Laurel Park picks and ponderings September 10, 2020

Anna’s Bandit. Photo by Laurie Asseo.

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

Post time: 12:40 p.m.

Carryovers: Rainbow Jackpot Pick 6 — $8,777 Super High 5 — $1,825 Late Pick 5 — $0

Notable: Until further notice, no fans are allowed to attend the races at Laurel Park. For more info, click here.

RACE 1: CLAIMING $10,000 (CONDITIONED), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE

1-3-4-7
#1 Fast Master (7/5): One of a few in here coming off a win against n/w2L company, but he was the most impressive winner of that bunch. He smoked the field by more than five lengths, coming from well out of it to do so. Goes second off the claim for Jamie Ness, who has hit the board with eighteen of his past twenty-five starters at this track. This one should eat up the longer distance; his last win came at seven furlongs.
#3 Girls Love Me (6/1): Bounced back off a poor effort last out, closing to get third against tougher. He finished second at this class in his first race off a very long break, then got a tough trip two back at the level. He was 3/1 in that race; you’ll probably get better than that here.
#4 Beckon (5/1): Pulled away after a good stalking trip last out at Delaware Park. Goes third off the layoff for Dale Capuano, who is a solid 18% with that angle.

RACE 2: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $25,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

6-5-3-7 (GRASS: 2-1-7-9)
#6 Cool Hand Coop: Fought on the lead and drew off to finally break his maiden last out, in his twelfth career start. The runner-up in that race, Extremelyexclusive, came back to beat a maiden claiming field as the 3/5 favorite next out. Does the lightbulb angle apply here?
#5 Golazo: Almost ran down a clear leader last out, but simply ran out of real estate. He’s a pure stalker, and should get the right pace to run at here.
#3 Polar Bear Pete: Ran well in his first start for Claudio Gonzalez, getting involved in a duel, and outfinishing his dueling partner by 8 1/2 lengths. Gonzalez is 32% with horses going second time out for him.

RACE 3: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2-YEAR-OLDS, 6 FURLONGS

6-1-4-5
#6 Market Cap (9/2): One of two in here for Jeremiah O’Dwyer, I’ll give this one the slight edge over his stablemate. He’s had a steady worktab over the past month, going four furlongs in less than fifty seconds three straight times. Might need some more works to fire a top effort, but might be worth a shot at a price.
#1 Kwist (5/2): Gonzalez hasn’t had many live 2-year-olds in maiden special weights this year, but he might have one here. The works have been strong and steady, and Angel Cruz gets aboard, always a live teammate of Gonzalez.
#4 Golden Gulley (7/2): He had a bullet workout two back, going five furlongs in 1:00 3/5. He’s been ramping up his works in terms of distance, but he’s bred for sprints. A six-furlong affair should work well for him.

ANALYSIS

RACE 4: ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

3-1-10-5 (GRASS: 1-4-2-7)
#3 A Girl Named Jac: Earned a lifetime top figure in her first race off a long layoff last out, with a fourth-place finish at the level. In her finale as a 2-year-old, she came from way out of it to win at Churchill Downs. It’s not easy to close at that track, making that win all the more impressive. Looking for a step forward second off the bench.
#1 Spun Glass: Races in her home state for the second time, after an impressive maiden win at Presque Isle Downs. She stalked the pace and drew off to win, with a lifetime top mark by six points. Should get a good setup rating on the inside.
#10 Mai Sai Princess: Another one coming off a lifetime best after a great stalking trip. While no one on the pace really fell apart, it was also a contentious battle, and she sat just off it and rolled to the win. There’s speed in here, too, can she rate near it again and get the pace she wants?

RACE 5 – CLAIMING $5,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS

2-5-6-7
#2 Blue Sky Venezuela (5/1): A winner of two in a row at the conditioned claiming level. Drew off to win handily last out, with a lifetime top figure of 82. Two races back, she won while matching a lifetime best. Jumping to the open level will be a real test, but I think she’s up for it at the right price.
#5 Swirrlie Shirlie (6/5): She’s won three races in a row, just getting up to win at the $12,500 level last out. This is a big drop in class, and she’s in the best form she’s ever been. Will be tough, but probably not worth it at her 6/5 morning line. While her figures are slightly the best, they don’t stand out that much compared to the others.
#6 Lady Rozina (4/1): Deep closer won going a mile last out, but needed every bit of the long stretch to get by. A reasonable candidate to play underneath in exactas and trifectas, as she’s got the best late pace figures in the field.

RACE 6: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W2X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 MILE

5-7-6-14 (GRASS: 8-10-2-12)
#5 Toughest Ombre: Races first off the claim for Dale Capuano, after a sharp win against starter optional claiming company. Steadily runs figures above 90, in a field where most of them struggle to crack that mark.
#7 Cerulean Springs: Cruz and Gonzalez have another live one. This closer frequently hits the board in sprints, but never has enough time to make up the ground necessary for the win. Now, he’s stretching out to a mile, and should enjoy the long stretch run.
#6 Bird King: A three-year-old racing against his elders. Battled on to win a three-horse photo at Delaware last out, outdueling heavy favorite Marvin the entire way around. Trevor McCarthy gets aboard this lightly-raced gelding, making his third start off the layoff.

ANALYSIS

RACE 7 – ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W3X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 7 FURLONGS

8-6-3-5
#8 Zoomer (4/1): Got caught wide two races back at Belmont Park, tried to close from behind on the speed-favoring Saratoga dirt last out. Before that, he was in great form, including a big figure of 103 earned at Parx while winning a n/w2x allowance. He’s finally getting an honest surface to run on here, and should put in a strong bid late.
#6 Fortunate Friends (7/2): A two-time winner in the n/w2x allowance class earlier in the meet, he rebroke in the stretch last out and ended up finishing second. He outfinished one of his rivals here, Hall Pass, who came back to win next out.
#3 Deal Driven (8/1): Speedy Parx shippers cuts back from a string of two-turn races. He was a six-time winner going long last year, but had tired consistently at that distance in his last few. He’ll hope that he can still carry his speed going shorter.

RACE 8: CLAIMING $16,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

5-9-11-2 (GRASS: 1-9-10-3)
#5 Goodluckchuck: Impressed in his first start against winners, rallying gamely on the outside to miss by just a head. Should move forward here.
#9 Confusion Baby Boy: Made a nice recovery after stumbling at the start last out. He’s had plenty of unsuccessful tries against winners, but his form has been steadily improving.
#11 To The Front: Showed speed and held second in his last start. The winner of that race came back to win next out, as did the third-place finisher. Ran a giant figure of 85 when breaking his maiden at Will Rogers Downs in April, doing so while backing just off the pace and rolling by turning for home.