Weekend Picks and Analysis

Cardinal Handicap
Could Criminologist have been more impressive in the Athenia? I seriously doubt she could have, it was a monster effort. So now we have to choose, was it a representation of her new found form or was it a race too good to be true? I'm not personally going to bet against her in this spot. She has been getting better and better as time has gone on. She was slow to come to hand but has recently eradicated those mysterious non efforts. The pace is a wild card here but Criminologist will likely be sitting right off of it and if anyone else is to win this race they'll have to pass her. Stay away from professional money burner Argentina and also Jade Queen who is riding a 7 race losing skid. I really looked for a way to play Jade Queen because she looks like the lone pace presence in this race but she has lost ground in the stretch of her last 7 races and you just can't afford to do that. I think she's developed the habit of quitting, at 3/1 she's a terrible bet. The only alternative I can even fathom using against the favorite is Love Handles. She took down the useful Jennie R two starts back and has become a very decent horse on the grass. Her Beyer Speed Figures show an on again off again pattern and if it holds this race could be a new career top for her. She'll come from near the back and I'm hoping she can at least make it into the exacta.


Criminologist
Love Handles