CHARLES TOWN PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: JAN. 22

Sleepy Eyes Todd
Sleepy Eyes Todd won the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. Photo by Coady Photography.

Charles Town Races has an eight-race card on tap for this evening. Post time for the opener is 7:00 p.m., and we’ve got Charles Town picks.

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE NUMBERCONTENDERSCOMMENTS
Race 65-8-6-3In his last couple of starts, #5 Wonder In (5-2) has run big races going flat out for the lead. In each, he set down fast fractions on the front end, drawing away nicely to win the first and hanging in there willingly last out when fourth against better. He looks to be the speed of the speed here… The pace could be fast – Wonder In is not the only speed – and a runner who might be showing late interest is #8 Annamated Moon (9-2), who’s run evenly his last couple but has some good efforts in the bank… It’s likely that Wonder In’s nearest early pursuer will be the Tim Grams-trained #6 Fancy Concho (2-1). He enters on a three-race win streak, including a solid score on WVBC night, and certainly could be the beneficiary if the top choice doesn’t fire… The deepest of closers here is #3 Tastes Like Plaid (10-1), who’ll need a big one but has the right style to make late noise…
Race 74-1-6-3Being back home for the first time in a race since May should be to the liking of top choice and a.m. favorite #4 Parisian Diva (7-5). She ran respectably in a pair of outings at Laurel, including a sixth-place finish in a stake behind the very promising Dontletsweetfoolya and a good third in allowance company, and should find this group more to her liking. She also figures to control this one on the front end… #1 Cameron Street (6-1) should be running on late but will need a return to better form… A return to shorter distances probably will help #6 Amelia Bedelia (9-5), who stopped badly last out in the nine-furlong WVBC Distaff. But we’re slightly concerned by the post-WVBC break; she’ll be making her first start since, a 104-day layoff, and is showing just a couple of works. On best, she can contend, but will she need one? #3 Grace Elizabeth (8-1) has been off a similar period but at least offers some wagering value. She’ll need to return to better form here…

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