Turfway Park: Forego Stakes exotics plays for Feb. 5

*Turfway Park racing for Saturday February 5, 2022 has been canceled due to weather.

Nine dashers will go 6 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta surface at Turfway Park in Saturday’s $100,000 Forego S. I see the one-turn heat as a virtual two-horse race and will play it that way.

#7 Sir Alfred James didn’t fire in his second 2022 performance on the Fair Grounds turf course last time out, but it was his fine victory two back that leads me to siding with him in the Saturday feature. The gelded son of Munnings made his first All-Weather appearance in the Holiday Cheer S. at Turfway on January 1 and was never headed en route to a fine, 6 1/4-length romp under John McKee.

The six-year-old earned a robust 99 Brisnet Speed figure in that tilt, and the fleet bay figures to receive a similar trip to that one in this spot while on the front end early. Trained by Norman Cash, who claimed him for $62,500 in September, the Kentucky-bred is the pace of the race for a conditioner who is having good success at this meeting. McKee will be back in the stirrups.

#5 Visitant is the main danger to the top pick and will be a formidable foe with his top effort. By Ghostzapper, the six-year-old from the barn of William Morey was a superb allowance vicor on the oval in December to move his local line to a nifty 5-4-0-1. The underrated bay is seven-for-14 overall in his lifetime, and his strong turn of foot will make him tough to deny late in this cast.

The Kentucky-bred posted a hefty 100 Brisnet Speed figure last time out, and he shows four solid morning drills in the interim. He will stalk the early tempo with Gerardo Corrales in the silks.

In the race for third, I will side with #1 Race Driver. The gelded son of Distorted Humor is not a prime win threat in my opinion, but he is consistent with six top-three finishers from as many tries on synthetic, including a runner-up result in his lone prior run at Turfway. The Kentucky-bred fired a bullet half-mile most recently to signal his readiness for Saturday.

Forego Wagers

• $25 exacta 7 with 5 ($25)
• $15 exacta 5 with 7 ($15)
• $5 trifecta 5, 7 with 5, 7 with 1 ($10)