July 29 racing highlights: Just Jack making a name for himself
Just Jack took a Laurel Park allowance on July 29. Photo by The Racing Biz.
From Staff Reports
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: JUST JACK TAKES LAUREL ALLOWANCE
Cutting back to 5 ½ furlongs off a narrow loss last out going one mile, Michael J. Harrison’s Just Jack emerged from a tight pack on the outside and wore down stubborn long shot Miner’s Quest to win Friday’s co-featured eighth race.
The 3-year-old Maryland-bred Just Jack, a full brother to stakes winner Talk Show Man, ran the distance in 1:04.73 over a Bowl Game Turf Course rated good for his second win over older horses this year.
Just Jack ($5.20) was favored at 8-5 in a field of 10 in the $42,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up. Trained by Hamilton Smith, he has three wins from five starts after going unraced at 2.
Richard F. Blue Jr.’s Grandiflora outran Jrock and Made Bail down the stretch with a steady drive on the far outside to snap an 11-race losing streak in Friday’s third race, a $45,000 optional claiming allowance for turf sprinters 3 and up.
With meet-leading rider Feargal Lynch aboard for trainer Ann Merryman, Grandiflora ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.47. It was the first win for the 5-year-old gelding since his allowance victory May 7, 2015 at Pimlico.
LOOK AHEAD: TODAY’S RACING
- Tracks in action today: Monmouth Park, Parx Racing, Delaware Park, Laurel Park, Penn National, Charles Town.
- Check out The GQ Approach for full-card Laurel Park handicapping.
- Race six at Laurel Park brings together a hard-hitting group of turf routers for a $47,000 allowance test going 1 1/16 miles. Graded stakes-placed Fredericksburg (5-2) is the morning line favorite, but if taking short odds on a horse who’s won just three of 31 career starts isn’t your style, there are plenty of other ways to go. Among them: Top of Mind (7-2), who’s won both of his turf starts, Eyeplayeveryday (4-1), who won the Find Stakes last out over highly regarded Phlash Phelps, and Souperfast (3-1), second against similar in his last try.
- Delaware Park’s sixth race is a $12,500 starter allowance going 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf. The angrily named Be Nice or Leave (5-2) is the morning line favorite and will look to take the field gate to wire as she’s done in three of her last four for trainer Gerry Bennett. Among the logical alternatives are Jamie Ness trainee Babe’s Ruler (3-1) and Randy Allen’s Secret Temple (7-2).
- Stonetastic (4-5) figures to have the field at her mercy in Monmouth Park’s $75,000 Regret Stakes, contested at six furlongs on the main track. The multiple Grade 2 winner, trained by Kelly Breen, will have leading rider Paco Lopez in the irons. A pair of New Jersey-breds are also in the event in the form of Bustin Out (7-2), a stakes-placed runner for trainer Chuck Spina, and She’s Hot Wired (7-2), who’s won four of six, including a stake, for trainer Mario Serey, Jr., after winning just two of her first 30.
