The race of interest on the Friday card is a non-winners of 3 lifetime at the $12,500 level going 5-1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta track. It has drawn a full field, as many Tapeta races have, and four of them piqued our interest. Of them all, dynamics dictate that we lean toward Smooth Pebble (7-2).
The claiming price off her good effort on Monmouth turf this fall is cut in half, but clearly the connections gave up on this filly before she debuted, offered up for $50,000 despite her $290,000 gavel price, which is a lot of money for a Dialed In filly, so she must be a looker.
In any case she was a good second at the Shore track despite some trouble which we can see for yourself: Monmouth Park, SEP 26, Race 5. That run was at the $25,000 level.
She is the choice here because there’s sufficient speed signed on to guarantee a contested pace, she’s nicely drawn to the outside in slip #6, shows two Payson works for Christophe Clement who reaches out for Tyler Gaffalione who rates to have this one in good position throughout. By no means a layover, she looms the most probable winner.
We’re taking Smooth Pebble to win at 5-2 or greater and will key her first and second in trifectas with Day’s Humor (4-1) an AW debut winner here two weeks ago, price shot Torn Jeans (12-1), coming off a lifetime best on HAW turf and is by a 17% synth sire, and Charlotte the Brit (7-2), second in two starts here for the white hot Delgado/Sutherland team.
