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Race 1: Alw $42k 1 & 1/16^thM Turf

1^st: #6 Pretty Good Year, these two turn turf races often come down to simply a sprint to the wire once they straighten away and this one has the best closing ability in the field. Given today’s distance he easily passes Tom Hagen in the last out but was coming from too far back. Improving 3 year old got his best Beyer in the last and a great last breeze, gets there today.

2^nd: #11 Cannon’s Roar, another one improving bigly, this one was just behind Pretty Good Year in the last although was passed by him in the stretch run. Definitely the closer type who would prefer another 1/16^th.

3^rd: #3 Tom Hagen, possible that his speed carries him like it did in that mile event last out. It was clear that he relished the return to grass.

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Race 2: OC$35k F&M 1M

1^st: #1 Arrifana, daily double to start the day for Kelly Rubley? She trains Pretty Good Year and also this stand out who is 2 for 2 so far after shipping up to Saratoga last out and beating a field of 9 other first level allowance horses earning a field-best 84 Beyer. A little surprised to see her in this event, which is probably a step down in class from her last race but Rubley must be testing her ability to handle more distance, goes a panel further today.

2^nd: #5 Discreet Sister, very infrequently do you see a Ness+McCarthy horse at 12-1 on the ML but this one figures decently enough. Not sure the tapeta was what she wanted in the last but the two back over the Laurel dirt shows she appreciates this court and this distance.

3^rd: #6 Vivalda, Jerry O’Dwyer’s Peruvian import hasn’t been out since May down in South America and probably has no clue what time of year it currently is in the Northern Hemisphere, but last drill from the gate shows she has speed and she adds blinkers and Lasix today.

Race 3: Alw $42k F&M 1 & 1/16^thM Turf

1^st: #12 Beale Street, really deep, tough field here. Taking this outside closer for reasons similar to race 1. When they straight away this one has shown a propensity to close massive lengths in all three of her turf tries this year. Matz + Vargas a potent combination at 27%.

2^nd: #11 Princesshope, Graham Motion’s French import last year has yet to win in the states but has been close a number of times in high quality events.

3^rd: #3 Fionnbharr, funny name, Susan Cooney gets Danny Centeno to ride this one and she has shown great closing ability at various distances and was solid in a couple stakes events at Colonial.

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Race 4:[R] The Challedon Stakes $75k 7F

1^st: #10 Tiz He the One, the pick here would probably be the 4 horse American Power but I assume he’ll run at Belmont tomorrow. This one has shown a love for the Laurel surface and was in an incredible allowance event in his return from a 6 month layoff up at Saratoga where he was sent off at 5-2 and didn’t quite have the kick he needed. Second time back in easier company should do the trick.

2^nd: #5 Wonderful Light, I don’t think this one will run here either opting for Monmouth instead, but she just won at Saratoga going off as the favorite underneath John Velazquez. 2 for 2 at Laurel.

3^rd: #7 Taco Supream, the local boy, 6 for 15 at Laurel with 6 seconds also. Last seen winning a competitive OC$35k event.

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Race 5: The Anne Arundel County Stakes $100k 2 Year Old Fillies 5 & ½F Turf

1^st: #3 Queen of Shades, has been keeping strong company between Sar and Mth in her two turf tries and the improvement from second to third starts was incredible. Final furlong time in that Mth race was 11 and 1/5^th after setting the early fractions herself. Where have we seen Jason Servis and Michael Dubb team up in the past?

2^nd: #5 Miss J McKay, owns the top Beyer in the field but was struggling to finish that stakes event that she was ultimately DQd from finishing the final furlong in 12 and 3/5^ths seconds after NOT setting the early fractions.

3^rd: #2 Double Down Dare, Steve Klesaris took this one to Sar and put her on turf for the first time and she won at 5-1 against $75k MdClmers. Definitely has talent and should improve.

Race 6: [R] The Shine Again Stakes $75k F&M 7F

1^st: #7 Saguaro Road, listen to this one’s career: broke her maiden locally, was 5 lengths behind Serengeti Empress in the FG Oaks G2, won her first allowance at Keeneland, won her second allowance at Belmont, was second in a similarly named race up at Sar this weekend, and then didn’t handle the Tapeta at PID last out. Not sure if she’ll handle the distance but she certainly has the ability to win  this event.

2^nd: #9 Our Super Freak, very consistent this summer and all her life really but only 1 for 7 locally. Beyers improving every race, she should appreciate the cutback in distance. Not sure she has the class.

3^rd: #4 Stormologist, ran with stakes winner Cairenn last time out at this distance. 3 time winner locally.

Race 7: The Japan Turf Cup $100k 1 & ½M Turf

1^st: #1 Highland Sky, what I’ve learned is that the longer the race is, the more class wins the day. This one is simply the classiest in the field, infrequently winning but running very close with the best turfers in America like Channel Cat, Ya Primo, Arklow, Focus Group, Zulu Alpha, Channel Maker, Sadler’s Joy, and Spring Quality. He didn’t beat them, but he ran between 1 and 5 lengths behind those types numerous times, enough that you can go to the bank on it in this event. Also owns the field’s best 103 Beyer back in June of last year. Mid to upper 90s since then.

2^nd: #2 Postulation, the class calculus is similar for this one, owns the other triple digit figure and has run with some of the big ones as well like Hi Happy and Sadler’s Joy in last year’s Man O War.

3^rd: #3 Surprise Twist, perhaps the up-and-comer of this field at “only” 5 years of age, this one has been second in two straight 12F events and Delacour must be thinking this is going to be his distance going forward.

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Race 8: The All Along Stakes $150k F&M 1 & 1/16^thM Turf

1^st: #5 Colonia, Motion trainee that he thought highly enough as a 3 year old to try multiple graded stakes including two grade 1s out in California. She wasn’t quite good enough to win the G1s but definitely earned some nice checks and won a G3 event at Keeneland coming from way back. Made her season debut earlier this month at Parx, should move forward today.

2^nd: #3 My Sistersledge, fresh off the stakes win at this distance overcoming a speed-biased track. 6 for 10 lifetime at Laurel with a second and three thirds. 8-1 ML is a mirage.

3^rd: #1 Lift Up, I’m always keen on Michael Dickinson horses, he’s a trainer that simply knows the breed better than maybe anyone. This one has had most his success at Woodbine but has won over this strip and is graded stakes placed.

Race 9: StrAlw $50k F&M 6F

1^st: #6 Truly Hot, I’ll easily toss any race from the Timonium bullring, this one was racing at this level consistently earning upper 60s Beyers, often getting 2^nd place. Has finished behind a lot of really good horses that have come back to win but so far hasn’t put a winning race together in 2019. Hopefully today.

2^nd: #3 Rein Supreme, a couple wins at this level recently but the figures are all over the place. Finished in front of and behind Truly Hot a number of times.

3^rd: #5 My Chesa Charm, typically claiming winners have trouble in these fields and any win at Tim is suspect.

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Race 10: The Howard County Stakes $100k 2 Year Olds 5 & ½F Turf

1^st: #2 Frosted Rose, fractions for the Skidmore in the last were simply too strong—final time of 1:01 and 3—and this one couldn’t gain any ground like he did in his maiden-breaking win. Needs lower quality speed to close on, think he gets that here.

2^nd: #7 So Street, avoiding the heavy chalk in this one, something fishy about that last race with a final time of 1:00 and 4/5^ths for 5.5F, doesn’t smell right to me. Best Beyers but I’ll try to beat.

3^rd: #4 Muchmorethanthis, the other Trombetta colt in here, could easily win gets Vargas today. Narrowly won his maiden event at Colonial on the lead. Will have a lot of speed to contend with in this one.

Race 11: Clm $16k F&M

1^st: #7 Creedibility, one of two horses trained by Claudio Gonzalez. Toss the last in the step up to allowance company, $16k claimers directly in his wheelhouse especially with Gonzalez.

2^nd: #5 Castle Ridge, solid figures but hasn’t been out since February, probably isn’t ready although last breeze is solid. Bet back off this race.

3^rd: #9 It’s a Shaw Thing, Gonzalez’s other trainee, ran a dud last time but two back won at $20k at Del.

Race 12: MdSpWt $40k 5 & 1/2F Turf

1^st: #2 Gracely, can’t avoid the chalk here, has improved significantly since getting onto the grass and the figures are just too good. Has probably simply been unlucky to lose a few in a row, close ones. Best race of his life came last out with the distance relief.

2^nd: #1 Bubala, Englehart’s debuter that they paid $265k for two years ago and will be ridden by Vargas. The two back drill at Belmont was excellent.

3rd: #7 Sea Story, Dove Houghton’s horse here gets back to turf which was the site of the best races of his life. Don’t love the regression in the figures but she probably has some quality in her.