Turfway Park: The Grade III, $550,000 Spiral at 1 1/8 miles
A wide-open renewal of the Spiral will certainly give handicappers trouble as several promising, albeit unproven, runners meet the starter. On paper there’s enough pace to think it sets up well for a stalker/closer, so let’s see if #8 GENERAL ELECTION can build on his local win in the Battaglia, when he closed late to win in his Poly debut; doubles up at a price.
If you’re looking for a real sleeper with a ton of talent, then #9 BLACK ONYX is probably your guy, as he looked much improved in his comeback at Gulfstream Park last month when winning his turf debut; don’t sell him short. Julien Leparoux was a Turfway riding legend early in his career, so it’s nice to see him land on #1 BALANCE THE BOOKS, who won a pair of graded stakes on the turf last year for Chad Brown and seems primed for his 3yo bow; would be no surprise from well off the pace.
Both #2 CHANNEL ISLE and #5 MY NAME IS MICHAEL rate price chances for Hall of Fame trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Bill Mott, respectively, as both have shown they can pass horses in deep stretch and could be getting good at the right time; exotics potential.
Brooklyn Backstretch 
Brian how about Capo Bastone think he could pull an upset?
Pam, I’ve never been a big fan of Capo Bastone and was not at all impressed by his comeback, which was run in slow against a mediocre horses. With that being said, he certainly can factor against a modest crew like this, though the wide draw is a real negative too. So at short odds I was trying to beat him, which is always dangerous when dealing with a Pletcher 3yo.