was edged between foes late for a minor award. MR. SHOOK dueled between horses early then stalked off the rail, continued three deep on the backstretch, bid three wide on the second turn and weakened in the final furlong. CITY STEEL chased three deep on the first turn then off the rail, went up three wide under urging on the second turn, came four wide into the stretch and weakened.

THE CRITICAL WAY pressed the pace inside a rival then stalked outside a foe to the stretch and rallied under some urging to past the runner-up late. CALLE KINGPIN had speed between foes then dueled outside the winner, inched away and angled in on the hill, set the pace inside and held on well but was caught late. HOME RUN KITTEN saved ground off the pace, cut the corner into the stretch, came out past midstretch and finished well between foes late. MOONLIGHT DRIVE (ITY) chased a bit off the rail then outside a rival leaving the hill, came out six wide into the stretch and also finished with interest. ZURI CHOP (FR) had speed inside then saved ground stalking the pace, continued along the rail in the stretch, lacked off the heels of the runner-up past midstretch and was outfinished. REIGN ON (GB) chased off the rail then inside, split horses into the stretch and again in midstretch and lacked the needed late kick. DOC CURLIN settled off the rail, came out leaving the hill and seven wide into the stretch and improved position. CONQUEST DADDYO pulled between horses then chased outside a rival, came out six wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. CLEVER ROYAL stalked between foes then inside leaving the hill, came out three deep into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. HOLY WHIRL WIND four wide early, stalked three deep between foes then between horses leaving the hill, came out four wide into the stretch and did not rally. ROCKET FUEL had speed outside then stalked four wide, came five wide into the stretch and weakened. SECRETO PRIMERO chased outside then four wide on the hill and into the stretch and also weakened. Rail on hill at zero.

CHROMIUM saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch, bid between horses in midstretch to gain the lead and inched clear then held under good handling. LAMBO LUXX chased outside then off the rail, came out five wide into the stretch and edged a rival for the place. PRIVATE PROSPECT settled between foes then outside a rival, continued a bit off the rail into and on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and was edged for second. THE NATURAL settled a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, came out a bit in the stretch and improved position. BARGAINING dueled three deep between foes then three wide leaving the turn and into the stretch, battled between foes in midstretch, drifted out some and weakened in the final furlong. PAT THE BEAR a half step slow to begin, went up inside to duel f or the lead, fought back in the stretch and weakened late. FUELED BY BOURBON chased off the rail then four wide on the turn and into the stretch and lacked a rally. PROUD ZONING prompted the pace four wide then stalked leaving the turn, came four wide into the stretch and weakened. AJAC dueled between horses, fought back on the turn and in the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. LONG GAME chased a bit off the rail, came out into the stretch, then drifted in and gave way.

MOPOTISM stalked between horses then bid between foes on the backstretch, tracked the leader just off the rail, bid outside that one again leaving the second turn, was carried out a bit into the stretch, fought back under urging through the drive and edged that rival three deep on the line. MENDED sped to the early lead, set a pressured pace inside, came off the rail into the stretch, fought back between horses in deep stretch and went gamely to the end. LA FORCE (GER) saved ground stalking the pace, came out a bit into the stretch then angled in and bid inside past midstretch and went willingly to the wire. SHENANDOAH QUEEN pressed the pace three deep then stalked three wide, continued outside on the second turn and three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed late kick. MAJESTIC HEAT settled a bit off the rail, came out on the second turn and five wide into the stretch, continued under left handed urging then had the rider lose the whip a sixteenth out and was outfinished. SANDY'S SURPRISE chased three deep then outside a rival, continued three wide on the second turn and four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. UNION STRIKE chased a bit off the rail then inside on the second turn and in the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. RESKY BUSINESS dueled between horses then outside a rival, stalked between foes, dropped back on the second turn and weakened.

THEYCALLHIMTHEKID chased between horses then a bit off the rail leaving the hill, bid three deep in midstretch, gained the lead under urging past the eighth pole, inched away and held gamely. GENERAL IKE chased outside then alongside a rival, came out five wide into the stretch and finished well. COASTLINE stalked a bit off the rail then inside, bid along the fence in midstretch and held third. JOHNNY REB was in a good position stalking the pace outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch and was edged for the show. PARTICLEACELERATOR sped to a clear early lead, set the pace just off the inside, was between foes in midstretch and weakened in the final sixteenth. AIRLITE bobbled in a bit of a slow start, went up between horses to chase the pace, came three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. RED CARPET CAT pulled and steadied between horses early while chasing the pace, went four wide leaving the hill and five wide into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. ROUGH PASSAGE well placed stalking the pace off the rail, came out into the stretch and weakened. ZAPANA'S GAME saved ground chasing the pace throughout and did not rally. ZEPPO chased between horses then a bit off the rail in the stretch and also lacked a rally. BOURQUE settled off the rail then outside, went five wide leaving the hill and four wide into the stretch and had little left for the drive. Rail on hill at zero.