Race 1: Clm $5k 7F
1st: #1 Quit Your Moanin, don’t love the draw as I’m worried he’ll get behind a wall of horses early, but he has shown consistent ability to sit just off the pace and gain ground in the stretch. 2 wins in 5 tries over this strip plus 2 seconds and has improving figures all year. Some cheap speed should burn out before the end of this 7F event.
2nd: #4 He’s Not Curly, showed big improvement at this level under the care of Chuck Lawrence and even won an OC$25k in the beginning of the year. Looks like a good claim at $5k for Jose Corrales who is 22% hitting off the claim.
3rd: #10 New York Hero, has faced much tougher in in his career in New York. Wayne Potts drops him to the lowest level in Maryland.
Race 2: OC$25k 1M Turf
1st: #9 Market Bubble, Colts Neck purchased this gelding as a two year old for $375k and they’ve been humbled but have found his class level and distance seemingly up at Mth. Like the drop in distance as 8.5F seems to be just outside his comfort level. Can close or be on lead. Good spot to get him a purse without losing him here.
2nd: #2 Bandito, best efforts clearly come on turf and was gaining ground late in the last going longer. Has won at this distance in the past though, contender.
3rd: #7 Passport, love the last when he tried to steal it on the front going marathon 12F locally. Was passed in the stretch but after a mile there he was clearly in the lead. Like the same strategy this go around. High Noon Rider is a distance specialist having just won a 2M event up at PID this week.
Race 3: OC$25k F&M 5 & ½F
1st: #2 Jumping Michelle, my rule of thumb is if there are solid looking Claudio Gonzalez horses in a dirt race, and there’s nothing much else in the field that is appealing simply default to the Claudio horse. You won’t get rich, but this miss looks good enough to win here getting distance relief.
2nd: #5 Mae Sai Princess, guess here is the freshening over the summer will have been good for this filly and allowed her to develop a bit more. If she’s ready she has a great chance.
3rd: #1 Happiness, best Beyers in the field, especially the maiden-breaking win at this distance, but given up by Proctor for next to nothing followed by an absence is not encouraging.
Race 4: MdClm $16k 5 & ½F Turf
1st: #6 Carthage, massive improvement once Houghton got this one on the turf and placed him correctly while going off at 25-1. Second out improvement should get the job done here.
2nd: #2 Power Back, similar angle here, great improvement given class relief and getting on the turf. A little more improvement puts him right in the mix.
3rd: #8 Belmullet, don’t like this 8-5ML favorite at all who has managed to lose 6 times without even a second place finish on both surfaces. Showed slight improvement with class relief, enough for me to play against.
Race 5: StrAlw $12.5k F&M 1M Turf
1st: #2 Cartabianca, has been facing MUCH tougher than these foes so far this year. Roger Attfield thought highly enough of this one to try graded company at Woodbine going much further. Jerry O’Dwyer great with turfers and gets his first call pilot Feargal Lynch.
2nd: #7 Pugilist, have to give strong consideration to this one who has won big at this level in the past and is 2 for 3 over the local lawn. You can toss the last at KD, and otherwise the record is very strong.
3rd: #1a I Dream of Lois, personal favorite in the mid-Atlantic, shout out to my Mom.
Race 6: Clm $8k 7F
1st: #4 Kingston Pike, Mark Reid claimed this horse for this price back in July and gave him 2 months off upon which he won huge by 6 lengths beating a horse that came back to win. Definitely like that pattern, steps back up to $8k here.
2nd: #7 Cash Exchange, two wins in last three efforts, plus a closing second in the most recent to a solid horse, the Great Provider.
3rd: #3 Southside Warrior, not sure I agree with the 2-1 ML odds here, the horse hasn’t won since February of 2018. Recently does have some 70s Beyers, but dropping in class and still losing each time. Don’t like that pattern.
Race 7: MdClm $40k F&M 6F
1st: #4 Don’tbaggagecheck, Trombetta/Vargas firster with moderate breezes. No strong opinions here but like her enough.
2nd: #2 Bellatrix’s Wand, Jane Cibelli shipping this one down from Mth and thet most recent breeze is really quick. Cibelli 0-19 this year with debuters, can’t give her the nod.
3rd: #6 Too Much Minutia, improved on the turf, going back to dirt somewhat confusing. Cross entered at Parx, don’t know where she’ll run.
Race 8: MdClm $25k F&M 5 & ½F Turf
1st: #1 Thedevilmademedoit, improving Ness 2 year old narrowly missed in her last. Guess is she improves enough to win here. Sort of a default choice.
2nd: #2 Khalos Vision, first time on turf, the last try on dirt was pretty solid earning a 49 Beyer. Gets blinkers and Alex Cintron to ride.
3rd: #3 Helena Beat, maybe a flier needed on this one dropping out of a MdSpWt event, although a VA-bred event. Cibelli likely to have her improved.
Race 9: Clm $16k F&M 5 & ½F
1st: #1 Proud Mandate, not only looks like a great bet at this level but also looks like a great claiming opportunity. Keith Nations dropping this 3 year old in for a pittance of a tag after competing decently in OC events as pricey as $50k and not embarrassing herself. Nations always a threat.
2nd: #5 It’s a Shaw Thing, Claudio horse with a lot of speed gets some distance relief and is a definite threat.
3rd: #7 Perfect Exchange, last out was excellent winning by 7 at slightly cheaper level.
Race 10: Clm $10k 5 & ½F
1st: #8 Ummu Ummu Ummu, typically shy away from first time maiden breakers but if they’re coming back at this level its not so bad. This one has all the hallmarks of a horse that has “woken up” given the previous two Beyers. Gets 5 lb bug boy.
2nd: #9 Kosher Kontract, definition of an honest horse that always tries.
3rd: #2 Campari, back class with this one, don’t think he’ll be ready after a 13 month layoff.