Shore Bets: Monmouth Park May 27
Sunny Ridge before the 2016 Haskell. Photo by The Racing Biz.
Shore Bets returns for a new year of handicapping the racing at Monmouth Park!
by John Piassek
Saturday at Monmouth Park marks the first day of what should be a great weekend of racing at the Jersey Shore. There’s ten races on the card, headlined by the Red Bank Stakes, which goes at race 9. Expect them to be on the grass this Saturday. As usual, the first race will be at 12:50 PM EDT.
Race 1: Maiden Claiming $35,000, 3yo and up, Fillies and Mares, 5 Furlongs (Grass)
8- Lupo’s Way: This Peter Wasiluk trainee makes her second start off the layoff, and saw her brisnet figure improve dramatically when cutting back from a route to a sprint last time out. She’s hit the board in nine out of fifteen races lifetime.
6- I’m a Curious Lady: Paco Lopez picks up the mount on this filly, who peaked at a 77 two races ago and didn’t tire too badly after battling through a fast pace last time out.
1- Perfect Party Girl: Runs in her second start off the layoff here, ran a respectable 71 against $25,000 horses at Laurel Park last out after a rough trip. Peaked at a 79 last year when almost wiring a maiden field.
Race 2: Claiming $5,000, 3yo and up, 5 ½ Furlongs
5- Gryvon: He hasn’t run in eleven months, and Navarro has been off to a slow start at the meet, but if he runs anywhere near what he’s capable of, he will win easily.
7- Grande Heist: This one is the most likely winner if Gryvon does not fire. He was vanned off in his last race back in February at Parx, but has worked well since then, and ran a 79 when winning two races ago.
6- Full Pads: Usually runs in the mid-60s, and is a good candidate to finish in the exotics at a decent price.
Photo by The Racing Biz.
Race 3: Maiden Claiming $35,000, 3yo and up, 5 ½ Furlongs (Grass)
1- Salsamatic: He will make his dirt debut this afternoon, has shown plenty of aptitude on the dirt and has lots of early speed. If he takes to the dirt, he will win.
8- We Wilburn You: Makes his first start since December. Trainer Chuck Spina is 15% with horses off a 90+ day layoff. He ran third last time out against $25,000 horses at Laurel.
4- Postino’s Vow: Ran very well over the grass last fall at the Meadowlands, makes his first start in a grass sprint, which should help him out.
Race 4: Claiming $5,000, 3yo and up, 6 Furlongs
5- Grey Glory: This $105,000 purchase ships in from Aqueduct, where he most recently ran fourth for $10,000. He’s got great early speed, and ran figures as high as 90 in the past.
8- Global Magician: Makes his first start on dirt after a string of grass tries, will almost certainly be overbet because of the Navarro connection.
1- Information Center: He was outdistanced when trying a mile last out. He runs much better at six furlongs, with a string of figures in the mid-70s, and will be a great bet if near his 12/1 morning line.
Race 5: Claiming $7,500, 3yo and up, Fillies and Mares, 1 1/16 Miles (Grass)
8- Rhythm Queen: She’ll pick up Paco Lopez for her first race since January. She also ran at least a 79 in three out of her last five races.
10- Can Can Babe: This New York invader ran well in the grass back at Saratoga last summer. Her form has been obscured by a string of dirt races, but she’s got a lot of early speed and will go off at a juicy price.
7- Desert Folly: Makes her second start off the layoff, and has won two grass races in a row.
Bradester. Photo by The Racing Biz.
Race 6: Claiming $7,500 (n/w2L), 3yo and up, Fillies and Mares, 1 Mile
2- Zendreya: She broke her maiden for $10,000 in her last dirt race at Parx. Nik Juarez picks up the mount.
5- Imflatoutsweet: She finished third in her only dirt race, as a two-year-old at Del Mar in July of 2015. Gets blinkers on, and jockey Wilmer Garcia rode five winners in the first two weekends of the meet.
8- Ruthless T: Makes her second start off the layoff, finished a solid third in her season debut last out, gets a big jockey upgrade to Paco Lopez.
Race 7: Allowance Optional Claiming (n/w3x), 3yo and up, 1 1/8 Miles (Grass)
4- Class and Cash: He’s wired the field in all three races in 2017, and will try to do so again at presumably low odds.
5- Infinite Wisdom: He will battle Class and Cash for the early lead, finished third in his 2017 debut last out, turned in a bullet workout at Belmont Park on Sunday.
6- Divine Oath: Makes third start off the layoff for Graham Motion, will take advantage of a pace meltdown if one occurs.
Race 8: Starter Optional Claiming $16,000, 3yo and up, 6 Furlongs
3- Dreaming of Neno: All he needs is an aggressive ride from Jose Ferrer, and his early speed will put them all away. He will not be a great win bet, but should be a good foundation for a pick 4 or pick 5 wager.
7- Rare Art: Trainer Juan Guerrero hits at 31% with horses off a 46-90 day layoff. He figures to press the pace from the outside, and could score at a price.
1- Johnny U: Churchill Downs invader was hung wide throughout last out, and saw his figure decline sharply as such. He usually runs in the high 80s-low 90s, and Breen-Paco horses are always dangerous.
Race 9: Red Bank Stakes, 3yo and up, 1 Mile (Grass)
2- All Included: He won the Appleton Stakes last out, with an excellent figure of 96, lost by a length against grade 1 company two races ago.
5- Rose Brier: Has hit the board in six races out of ten lifetime at Monmouth, didn’t like the yielding grass at Laurel last out, hoping for a drier surface today.
4- Can’thelpbelieving: Closed out 2016 with two triple-digit figures, showed little in the Woodford Turf Classic last out at Churchill, hoping for improvement second off the layoff.
Race 10: Maiden Special Weight, 3yo and up, NJ-bred, 6 Furlongs
1- Jersey Joe B: Gets Lasix for the first time for his Monmouth debut, plus picks up Paco Lopez. He was fractious going into the gate before his debut, and if he’s calmer today, it should bode well.
5- Valentino’s Day: He makes his first start since October, and runs for the Navarro barn for the first time. Will be the deserving favorite.
7- Chub Scout: Lost his first two starts at odds-on last year, while having rough trips both times, needs clearer sailing today to be a contender.
