by Xpressbet
October 26, 2018
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NO DOUBT ABOUT THIS PICK
by Dick Jerardi, Daily Racing Form
ANALYSIS: IMPERIAL HINT is one length from winning his last eight six-furlong races. That length came in the 2017 Sprint when ROY H ran him down in the final 100 yards. ROY H was unlucky not to win all six of his 2017 races. A loose horse in the Bing Crosby cost him a perfect season. That said, I thought IMPERIAL HINT was the better horse at Del Mar last year and I am absolutely certain IMPERIAL HINT is the best horse now. The farther outside horses ran on the Del Mar main track at the 2017 BC, the faster they ran. And ROY H caught the dream trip in the Sprint. As he did last year, IMPERIAL HINT has been training at Parx for months. Parx never had a horse win a ‘Win and You’re In’ race. Suddenly, horses stabled there won three in eight days. My theory is that the surface, which has been super-deep and tiring all year, has gotten horses incredibly fit. And that would include IMPERIAL HINT, already the fastest horse in the country.
MAIN CONTENDERS: IMPERIAL HINT was 4-1 last year on the tote. Anything above 2-1 would be a gift this time. The 5-year-old is your classic two-way horse. He obviously has enough speed to control the race from the top, but, more importantly, has the motor to sit back and accelerate past even the fastest horses around. ROY H has not come back to his top races from last year when he twice earned 111 Beyer figures; and he got dream trips in his two wins against overmatched horses. PROMISES FULFILLED starts near the rail (Post #2) and will be trying to take this field from gate-to-wire. LIMOUSINE LIBERAL has hit the board in 17 sprint stakes, but was no factor in two previous BC Sprint attempts. WHITMORE is 9-for-13 at the distance with $2 million in earnings.
VALUE PLAYS: If this race falls apart, it could be an Exacta Box of LIMOUSINE LIBERAL and WHITMORE, the two best closers.
WAGERING STRATEGY ($100):
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