Laurel Park picks and ponderings September 19, 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 — $680 Super High 5 — $0 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 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 7 FURLONGS

7-5-4-1
#7 Palace Kid (5/2): The only one in the field without a loss against winners, he recovered nicely after a poor start to break his maiden going away last out. This field is full of proven losers, and he’s relatively lightly-raced and in improving form. Will be tough.
#5 Hero’s Return (2/1): Drops to this level for the first time, and cuts back from a two-turn try at Presque Isle Downs. He held well in his last race over this track, going through a bruising second quarter against tougher.
#4 Jungle Warrior (5/2): Well beaten last out behind much-the-best Thatwouldbegrand, finishing a clear-cut second. Goes third off a brief break, and has steadily run brisnet figures in the 70s throughout his career.

RACE 2: MAIDEN CLAIMING $40,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

1-4-10-9 (DIRT: 4-1-11-9)
#1 Whispurring Kitten (3/1): For whatever reason, she didn’t show her expected early speed in her last start. In fact, she was far behind early, and had to rally frantically to finish third. Don’t know what’ll happen here, but her best figures have come when closer to the pace.
#4 Espressoandacheck (5/2): This $600,000 filly wasn’t visually impressive in her lone grass start, at Aqueduct last fall. However, that was against a better field, and her figure of 77 from that race is sharp. Finished second on dirt in her lone start this year, now gets back to her preferred surface and is dangerous.
#10 You’re Doing Fine (5/1): Finished second in her last race, while improving her figure eleven points, despite checking multiple times. Goes first off the claim for Claudio Gonzalez.

RACE 3: MAIDEN CLAIMING $10,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 7 FURLONGS

7-4-3-2
#7 Rum Bobby (5/1): Makes his second start off more than a year layoff, and goes first out for Hugh McMahon. In his past life, he ran big figures against straight maidens down in Louisiana. This’ll be his first try at this level.
#4 Runaway Star (7/2): Raced well first off the break last out, battling on the lead against tougher rivals and giving way in the stretch. Now, he should get a much more favorable pace scenario.
#3 Created Special (8/5): He may have the best recent figures int he field, having run a 66 and a 68 since returning from a brief freshening, but do you want low odds on an 0-for-10 maiden? It can’t hurt to use him in the multis for insurance, but I don’t think he’s a great win proposition.

ANALYSIS

RACE 4: ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (N/W3X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS (GRASS)

8-5-1-2 (DIRT: 4-2-1-6)
#8 Dendrobia (5/1): Makes her first start since June 13, when she came from way downtown to win a n/w2x allowance contest. She’s finished in the top two in seven of fourteen over the Laurel lawn.
#5 Something Magical (4/1): Got inhaled by Dendrobia two back, then made a big move going two turns at Delaware Park last out and flattened out. With some races under her belt this year, and getting back to her preferred distance, she’s got a much better shot.
#1 Too Much Tip (3/1): Runs on grass for the first time this year. Her best figures have come at Laurel; last fall, she ran a huge race at this level and lost by just a neck. Should be right on the early pace.

RACE 5 – STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $25,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS

5-1-4-6
#5 On Deck (7/2): She’s taken a wacky path around the country all year long. Most recently, she battled gamely to win against allowance company at Finger Lakes, after some strong wins down in Louisiana. This is a similar field who what she saw last out. Trevor McCarthy gets the nod in the saddle.
#1 Mi Bella Rossa (7/2): Won in style two back at Delaware, then struggled against tougher over the funky Parx track last out. Steadily runs figures in the 80s, and has held her own against similar over the past twelve months.
#4 Tarawa (7/2): Another class dropper, she was third against n/w2x company last out at Delaware. She sat off a very fast pace in that race and faltered. When she’s allowed to set her own tempo, she’s much better off.

RACE 6: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

12-8-6-5 (DIRT: 12-4-9-2)
#12 Who Knows What (12/1): Raced wide throughout on debut at Colonial Downs, and held on well for third. When shipped to Saratoga last out, she dwelt at the start and lost all chance. Gets blinkers on for her grass debut. Interesting at a price.
#8 Golden Glow (3/1): Has a great grass pedigree, for a good grass trainer in Arnaud Delacour, and a good grass jockey in Daniel Centeno. All signs point to a strong debut performance.
#6 Closertotheheart (7/2): Ran on well in her first start to get third. Graham Motion hits at 16% with horses making their grass debut.

ANALYSIS

RACE 7 – ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, MD-BRED, 1 1/16 MILES

3-6-5-1
#3 Queen of Tomorrow (5/2): Has early speed to spare, coming off two impressive wins in a row. Stretches out around two turns for the first time, but has the early speed to set her own tempo, and slow it down to where she can cruise with something left.
#6 It’s Timeless (8/1): Improved sharply to break her maiden last out at Monmouth, battling in the stretch to win by a neck with a figure of 85. Looks to stalk and give the leader a hard time on the final turn.
#5 Stickingtogether (4/1): Disappointed in her first race off a long layoff last out, now stretches out second time on the bench. Showed some promise as a 2-year-old, including a second-place finish in the Maryland Million Lassie. Can she build on her foundation?

RACE 8- ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/16 MILES (GRASS)

5-3-10-12 (DIRT: 13-1-11-10)
#5 Flowmotion (8/5): A speed figure standout, he’s run no worse than an 87 in each of his last seven races. That’s a number most of these struggle to hit even once. Has a strong middle punch, and if he can stay close to the pace, the rest of them are in trouble.
#3 Carbon Data (6/1): Almost wired the Edward Evans Stakes last out at Colonial, tiring late to hold third. Now takes a drop in class and looks like a very dangerous lone speed.
#10 Jo’s Bold Cat (10/1): Tried to close twice on the Saratoga grass, which went about as well as you’d expect. This deep closer ran two big races to close out his campaign last year, including a narrow win on this track. His form has been somewhat disguised this year, but I imagine he’s ready to find his true self once again.

RACE 9 – CLAIMING $16,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

8-1-5-6 (DIRT: 15-16-1-2)
#8 My Candy Girl (9/2): Battled well last out after setting a very fast pace, holding second. She’s fast enough to get to the lead again; hopefully she can slow things down a bit better.
#1 Shezalemondropkid (9/2): Wasn’t able to close off that fast pace last out, and was a non-threatening fourth. Even though it wasn’t a visually impressive race, she ran a career-best figure. Her two races before that were solid, as she showed good fight in the stretch.
#5 Mayan Queen (6/1): Tries winners for the second time, after running a lifetime top figure for the fourth time in a row last out. Has a desperate closing style, that will make any win a tense one.