CHARLES TOWN PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: FEB. 12

Sleepy Eyes Todd
Sleepy Eyes Todd won the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. Photo by Coady Photography.

Charles Town Races has an eight-race card on tap for this evening. Post time for the opener is 7:00 p.m., and we’ve got Charles Town picks.

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE NUMBERCONTENDERSCOMMENTS
Race 65-4-6-2The speedy #5 Good Karma (7-2) makes her first start since mid-December here, when she led early in a fast first fraction before settling for third. The runner-up that day returned to win next out, and this one may be able to control it on the front end here… #4 Lady Licious (4-1) failed as the favorite last time out, but her prior form was fine, and a repeat of her two-back effort would likely be good enough here. Jock Denis Araujo also rode the #1 in here but picks this one… Morning line favorite #6 Thislillimeofmine (5-2) has proven competitive at this level… #2 Windsor’s Champion (3-1) took an allowance two back and finished third against similar last out, makes her first start in Kevin Joy’s barn off the claim from Ronney Brown…
Race 71-2-5-7Hard to get past morning line favorite #1 Shamrock Kid (7-5) in this starter allowance contest. The Dublin gelding is a neck and a head away from a five-race winning streak, and when second last out, that was just behind Sound Off, who’s won four straight. You could try to hang your hat on the layoff; this’ll be his first start since mid-December. On the other hand, three of his four works in the intervening period have been bullet moves, so he appears ready… His last two haven’t been great — and that’s an understatement — but back in October #2 Cape Lookout (15-1) posted a front-running score against similar. This will be his third start off a bit of a break, and if he can get back to better form, he might go to the front and take ’em a long way. We’re giving him one more shot to do that… #5 Gio Dude (9-2) has won at this level, and on the cutback from three turns, there’s no question about his fitness. Runco and Bocachica win 36% of the time together… #7 Hobe Sound (3-1) keeps running pretty good races, and all three to beat him last out returned to win their follow-ups. But note that in his two prior races, he finished comfortably behind our top choice…

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