RACE 1:

3-4-5-9

Favored #5 Romanosa (5-2) appears vulnerable on what feels like a precipitous drop… #3 Rock Rose (6-1) is out of a mare who won the green, tries it for the first time today. Just missed versus N3L in last and gets to drop back into N2L company… Lasix on for #4 Our Strong Vows (4-1), who also returns to the turf after a decent try in the Camptown two back…

RACE 2:

5-2-1-6

Yup, that’s Taiba — freakin’ Taiba, you know, multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Taiba — who finished first when #5 Mauritius (6-5) ran second on debut. That’s enough of an endorsement for me, and this one shifts into the Brittany Russell barn today… Good try in last by #2 Flavian (6-1), who led early and was well clear of the rest late… Trainer Graham Motion doesn’t have a great record with firsters — his usually need a race or two — but #1 Benkei (8-1) is a half to a first-out winner and is well bred…

RACE 3:

5-9-6-4

The switch to turf has been a profitable one for #5 Indefatigable (4-1), who lands in a good spot here with four straight in-the-money finishes… #9 Battlebus (6-1) has some pretty good efforts on the resume, and it wouldn’t hurt if he could find the early speed he customarily showed until last couple… He usually runs good races, and the drop in class is appropriate and a plus, but #6 Papal Law (7-2) is 0-for-11 at this sprinting trip. Does get bug boy Barbosa in the irons…

RACE 4:

1-3-7-2

What do you make of #3 La Casa d’Oro (3-1)? She ran a big number to graduate, but that number really sticks out from the rest of her resume, and while her follow up was in the G3 Miss Preakness, it was not a good edition of that race; none of the six who raced there finished in the money in their follow-ups. That’s a long-winded way of saying we’ll try to beat her with #1 Fuhgeddaboudit (7-2), who’s in pretty good form of late. Last-out winner Bourbon Wildcat returned to be fourth in a salty Maryland Million Distaff… #7 Combat Queen (5-2) won nicely in last and has some good races on the page, but she’s still hunting a first allowance win after 26 career races…

RACE 5:

8-2-1-9

Love the debut effort from #8 Saucy (4-1), who pressed the pace and then led but could not contain the 2-5 winner who sat a perfect trip. Three of seven from that race have won their follow-ups, and this one gets Lasix on… #2 Most Empressive (2-1) tried to follow the winner in last but lost ground when having to alter out in mid-stretch, still finished up nicely. She has kept the right company… #1 Sister Mac (9-2) tries sprinting for the first time. She’s out of a mare who was a graded winner sprinting…

RACE 6:

3-1-7-9

Might be a sneaky good try for #3 One Ten (5-1) in last. He had a troubled opening quarter-mile, getting steadied and dropping back ultimately to last. But he stuck with it and ran on belatedly for fifth. Now he’s dropping into a more manageable spot… #1 Lord Mio (3-1) won at this level in last, rallying to beat the 13-1 pace-setter after seemingly being cooked in mid-stretch. No reason he can’t double up today… #7 Bomboloni (9-2) tries the dirt for the first time since winning on debut after overcoming a disastrous trip…

RACE 7:

1-11-9-5

We’re thinking #1 Pharoah’s Song (3-1) is sitting on go as she gets back on the grass. Her turf races are all pretty good, and though she was 10th in the Virginia Oaks, everything that’s happened since flatters that: four of the top five to run back won their follow-ups, and runner-up Sparkle Blue won a Grade 3 earlier this weekend… #11 Tequilera (5-2) should lead this one early, but note that outer posts are 0-for-the-meet going 1 1/16 miles on turf… #9 Dawn (12-1) had no shot to make up ground with a glacial early pace in last, but two back rallied smartly against a decent group for third…

RACE 8:

3-6-4-5

There’s plenty of speed in this stakes quality allowance, which might be good news for #3 Swayin to and Fro (6-1). Toss the turf try in last, and she’s got plenty of good form and should be running at the end… #6 Edie Meeny Miny Mo (5-2) is one of those with plenty of zip; the question is how she’ll return after being pulled up and vanned off in the Seeking the Pearl Aug. 16… It says here #4 Red Hot Mess (15-1) is sitting on move forward. (Let’s hope it says that on the racetrack, too!)

RACE 9:

9-6-8-7

We might be chasing, but let’s see if we can’t get a price home to close the weekend. #9 Sloe Gin Biz (10-1) is a horse Crystal Pickett had, lost via the claimbox, and reclaimed. He ran OK in last in an off-the-turf tilt and now gets to try the lawn for the first time. His dam was stakes-placed on the turf, and sire Fed Biz’s best offspring, Front Run the Fed, is a turf sprinter… Morning line fave #6 Imagine It All (9-5) loses the blinkers today, and a return to his earliest efforts would be good enough… #8 Rennie (6-1) gets class relief for his first-ever turf try…