Laurel Park Racing Notebook, Fall Meet Vol. 3
Special Intention (inside) held off Junonia to break his maiden today at Laurel Park. Photo by The Racing Biz.
by Doug McCoy
Our new Laurel Park racing notebook gives you the scoop on the weekend’s racing, even if you couldn’t make it out. Horses to watch, headlines from the weekend, leading jocks and trainers — it’s all here.
Check it out below.
HORSES TO WATCH
- SINAI INSPIRED – This one dropped back early before making a good wide middle move. Was a good educational trip and watch for this one to improve next out
- DREAMLINER – Was checked and steadied along inside to the stretch of last on the turf. A slight drop in class and rider change might make this one dangerous at a good price.
- POLITICAL FARCE – Was checked and taken up through the early going then was boxed inside into the stretch of last. All in all a terrible trip. A decent ride next out makes this one dangerous.
- RIVER DEEP – Won in a common gallop last start and is razor sharp right now. Don’t be surprised to see this one show up in a stake soon.
WORKOUT WATCH
- CORDMAKER – This promising youngster followed up a troubled second in his first start going longer with a solid half mile of :47 4/5 on 11/03. Abundant potential here.
- SHIMMERING ASPEN – Like Cordmaker, this one is trained by Rodney Jenkins and the 3-year-old filly who had her chances compromised by an outside post in the Charles Town Oaks last out posted a blistering five-furlong move of :58 1/5, also on 11/03. Looks to be sitting on a good effort for Saturday’s Safely Kept Stakes at Laurel.
- DISCREET DECEIT – Splashed through five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 on Monday for trainer Ollie Figgins. If she catches a wet track she deserves a long look.
JOCKEYS AND TRAINERS
On the rider’s side, Edgar Prado only had eight mounts but won with four of those rides for a whopping 251 percent return on investment. The veteran who looks as though he’s settled in nicely in Maryland after riding on the NYRA circuit for a number of years. His mounts earned more than $4,000,000 last season and while he may not ride as many mounts as he used to, the veteran is still has a deft hand with turf horses and seems to relish booting home long-priced runners; he’s one of the few regular local riders with a positive ROI during the meet.
Jevian Toledo, who currently leads the rider’s standings at the fall meeting, also won four races last week as did Alex Cintron. Cintron, who is finally healthy after some incredibly bad luck with injuries and spills, is showing why he’s one of the top “go-to” riders trainers look to when they have a horse with ability.
Sheldon Russell won with three of 15 mounts and has 22 winners thus far at the current meet — tied for third most thus far.
Kieron Magee, who is in a battle for leading trainer at the Laurel Park fall meeting, had a big week, winning with four of the 10 horses he sent to the post. Magee has already secured his best season ever with 110 wins for the year and earnings of over $2.26 million.
Noah Abramson won with both horses he saddled last week. In his first year as a licensed trainer, Abramson’s top horse is Dothat Dance, who overcame the outside post to capture a mile and a sixteenth allowance tilt on the turf. The Louis Quartorze gelding came into that race off a solid fifth in the Maryland Million Turf.
Other horsemen who had a good week included Horacio DePaz and Phil Schoenthal. Depaz, who trains the classy Sagamore Stable string, won with two of his five runners while Schoenthal won with two of the three horses he sent out. Leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez was another who won twice, though his came from 13 starters; he now has 16 wins on the meet, one more than Magee.
TRACK BIAS REPORT
- 11/03 – Unlike most U.S. tracks, Laurel Park is far from an inside speed favoring surface and Friday’s races graphically illustrated that fact. Stalkers and closers dominated the day and the farther out from the rail these late runners were positioned the better their chances of success. Inside speed runners failed to hold that speed in the stretch and many of the close-up stalkers weakened in the drive.
- 11/04 – The surface played a bit more fair Saturday as both speed types and late runners won races. The portion of the track from about the three path on to the outside was still the preferred course for most of the late runners.
- 11/05 – The track was sloppy and sealed all day.
- 11/06 – Rains over the weekend kept the track sloppy and it was sealed again for Monday’s program.
