Previewing the race card, I think I termed the west wind "moderate." As the play-by-play man who has just called out the wrong name would say, "Check that." The wind is zipping pretty good, and the two races so far, both Polytrack sprints, have featured a half-mile split in 45 seconds and change. It is a struggle to come home into the breeze without any cover, and if I were riding (my mounts would be roughly 60 pounds over), I would tuck in behind horses as long as possible through the stretch.
But, while finishing fractions are slowed by the wind, final times are average-to-quick, not especially slow at all, as often has been the case during the first day of the race week this meet.
2-1 Glory Belle, who pressed the pace, edged 2-1 Whata Tattle Tale, who had dead aim but could not go past, in the opener, an Illinois-bred maiden. Both ran fine, the others far back.
Favored Selina Moon edged second-choice Ash in race 2, which went in 1:11.60 for six furlongs, quick enough for modest $32.5K N2L claimers. Chalk players' engines are running smoothly for now. Note that pace-setting Smoken Dreams was getting out the entire stretch run.
