Laurel Park Racing Analysis — Friday, November 16, 2018, by Joe Hansen

Race 1: 5-6-3 (Alw 8000s, F&M, 5.5F)

  1. Gangbusters (5): Solid improvement for the only 3 year old filly in the race since breaking her maiden earlier this year at 1/9 against older; she cuts back to one turn and figures to have some pace to close into; last one was better than it looks on paper as she was forced wide throughout while prompting the pace and only finished 3 back; the winner 2 back was 1/5 and it was her 6th win in 7 starts, with the lone loss coming in the G3 Molly Pitcher
  2. Trusty Roll (6): Gets an advantageous post, as most of the quality speed is to her inside so she can sit a little off; outfinished the 3rd pick in most recent, an off-the-turfer at this trip after dueling with that one from the gun
  3. Bye Bye Blues (3): Has done nothing wrong, just think with the post and pace scenario she’s more vulnerable than the 2nd choice

Race 2: 4-1-3 (OC25k/SAL25k, F&M, 6F)

  1. Rosy’s Rainbow (4): Really had no chance last out against a wire-to-winner who’s in good form; sports a pretty significant last-out Beyer advantage and figures to sit a good stalking trip off the inside speed
  2. Cocktail Waitress (1): Tough to throw out any Claudio runner right now; over the last year he’s 6/30 second off the claim and 12/30 in the money; cuts back after being overtaken late at this level last out
  3. Little Laughs (3): Figures to get away at a decent price given the lackluster performance last out on the grass but her last 2 trips sprinting on fast dirt are competitive here, and the 3-year-old optional claimer 2 back featured 2 of the better fillies on the circuit

Race 3: 1-3-2 (Alw 55000NC, 7F)

  1. Colonel Sharp (1): Though a slight cut below on the Beyer scale, this one figures to be the inside speed; no shame in being dueled into defeat by Switzerland in the DeFrancis Dash 2 back and was making up ground late in the latest which I think is a little better performance than looks on paper
  2. Something Awesome (3): Clearly the class of the field (multiple graded-stakes winner) but comes off a poor performance in the Pimlico Special last out; substantial cutback here to a distance he’s had some success at (5/6 on the board), but doesn’t appear he’ll get a pace to run into and will be a short price
  3. Irish Colonel (2): Off since June when he was knocking heads with some of the better sprinters in the mid-Atlantic; he can sit just off the rail horse and will get first run on the rest of the closers

Race 4: 10-6-3 (Md 10000, F&M, 1 Mile)

  1. Spooky Tooth (10): Pretty difficult low-level maiden race where most of the class droppers have better form on turf than dirt, so I’ll go with a price; she stretched out to this 1 turn mile at this class level last out going turf to dirt in her first for Cal Lynch, and it resulted in a decent second place finish; if you liked her at 7/2 that day I’m sure her price will be much better today; hopefully she gets a little speed to close into
  2. Lill Mave (6): One of those class droppers with solid experience on the turf, her lone dirt race was over this same strip at the $25k level and was a well-beaten second; the Beyer she earned there was the best dirt Beyer in the field by a pretty good margin, but you’ll have to swallow a very short price on this consistent bridesmaid (7/11 in the money).  
  3. Hey Mabel (3): Her last 3 efforts at this track and distance resulted in decent Beyers, but she really just ran around the track; another one taking a drop into this class for the first time

Race 5: 1A-4-14 (Dirt: 1-8-9) (Alw 8000s, 1 1/16 (T); if Dirt, then 1 Mile)

With the weather event on Thursday, can’t imagine they’ll keep this on the turf.  

Race 6: 5-2-7 (Md 25000, 2 year old fillies, 1 Mile)

  1. Dah Philly (5): Really lukewarm on this race, and I hate going to the favorite in that spot, but this one sports the highest Beyer in the field and it was gained over this strip at the $40k level; it’s a pretty big drop, and she was 26/1 but there’s not much else in here
  2. Empire Panther (2): Not sure why Corrales put her back in with open maidens last out after she was close her previous 2 tries at the maiden claiming level; those 2 efforts put her in the mix; note she was close to the pace 2 back sprinting, and led at the first call at this level in August; hoping that they’re aggressive with her early
  3. Jabuticaba (7): Showed speed last out, but it was 2 turns on the turf last out after a last-place debut at Charles Town on the dirt; dangerous if she applies the same tactics here

Race 7: 7-1-2 (Alw 42000C, F&M, 5.5F)

  1. Miss Jak (7): dominated starter allowance field at Parx last out, winning by 11; short freshening late summer has resulted in her getting back to her early career form when she won her first 2 starts, and she’s the only 4-time winner in the field
  2. Baccarat Fashion (1): Love her progression where she’s paired up her career best Beyers; changed tactics a little bit last out when she was outside pressing the pace; she was turned away late but she was clear of Zorally by about 3; with the inside post, she’ll be prominent early
  3. Rumor Ridge (2): My top pick in her last when she finished 2nd at 6/1 in a first level allowance race and earned a career best Beyer; nothing wrong with this one, and she goes 3rd off the layoff

Race 8: 3-12-6 (OC 50k/N1X, 2 year olds, 7F)

  1. Thatwouldbegrand (3): Tremendously competitive race here with many places to go; this one did all the dirty work in last where he was wide and pressed the pace, took over at the turn, turned away the 7/5 favorite and didn’t have enough to hold off the closers; love the cutback here to 7 panels where he ran his highest Beyer in the G1 Hopeful
  2. Regally Irish (12): Presents value if anywhere near the morning line; flashed talent in first 2 starts, a maiden breaker on debut and improved Beyer in the Laurel Futurity sprinting on turf; Motion switches to Lasix which makes me think he bled in latest where he led until the far turn and completely stopped; over the last 3 years Motion is 24% switching to Lasix with juveniles with a slightly positive ROI
  3. Beyond the Victory (6): Sports a win and a good second since switching to blinkers, looks to continue improvement second off the layoff

Race 9: 7-3-8 (Clm 5000B, 1 1/16)

  1. Zen’s Land (7): Competition runs deep in this conditional claimer; this one drops in from open $8k and his last 2-turn dirt race (Pimlico in May in the mud) was a 3rd at the starter allowance level which would probably be good enough here
  2. Mythos (3): Sillaman claimed this one back; had him for 2 starts in the summer, one of which was a 7 length win going 2 turns at Laurel at this condition
  3. Pleiadian (8): Threat to wire them off the slight stretchout and in good form, though gets stuck outside with the short run into the turn

 

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