Race 1: MdSpWt $40k F&M 6 & ½F
1st: #1 Song of Night, 2-5 ML! Second time back after the transfer from California should see more improvement for a trainer who comes to Laurel and wins. Narrowly defeated last out by So Gracious, who had previously just lost to Black Kettle who came back to finish ___ in an allowance at Aqueduct Friday. Clearly a cut above these.
2nd: #4 Hickory Made, appears headed in the right direction. Was sent to Aqueduct and ran smartly on the lead before weakening. Was 9 lengths behind So Gracious and Song of Night before that.
3rd: #6 Lucy’s Journey, one try at this level got crushed but puts the blinkers on today.
Race 2: Clm $5k 1M
1st: #4 Rumson Rally, hope for 2-1 on this one, Lacey Gaudet removed Lasix and blinkers, which you don’t see often, and the horse ran a lot better over this strip and distance. Not much to take to the bank.
2nd: #2 Talented Dr. B, lightly raced 4 year old has shown steady improvement although faded somewhat at this distance last time out. Has hit the board 3 of 4 tries on dirt.
3rd: #8 Voodoo Valley, just a couple lengths behind Rumson Rally last out.
Race 3: MdSpWt $40k 3 Year Old Fillies 6 & ½F
1st: #4 Mama’s Grey Ghost, experience will help this one who showed solid speed going a full panel that today’s distance. I trust the trainer and rider and they paid $100k for her last year. Very well may have the lead all to herself which would be great.
2nd: #6 Deco Strong, best last out fig in the field going shorter than today’s distance. He was gaining that day.
3rd: #2 Factorintheheat, can’t ignore that Mary Eppler is getting Irad Ortiz to ride this one. Owns by far the best Beyer but it came on a sloppy surface. Was 6 lengths behind Mama’s Grey Ghost last out.
Race 4: The John B. Campbell Stakes $100k 1 & 1/16thM
1st: #3 Alwaysmining, the King of Laurel Park (8 for 11 locally) has the speed and stamina to prevail among this group at this distance. Was passed by Someday Jones going 9F in the two back but this year this race has been shortened to just a mile and a sixteenth. I like that he can either take the lead if he gets it from the nice inside post or can sit behind the likes of Monagahela and Senior Investment if they get to the lead from his outside. One or both of those will be using more horse to pass from outer post positions around that first turn and Alwaysmining should be able to save ground.
2nd: #4 Someday Jones, extremely hot has been at 99+ in each of his most recent 4 starts which all featured wins or places in stakes races. As noted above, think he’d have a better shot with some more distance. Think he’ll be right on Alwaysmining’s tail crashing toward the wire late.
3rd: #1 Wait for It, definitely improving coming off his career-best figure last out at Parx. Might get shuffled back early from the rail draw heading into the turn and that might be for the best. Don’t think he has the speed to outrun these from the front.
Race 5: The Wide Country Stakes $100k 3 Year Old Fillies 7F
1st: #9 Bankruptonthebeach, Jason Servis trainee with Irad Ortiz will attract a lot of betting from the names. Only a single attempt going 5 furlongs as a two year old at Monmouth last summer. She will be massively improved since then and perhaps much the best. Servis 35% with starters off more than 180 days, so clearly this is a specialty of his. Owners Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables usually buy good ones.
2nd: #1 Bella Aurora, an improved filly since getting on the dirt and maturing more, she has two straight wins locally for Trombetta and Country Life. Will take a lot of money. Second horse in the last Ankle Monitor came back to win a SOC event and then a 5th place effort in the Busanda at Aqueduct. So definitely a live race.
3rd: #7 Naughty Thoughts, has been behind Ankle Monitor twice in a row, very consistent efforts. Was 5 lengths clear of Princess Cadey last out, from which Princess Cadey came out to destroy an allowance field.
Race 6: The Miracle Wood Stakes $100k 3 Year Olds 1M
1st: #5 Albert Park, Mike Stidham trains this Godolphin homebred son of Street Sense and he has done nothing but improve in his four lifetime starts. Breaking the maiden and winning in open stakes company on Synth, they tried graded company in California and he wasn’t embarrassed. Then they tried the Pasco for $125k in Tampa and he beat 5 rivals finishing only behind Liam’s Lucky Charm who is entered in the G2 Risen Star for $400k today. A shame this race will probably go before that, a good performance by Liam there would cement this one as the pick. Nonetheless, the addition of Lasix and Blinkers have so far paid off with increased Beyers. Jose Lezcano comes down from NY to pick up the mount.
2nd: #7 Amen Corner, losing Sheldon Russell who goes to ride for his wife but no biggie. Only beat 4 maidens over the slop in his last try but adds Lasix today for a very capable trainer Jerry O’Dwyer. Has the breeding for routes certainly, Malibu Moon out of a More Than Ready mare. Breezing so well and improved bigly from debut to second out.
3rd: #3 Dreams Untold, playing against this obvious favorite who beat up on maidens at Parx to the tune of an 89 figure and a 14 length win. It was a sloppy track and they were just Parx maidens, I will be trying to beat on those angles. The Beyer is likely somewhat inflated due to the margin of victory. Gets Irad Ortiz, will be tough.
Superfecta play: Add the 4 horse New Commission who has been solid in salty stakes company.
Race 7: The Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie Stakes $250k F&M 7F
1st: #2 Saguaro Row, think this one is better from a quality standpoint from a pace/trip standpoint and she’s just in good form at the moment. Just won at this distance at Aqueduct in the Interborough and previously was just 2 lengths behind multiple G1 winner Spiced Perfection (who was 2nd in this race last year). Some speed to this one’s outside should be good for her, give her something to run at a little like the last two wins.
2nd: #1 Anna’s Bandit, gotta give this queen her due, 9 for 11 last year including a number of wins over this strip. Don’t think she quite has the speed to contend with legit graded stakes horses, but she’ll make her run at the end. Worry about that last effort being not up to her usual standard.
3rd: #4 Majestic reason, one of those that’s always around at this type of level, she was just 5 lengths behind Come Dancing and Minit to Stardom, legitimate graded stakes horses this summer at Belmont, and won one of the local preps to this one in December.
Race 8: The Grade 3 General George Stakes $250k 7F
1st: #9 Wicked Trick, going with the hot hand here trying to beat Firenze Fire who should be a prohibitive favorite in this spot. 6 wins in a row since they got this one onto the dirt and the Beyers have just been going up like crazy. 82, 85, 88, 92, 101 last out and a winner at all three New York tracks. Only Firenze Fire has higher figures this the most recent for this one. The only problem is there is absolutely zero speed in this field.
2nd: #6 Firenze Fire, as I mentioned zero speed in this field, Firenze Fire could simply get the lead easily and coast. He is most likely far superior in terms of quality than these, if he’s on his game.
3rd: #1 Lone Rock, Bill Mott trainee was a stakes winner in a previously life at Remington Park and just won at the Big A going a mile beating a serious graded stakes horse Haikal in that one. Looks like Mott has this one on his game.
#8 Tiz He The One rounds out the super.
Race 9: Alw $42k 6F
1st: #5 Major Flirt, classy colt that has been mostly in the claiming ranks in NY seems to have figured it out now in Maryland with 3 wins and a really close 2nd at this trip last out.
2nd: #3 Golden Surge, lightly raced 4 year old hasn’t been out since last summer at Del but you could tell Capuano thought highly of him avoiding putting him up for sale a couple times.
3rd: #6 Absolved, Claudio trainee has somewhat been knocking at the door at this level. 1 for 12 locally.