Race 1: Clm $5k F&M 6F
1st: #9 Unique Humor, two for her last two coming at this exact condition on this course. 7-2ML would be a gift.
2nd: #8 Shecor, ML odds maker loves her because she has the highest Beyers (not by much) and is stepping down from a very close effort at the $12.5k level. Won at this level in the two back under the tutelage of Claudio Gonzalez.
3rd: #6 Bagels and Lox, last effort was the best of her career winning at the $6.25k level over at Del earning a 57 Beyer. Only a single published work since May.
Race 2: MdClm $10k F&M 6F
1st: #1 Chicken Dinner, speed on the rail always a compelling angle in these cheapies, this one got passed in the last couple jumps last out at this condition by a filly named Picture, who came back to win last week in her first attempt against winners at 6-1 by 3 & 1/2 lengths.
2nd: #4 Midnight Mass, tried this distance in her last and did get passed late, but she’ll contend with Chicken Dinner for the lead.
3rd: #2 Seekthefairland, second back after a nearly year long layoff, they put her on the turf in her first back just to stretch her legs. She’s eligible to improve big time here dropping to the lowest level maiden claimer.
Race 3: Clm $16k F&M 5 & 1/2F Turf
1st: #5 Caterina One, look at the massive improvement for this classy three year old once she got on the turf jumping from 20s and 40s Beyers to low-to-mid 60s. She got on the turf and ran only 4 lengths behind the winner Nightlife (whose connections thought highly enough of to try the Honey Bee Stakes at Monmouth next out) at 102-1.
2nd: #4 Roman Holiday, another that notably moved forward on the turf. She was just 3 lengths being Ying Yue on Preakness undercard in an allowance at 50-1 before coming back to place in an off the turf event last out.
3rd: #8 You Made It, tried allowance company last out and it didn’t work out. The two back effort at this level was a winning one.
Race 4: OC $62k 2 Year Olds 5 & 1/2F
1st: #1 Mischevious Alex, $140k purchase at the April OBS purchase trained by John Servis for Cash Is King LLC broke his maiden at first asking at Parx going 4 & 1/2 earning a 77 Beyer. Has been working consistently at Monmouth including the bullet last out and gets Jorge Vargas.
2nd: #4 Gifted Heart, 9 length winner for Phil Schoenthal in a waiver-claiming event first out earning a 70 Beyer. Has been working very well including the bullet last out locally.
3rd: #6 So Street, 6 length winner in $35k claiming event. Gets lasix first time and retains services of top local pilot Trevor McCarthy.
Race 5: OC $35k 1M Turf
1st: #6 Verboten, one of those absolutely loaded turf fields where you could make a case for 7 or 8 horses. This one was a Pin Oak Stud homebred by Elusive Quality that the connections thought very highly of trying him in a couple stakes races as a 3 year old. In the Woodstock he beat Supreme Aura who came back to win a stakes event that summer. In first off the long layoff he was second getting a high quality 80 Beyer getting beat by Archaggelos, a borderline stakes horse trained by Michael Dickinson. This one made up 7 lengths in the stretch that day and was just a bit short.
2nd: #1 Taxable Goods, was also in that one behind Archaggelos and Verboten before coming out to win a N1X allowance last out at Laurel. Notably 2 for 2 on this lawn with both wins coming in last 3 tries all after the switch to turf.
3rd: #8 Lone Sentry, seemed to really like the firm turf in the two back victory and that allowed him to make that stretch run a winning one. The yielding turf wasn’t as kind but should get a dry strip today.
Race 6: Alw $42k F&M 5 & 1/2F Turf
1st: #1 Hip Hop, remember what I was saying about speed on the rail? It’s that much more important on a firm turf course going 5 and a half. Most consistent and highest figures in the field, has only finished off the board once in her last 7 attempts.
2nd: #3 Classy Atlantic, toyed with putting this one on top getting her second start under the tutelage of turf maestro Tom Proctor. Was just a half length behind Hip Hop in her last effort.
3rd: #5 Something Magical, still improving and has shown ability to rate and pass in the stretch, most notably in her last which came on this same lawn. Interesting decision to sprint.
Race 7: OC $35k F&M 1M Turf
1st: #9 Madame Milan, taking the “other Delacour” here. This one hasn’t been out since a dirt try back in October of last year. Arnaud thought highly enough of her to try graded stakes company in the G3 Pucker Up last year at Arlington and she earned the highest Beyer of her career finishing 6th only losing 4 lengths. Steady breezes at Fair Hill, we’ll see if she’s ready, Delacour 27% off long layoffs.
2nd: #3 Frippery, how about the Delacour exacta? Has been running steadily in the Mid-Atlantic but has yet to cross the wire in front this year. Came in third last out at 2-5 over at Del.
3rd: #5 O.K. Kay, Jane Cibelli ships this one down from her main string at Monmouth for a second time this meet. You can probably put a line through the last that came on a yielding surface, she owns the field’s best Beyer back in February of 2018.
Race 8: Clm $5k F&M 1M
1st: #6 Dah Philly, Michael Matz trainee heads back to the surface of her maiden-breaking score. Second time out at three, Matz tried open stakes company in January at GP and something must have gone wrong as she finished dead last by 24 lengths. The first time back in June was better although still last. She adds Lasix here for the first time which suggests a bleeding problem might have been the reason for the two poor efforts. If so, she should run away and hide from this field. Retains services of Vargas.
2nd: #2 Port Salerno, always look for Claudio Gonzalez trainees in claiming races on the dirt. This one looks like an obvious play as her form seems t be headed back in the right direction. She drops from $14k level to bottom level today.
3rd: #3 Sweet Home Dixie, lightly raced 3 year old also heads back to dirt the site of her maiden score.
Race 9: Clm $16k 1 & 1/16thM Turf
1st: #9 Ride to the Sunset, toss the last which got rained off the turf, this one was coming like a freight train in the two back down the lane after going 8 wide!
2nd: #4 High Society, 3 straight Beyers in the 70s since switching to turf, all ending in third place finishes coming from way back. Definitely a contender but doesn’t seem to have that next gear to pass coming them all down the lane.
3rd: #7 Electro, 2 wins in 4 tries over the Laurel turf. Claudio G only hitting 7% on the turf and this gelding hasn’t won under his care yet.
Race 10: MdClm $40k F&M 5 & 1/2F
1st: #3 Hello Beautiful, was entered in a MdSpWt event yesterda but opted for this slightly softer spot as she’s not in for the tag anyhow. Automatic advantage to any with race experience, this one has two efforts under her belt, both high quality. Last out was a 50 Beyer second place finish in her turf debut. Expect improvement back on the dirt for the Russell+Russell combo.
2nd: #6 Maybe an Omen, Cathal Lynch is always a threat with 2 year olds winning 28% and is 5 for 11 with debut MdClmers. Gets top local pilot McCarthy for this one. Last work more than solid.
3rd: #8 Always Something, again advantage to horses with experience, this one earned a 38 Beyer in a 4th place effort in her debut.