Happy Woodbine Opening Day! After what feels like an eternity of winter, the start of a new Woodbine racing season is a much-welcome sign that we are finally turning the page to brighter and hopefully warmer days ahead. While the beginning of the meet races could be quite puzzling for a variety of reasons, there is usually an opportunity to take some chances. Here are a few things that I look for when trying to find some value: 1) Fresh horses vs. winter raced – some Thoroughbreds thrive after having some time away from the rigors of track life and often fire their best race first time out in their campaign. On the flip side of this, many view winter racing to be an advantage from a foundation and seasoning perspective, and that first season starters may “need one.” I try to be flexible when it comes to these and assess on a race-to-race basis. 2) Jockey/Trainer combinations – with fields that tend to be a real mixed bag of competitors – you may need that extra nudge to make you feel more confident in your choices, well performing and consistent duos from the previous season tend to pick up where they left off. 3) Works – with sprints being primarily carded for the initial weeks of the meet, steady worktabs can offer valuable insights into horses’ fitness levels and preparedness. $20 play of the day Race 7 #1 Breezero Breezero is making her local debut for trainer Marty Drexler and is coming here off a win at Gulfstream Park. She is 5-for-7 in the exacta at this 5-furlong distance, including four wins. She has been facing easier competition compared to her stablemate Miss Vyvyanne, who is also in this field and is the slight morning line favourite. I like that she drew the inside post as she may get the jump on her should [Rafael] Hernandez send her to the lead, which she doesn’t need as she can come from off the pace as well, making her adaptable. Last season, the jockey and trainer team won at 28% for an ROI of $1.99. Breezero (Photo courtesy of Gulfstream Park) Good Luck!!! @gofilly Share This:Share
