Laurel Park picks and ponderings December 29, 2019

Anna’s Bandit. Photo by Laurie Asseo.

In which we pick the races from Laurel Park each day…

Post time: 12:25 p.m.

Carryovers: Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 — $7,688; Super High 5 — None; Late Pick 5 — None

Notable: Happy Holidays!

RACE 1

2-1-4-5
Top choice #2 Ziggy Mon (2-1) wired the field last time out and looks to be controlling speed; if, as seems likely, the track ends up being less than fast, that shouldn’t be a concern either, as this one recorded his best-ever speed fig in the slop… Charles Town shipper #1 Pool Boy Charlie (8-1) has competed with these, finishing just behind #4 Revolutionary Road (5-2) back in June, and may offer some value in this spot…

RACE 2

5-6-3-4
Speaking of speed, it looksl ike #5 Lady Terp (3-1) ought to be in front in this contest; she arrives on a three-race win streak while climbing the ladder, and the runner-up from her last returned to win next out… #6 Dr. Ann (7-2) makes her second start in the Trombetta barn and second after a nearly-three-month break and finds a slightly easier spot today; she has some pretty good tries to run back to…

RACE 3

3-5-2-9
We’ll give another crack to #3 Muchacho (5-1), who has run some awfully good races and finds his way to an easier spot today while returning to the Caiazzo barn… That last race was terrible for #5 Antipoison (15-1), but there are a couple of points in his favor: first, he showed uncharacteristic speed before backing out, and second, two back he closed quite willingly in a race in which the early pace was absolutely glacial (1:16.02 for six furlongs); it feels like this is a horse who’s nearing a move forward…

ANALYSIS

RACE 4 — THE MANDATORY PAYOUT PICK 6 STARTS HERE

9-7-1-4
The speedy #9 Unnamed Soldier (3-1) takes a two-level drop to the bottom and should get the trip he wants, either leading or pressing the early pace of another logical contender in the class-dropping #1 Rip Rap Riley (2-1); the latter is the subject of a fire sale after this three-race win streak versus better was snapped last out at the $25,000 level… The cutback to 5 1/2 furlongs should benefit #7 Flat Out Mine (5-1) who backed out in the final furlong going seven-eighths last time; his two-back third at this distance came in a race that’s produced three next-out winners…

RACE 5

7-1-8-2
There are certainly some runners with early foot in this event, and if new rider Karamanos can get #7 Olive Kat (3-1) to settle off them, as she did in her two-back victory, she rates a big chance to run on past them for the win; she was no match last time out when dueling for the early lead, though she did hold second… Another who figures to benefit if the pace heats up is #1 One Tow Three Go (4-1), who’s never been worse than third in six six-furlnog starts… #2 Call Me Jelly Roll (7-2) is set to make her 15th start of the season, which nevertheless pales in comparison to #3 Sherwood Lady (10-1), who’ll make her 20th…

RACE 6

11-8-3-6
Trainer Mark Reid has a sterling 5-for-15 record with horses making their second start off a long layoff, as is the case with #11 King of All Media (10-1), who didn’t run terribly last out in his return to action and should be fitter today… #8 A True Gentleman (9-2) doesn’t win much (4-for-42) but fits at this level… The favorite, #6 Prime Time Man (2-1) makes his first start in seven months and takes a big drop in class; is trainer Magee just taking an edge, or signalling something? #3 Candy Asset (6-1) drops to the bottom in his first start in the Schoenthal barn after a middling return to action last out…

ANALYSIS

RACE 7

3-6-2-7
A pretty fair argument could be made that the best performance to date by any of the runners in this maiden special weight test was the runner-up try back in January by #3 So Gracious (3-1); the Brittany Russell trainee was second by a length to Las Setas, who turned around and won several local stakes after that; this runner switched to the grass and registered some good efforts without notable success; now back on the dirt, she catches a manageable group… A pair of runners had acceptable debuts and are making their second starts today: #6 Candy Money (5-1) was up close early before fading from contention at Aqueduct two weeks back, while #7 Hydra (3-1) makes her first start in a year and first with trainer Motion; she was first on debut at Gulfstream behind a runner who later won a stake…

RACE 8

2-4-9-8
Top choice #2 Shadow Boxer (6-1) looks to be the main speed in here and is reunited with rider Ruiz, with whom he won two straight… Trainer Jose Corrales wheels back #9 Wilko’s Goldeneye (9-2) on just a week’s rest for his third start in 15 days; this one never, ever wins (2-for-58) but has delivered his two best efforts in his last two…

RACE 9

7-2-4-6
Favored #7 Still I Wonder (9-5) ran evenly on debut against better, and the winner, Marden, came back to win at a higher level against winners… #2 Wild River (9-2) had a promising debut at the Fair Grounds back in February and then was off 10 months before making a less optimistic return to action…