Race of the Day, Charles Town Races, Race 6, Allowance for non-winners of three lifetime, 4½ Furlongs. State-bred. Purse: $27K. 

It’s a Charles Town special sprint tonight! The “bull-ring” configuration at CT leads to a number of short 4 1/2 furlongs sprints, unlike most mid-level tracks.  You can often find some eliminations —  horses that don’t have the quick speed necessary to contend or may not be super sharp off a layoff.  While it’s not impossible to close at this distance, as you would expect, it is dominated by horses with early speed.  Passing tends to occur — if at all — tends to occur as horses move into the turn and in then, occasionally, in the very final yards.

The Contenders

• Sharp Tina (#4, 2-1) ran terrific last time out over the slop– her first for trainer Kevin Patterson, who normally keeps them hot.  I normally don’t like horses making a class move, but the difference between West Virginia allowance levels in negligible. But she’s not that much faster than the field, so any downward move — whether in condition or due to the surface — may cost her the race.
• Patty’s Promise (#6, 6-1) returns to the allowance level after a brief winning foray back in the claiming ranks.  Her trainer normally has them ready off the short layoff.
• Cat Thats Grey (#7, 7-1) has ran some solid races in her short career and has a decent win from off the pace against open company this past February. She’s the only one in the field with a win off the pace. She drops down after a half decent stakes-outing last time out. Certainly worth a deeper look.
• Little Bop Peep (#8, 3-1)  is another who will chase the lead and is waiting for the right field to wire.  Probably too much other competition in here for her today.

What I’m thinking of playing:

I will try to beat Sharp Tina in the win pool and also in the multi-race exotics. There is a decent chance of regression, and there should be some prices elsewhere. Cat Thats Grey has potential to lay close to a hot pace and make a strong move as they enter the turn.  She’s certainly run well against good horses and figures. Patty’s Promise rates a good chance with a good start off the brief layoff.   I’ll give further details on Twitter closer to race time.

See you on Twitter at 7:00 p.m.! Good luck!