Turf good, turf rail 6 ft outside lane 2. 82 degrees, with gusty wind from southwest (cross/tail in stretch), 10-20 mph.
Very few scratches on this card, for a change. Different weather pattern today, and we'll see if that affects the Poly. Times on the main track were VERY slow on Thursday. I also think that times tend to speed up as the racing week wears, probably as the synthetic surface becomes more compacted after dark-day maintennance?
Doesn't matter the trainer: Ron Faucheux has only a handful of horses for Frank Calabrese, with most in the hands of Nick Canani. Faucheux-trained Minnie Sunshine just took the opener at 3-5. You don't tend to get much value on the Calabrese winners, do you? Know he was on much the best horse, but solid ride by Junior Alvarado here. E.T. Baird, riding outside-stalker Le Bee, was intent on holding Alvarado and Minnie Sunshine on the fence into and around the far turn. Alvarado said, 'Fine, I'll wait.' And once Le Bee threw in the towel turning for home, the Alvarado went. Smart and simple.
